BUILDES

Buildes is an integrated development environment that assists the user in creating building information. It reads a text (session) file from which it compiles the information. It then allows the user to browse, analyze and export the resulting building knowledge. The compilation system is written in pure Python. The building components created are rendered in PythonOCC. The GUI is written using PyQt.

AUTHOR

Kene Meniru kemeniru@gmail.com

PROJECT HOME PAGE

Visit the home of buildes

DOCUMENTATION

Visit the complete user and source documentation

FEATURES

• Describe building components using familiar architectural process in a text file.
• Generates building information from a regular text file.
• Provides an IDE (integrated development environment).
• Browse, visualize and query generated building information.
• TODO Export to other drawing formats for interoperability.
• Allows designer to sign a project.
• Supports explorative design thinking (sketches).
• TODO Describe the building site including attributes such as setbacks.
• Describe building spaces. Maximizes design effort while minimizing drawing effort.
• Building spaces are aware of their sides (walls) and proximity to other spaces.

REQUIREMENTS

Buildes requires the following resources:

• Python 2.6
• PyQt4
• PythonOCC 0.5 or later (needs Opencascade also)

INSTALLATION

Only the source package of buildes is provided. Make sure that the required software listed above is already installed in your system. Follow the following steps to install buildes.

• Download the latest provided version at the PROJECT HOME PAGE provided above.
• Windows users can download and install buildes-$VERSION.exe file. This was built in Virtualbox running windows XP. Make sure to install the required software as listed above. You will need to set your PYTHONPATH variable also. See the next step below.
• For all others, after extracting make sure to set your PYTHONPATH variable: For example if you extracted to $HOME/buildes-$VERSION, set the variable to $HOME/buildes-$VERSION/buildes. Google how to set PYTHONPATH for your specific system.
• To run buildes GUI, execute $HOME/buildes-$VERSION/bin/bdui.py

TUTORIAL

Buildes installation includes sample session files. If buildes is installed in $HOME/buildes-$VERSION, the sample files are provided in $HOME/buildes-$VERSION/samples.

A small online tutorial is also provided showing how to draw an outline using mark objects.

Buildes also provide templates to assist the user in adding components and providing directives in the session file. Check this out.

More tutorials and samples will be provided as buildes matures.