The navigation menu is the topmost part of Modelur’s user interface window (Figure 4.01). It contains four sub-categories: File, Tools, Options and Help, which are explained in detail below.
Figure 4.01 – Location of Modelur Menu.
File
Here you can open existing files, import or export your data.
Open
Opens a dialog window that allows you to open existing SKP file.
Import GIS Data…
Clicking on this button will bring up GIS import window.
Export to GeoJSON…
Clicking on this button will save your Buildings and City Blocks as WGS84(EPSG:4326) GeoJSON which you can use in GIS software of your choice (eg. QGis, ArcGis, etc.). Files are stored next to your SKP file. They have the same base name as your SKP file and appended buildings##, complex_buildings## and city_blocks## suffixes. Each time you export the data, number identifier is raised by 1.
Export Urban Design Control Values…
This is used to export urban control values (such as Gross Floor Area, FAR, Required number of parking lots, etc.) of currently opened model into CSV file. For a more detailed explanation, see our documentation of exporting urban control values.
Download OSM 2D Urban Morphology
In order to generate OSM 2D Urban Morphology, you first need to geolocate your model using SketchUp’s geolocation feature (File -> Geo-location -> Add Location…). Once you have geolocated your model, hitting Download OSM 2D Urban Morphology button will create floor plans of buildings for the selected area. The new floor plans will be placed into a separate group and placed on separate layer.
Tools
Here you can find a set of tools that help you work faster and more efficiently. See our documentation on tools for an efficient design workflow.
Data
In the Data menu, you can find tools to help display urban data:
Options
Language
Set Modelur to your preferred language. Note that Modelur is officially supported in English only for time being.
Units
Set chosen units, either metric (meters) or imperial (feet). Switching this option will also switch SketchUp’s dimension units.
Default Building Shape
When nothing is selected in your model, Modelur can create a Building or Complex Building at model’s origin. Here you can set what shape should such default building be (Square, Circle or L-Shape). If you selecte empty value in the dropdown, Modelur will not create new (Complex) Building if there are no proper objects (eg. Face or closed Edge loop) in the selection.
Buildings From Edges
Tell Modelur if and how it should create Buildings or City Blocks when edges are selected. There are three options: Don’t Create, From One Edge and From Edge Loop.
Don’t Create option means you Modelur will create a Building or City Block only from selected faces, ignoring edge loops. If no face is selected, Modelur will create a Building in the middle of the coordinate system and with Default Building Area (as defined in Default Building Parameters).
From One Edge option means you can select just one edge of a closed loop and a Building or City Block will be created based on that loop. In case you have a loop within a loop and you select an edge of the outer loop, Modelur will create a Building/City Blocks based on the outer loop and ignore the inner loop (since it’s edges are not in the selection). If you select edges in both loops, Modelur will create two objects – one in the inner loop and one from outer loop and hole in the position of the inner loop.
From Edge Loop option means you have to select ALL the Edges of a closed loop in order to create Building or City Block. Of no complete edge loop is selected, Modelur will ignore selected edges and create a Building in the middle of the coordinate system and with Default Building Area (as defined in Default Building Parameters) or switch to Line tool so you can draw new City Block.
Calculate FAR Based On
Tell Modelur whether you want to calculate Whole Plot’s and City Blocks Floor Area Ratio based on Gross or Net Floor Area of Buildings. By default this option is set to Gross Floor Area.
Relation to Sum of Selected Buildings
Calculate FAR Based On Gross or Net Floor Area preference determines also which value (Gross or Net) is shown when Heads-up Display is showing Sum of Selected Buildings.
Lock City Blocks Upon Creation
Automatically locks City Blocks when they are created. This means a City Block can not be moved around the screen. This way you avoid accidentally moving a City Block and spoiling your project.
If you do need to move a City Block, you can unlock it by right-clicking on the City Block and then selecting Unlock.
Apply City Blocks LU Material
Each City Block will be colored according to it’s Land use (if the Land use has a specified color). You can specify a color for each Land Use in Land Use tab.
Synchronize Land Use Panels
Keep Land Use Panels between Input data and Survey tab in sync. This means the Land Use you select in Land Use tab will also become selected (and displayed) in Urban Control – Land Use section of the Survey tab and the other way around.
Show Status Bar
Status Bar is located at the bottom of the User Interface. Status Bar shows short descriptions of Modelur options and functionalities when you hover over them.
Show Building’s Built-up Area
Show built-up area face at the bottom of each Modelur Building.
Mark Terraces and Loggias
Apply green color to all Terraces and pink color to all Loggias. This way you can easily see how many Terraces and how many Loggias there are in your project.
Sync Building’s Layer
If this option is turned on, Modelur will make sure that all Modelur Building’s Entities (Edges and Faces) are placed on the same layer as the Building itself. The same is true for Complex Buildings and City Blocks. By default this option is turned on.
Show City Block Virtual Envelope
If this option is turned on, the City Block Virtual Envelope will be displayed for all of the city blocks. You can turn the City Block Envelope on and off for the selected city blocks with Envelope Button on the City Block Tab.
Change Currency Symbol
Opens up a dialog box for specifying new currency symbol. This currency symbol is shown in section Investment calculation of the Land use tab where you define estimated price per square meter for Buildings with the chosen Land Use assigned. This enables Modelur to calculate estimated cost of the whole Building.
Save Default Settings
You can save your preferred settings combination as default by clicking on Save Default Settings. This settings will then be used every time you initialize new Modelur model.
Restore Default Settings
Reset Modelur to default settings. When applied please restart SketchUp and Modelur.
Store Land Use changes
When this option is checked, Modelur will save each Land Use change to temporary Land Use specifications file. Turn this feature on if you want to copy/paste Buildings and City Blocks with non-default Land Uses between different SKP models. The file stored_land_uses.json, is saved into your Modelur Appdata folder.
Help
Help section contains links to this User guide, Video tutorials, Modelur website and Modelur forum.
If you want to report a bug or send us a feature request, click on Submit a Ticket.
You can easily check for updates by clicking on Check for Update ….
Enhancements and bugfixes included in your version of Modelur are displayed by clicking on Changelog.