Qua-Kit is a client-server system that aims at assisting urban designers in their design process. Try it on our web server at qua-kit.ethz.ch.

Qua-View (apps/hs/qua-view) is a WebGL-base browser viewer and editor for building geometry. It is based on Haskell GHCJS.

Luci (apps/java/luci2) is a lightweight middleware that allows to connect different urban computing services together and present their results in Qua-View.

Projects that are already in some git repositories can be added as git modules using git submodule add <repository> <path>.

First, install JDK; we prefer java 8. Second, install maven.

To build and install (and run later) haskell applications use stack. Stack is a tool that installs for you haskell compilers (GHC), manages all package dependencies, and builds the projects.

Path: apps/hs/qua-view.

Client side of qua-kit. Browse the submodule for details.

Path: apps/hs/qua-server.

This app requires gd library at least (libgd-dev in Ubuntu). Follow error messages when installing to check if there are any other requirements. To build and run a particular app, use build and exec commands provided by stack. For example, to run qua-server you shoud:

stack build qua-server --flag qua-server:dev
stack exec qua-server

Flag qua-server:dev is needed to use sqlite database instead of postgresql Alternatively, you can use yesod-bin package to run it:

stack install yesod-bin cabal-install
stack exec yesod devel

Path: apps/java/luci2. Given Java and maven are set up correctly, run Luci as follows:

cd apps/java/luci2
mvn clean install
mvn exec:java -pl scenario

Path: apps/hs/helen. Given Java and maven are set up correctly, run Luci as follows:

cd apps/hs/helen
stack install

Helen can also run dependend executables, i.e. services. Here is an example of helen config to run qua-kit and all services.

host:             127.0.0.1
port:             7654
loglevel:         info
restart-attempts: 3

trusted-clients:
  - 127.0.0.1

bundled-services:
  - name: siren service
    executable: services/siren
  - name: dist to walls service
    executable: services/hs-example-service
  - name: qua-kit runtime
    executable: services/qua-server

Path: libs/hs/luci-connect. Luci-connect is a haskell library for clients and services of Luci. Refer to libs/hs/luci-connect/README.md for further documentation.

Some SQL queries become really slow when database grows (I have 1331 votes now). Having added couple indices speeds up "compare designs" query about 5-10x.

CREATE INDEX ON vote (better_id);
CREATE INDEX ON vote (worse_id);

Maybe a better solution is to make the request itself faster later, but for now it solved the problem.

If you develop a luci (qua-view-compliant) service, at some point you need to test the whole system altogether. The framework consist of foure parties: helen, siren, qua-kit, and your service. So you need to run the three things, and then use the running website to execute your service. Note, all haskell apps (helen, siren, qua-kit) can be compiled using haskell stack tool by running stack install --install-ghc from the projects folders. Note also, siren requires postgis database to be set up and running; refer to siren docs for details.

1. Compile and run helen (apps/hs/helen). Helen is a small app that replicates Luci core.

2. Compile and run siren (services/siren). Siren provides scenario support for helen and services.

3. Compile and run qua-server (apps/hs/qua-server).

4. Compile and run your service connected to localhost helen. Alternatively, you can try hs-example-service executable - it has been tested to work with current version of luci and helen. It is available at services/examples-hs folder. To run it use following command:

   stack setup # you only need this once to set up GHC stack install hs-example-service

5. Go to page https://localhost:3000/editor

   • (hint) Open browser console to see debug output if you have any troubles.

6. To be able to connect to luci, you need to login. The default admin credentials are:

   • username: "[email protected]"
   • password: "make it some random thing"

7. Open toolbox -> connect to luci.

8. Run scenario:

   • (a) Load some scenario via luci (if uploaded something before).
   • (b) Upload some scenario using FILES button. There is one available at apps/hs/qua-server/static/data/mooctask.geojson. Save it to luci.

9. Make sure that luci and some service is running, then go to SERVICES tab. It should show a list of available services. You can select one to run it. Click on refresh button if you do not see your service in a list. Selecting an active service invokes parameter refreshing and display. Check if all optional parameters of your service are displayed as intended.

10. Press green play button.

I have prepared a set of things I want to do for the project. You are welcome to:

• choose any issue you like
• discuss with me its implementation
• solve it during the event
• ask any questions
• propose new tasks

Ok! I have a nice option to write standalone programs that can be easily integrated into qua-kit. I call them "computational services". Computational service is a small console program that consumes urban geometry and produces some analysis results. We support the following execution modes:

• points: Take a grid of points and a geometry, return grid of results (qua-kit visualizes it using heatmap).
• object: Compute a single value for each geometry object (floating-point value is added into object properties).
• scenario: Do whatever you want with geometry and return a single line of text or an image (e.g. some plot).
• new: Create new geometry (or modify existing).

Example of such a service is available in services/examples-hs/ - it computes distance to a closest object for each point on a grid.