Function

Functions are the blueprints for Buildings in your projects. They describe the purpose and basic properties of Buildings. A Function also references which model sets and colors are used in the 2D and 3D visualization. A Function is effectively a "type of Building".

The properties associated with a Function are known as Function Values

A Building in a Project is always based on one Function. Buildings with the same Function may have different locations, different heights, and different owners. But Buildings with the same Function will have the same set of properties defining their economic, environmental, and spatial effect.

During a session, a Function can also be applied as an action by a Stakeholder. Combining it with selection polygons and a specific number of floors places a Building of that function in your project.

The Tygron Platform contains several hundred Functions.

Function Properties

Each function consists of the following properties:

A unique name, a description and an image.
A Region, construction period and placement type.
Links to 3D Model Sets, Textures and decals.
Function Values, Category Values and custom Attributes.

Function values

Main article: Function Value

Functions are composed of a collection of properties called Function Values. These provide the numeric definitions applied to Buildings of that function. In principle, when such a value of a Building is required for a calculation, the value set in the Function is used.

A complete list of all available Function Values can be found on the Function Values page.

Category values

Main article: Category Value

Some numeric properties of a Function are Category specific. These are known as Category Values and are handled differently compared to Function Values. The attribute name of a Category Value always starts with the Category name, followed by an underscore and the name of the Category Value.

Regions

To further help with finding the appropriate Function, they are also divided into regions. Based on the location of the Project, the region for the Project is set automatically. Some Functions are only available in certain regions. This is based on what region of the world the Function would be most appropriate for.

When selecting a Function, it is possible to change the region of the Project to gain access to the Functions of other regions. It is possible to mix Functions of various regions freely.

Currently the Tygron Platform distinguishes the following regions:

Africa
Asia
North America
Northwestern Europe
Other

Function Categories

The function selection window. This will appear whenever you need to a select a function.

Functions are divided into Function Categories. Where a Function itself may be "Old Warehouses", such a Function may belong to a Function Category "Industry". This categorization helps when trying to select a specific Function among the full collection of Functions. It also makes it easier to query Buildings in a Project by filtering on the purposes of the Building. Rather than creating individual queries for each Function which matches a broad usage for Buildings, a single query for a Function Category can be used.

Functions are always part of at least one Category, but can also be part of multiple categories. An example is a Function for a Building with shops at a bottom floor, but residences on floors above it. Or flats which contain a mix of both social and luxury housing. In these cases, the Function's Categories each have a respective weight. While the Building remains a single Function, it is treated as 'divided' among its Categories for performed queries (e.g., for floor size).

Function Category

Currently the Tygron Platform distinguishes the following Categories for Functions:

Category	TQL Term	Combinable	Layer	Description
Affordable housing	SOCIAL	yes	Surface	Includes various types of flats and social housing.
Agriculture	AGRICULTURE	no	Surface	Includes farmhouses, barns, and floating crop fields.
Bridge	BRIDGE	no	Bridge	Includes bridges of asphalt roads (various types), bicycle paths, cobblestone roads and train tracks.
Education	EDUCATION	yes	Surface	Includes basic educational buildings, emergency classrooms, labs and primary schools.
Gardens	GARDEN	no	Surface	Includes standard and fenced gardens.
Healthcare	HEALTHCARE	yes	Surface	Includes hospitals, clinics, healthcare farms and healthcare hotels.
Industry	INDUSTRY	yes	Surface	Includes small and heavy industry, bio-refineries, silos, warehouses and chimneys.
Intersection	INTERSECTION	no	Surface	Includes intersections of asphalt roads (various types), bicycle paths, cobblestone roads and train tracks.
Leisure	LEISURE	no	Surface	Includes sports centers, swimming pools, theatres and tennis courts.
Market housing	NORMAL	yes	Surface	Includes various types of housing, apartments and shops with houses.
Nature	NATURE	no	Surface	Includes trees, orchards and reeds.
Offices	OFFICES	yes	Surface	Includes classic, luxurious, old offices and offices with shops.
Other	OTHER	no	Surface	Includes miscellaneous items such as cemeteries, trash bins, and windmills.
Parks	PARK	no	Surface	Includes city parks, fountains, pocket parks and vegetable gardens.
Roads	ROAD	no	Surface	Includes asphalt roads (various types), bicycle paths, cobblestone roads and train tracks.
Senior housing	SENIOR	yes	Surface	Includes standard and luxurious senior housing.
Shops and restaurants	SHOPPING	yes	Surface	Includes convenience stores, offices with shops and houses with shops.
Squares	PAVED_AREA	no	Surface	Includes parking spaces, playgrounds, watersquares and skate parks.
Student housing	STUDENT	yes	Surface	Includes affordable student housing, various other student housing types, and student containers.
Top market housing	LUXE	yes	Surface	Includes luxury apartments, modern villas, old villas and monumental houses.
Underground	UNDERGROUND	no	Underground	Includes culverts, pumps and inlets.

The table above also indicates which Categories can be combined with others within a Function. To add, remove and change Categories of a Function, see the How-to's section.