Installation

This page provides a guide for installing the ARA plugin on your system. The plugin can be installed using an installer, or a package manager for Python such as pip or conda.

The following instructions will guide you through each method. Alternatively, you can clone the aixd_ara source code directly from our repository.

Installer

The installer is the easiest way to install the plugin on your system for the majority of users.

Windows Users

  • Download the ZIP file.

  • Extract it to any folder of your preference.

  • Double-click the install.cmd file to start the installation.

Mac Users

On Mac, it’s not necessary to download the installer. Instead, open the Terminal application of your mac, copy & paste the following command, and press Enter:

curl -sL https://github.com/gramaziokohler/aixd_ara/raw/main/install.bash | bash

Installation using pip

The most popular package manager for Python is pip. You can use it to install packages from the Python Package Index and other indexes.

Step 1: Update pip

It is good practice to ensure that you are using the latest version of pip. To update pip, run the following command:

python -m pip install --upgrade pip

Step 2: Install plugin

To install aixd_ara using pip, execute the following command:

pip install aixd_ara

And then install the plugin in Rhino/Grasshopper using the following command:

python -m compas_rhino.install -v 7.0

Installation using conda

conda is an open-source package management system and environment management system that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It’s very popular in the realm of scientific computing.

Step 1: Create a conda environment (Optional)

It’s often beneficial to create a new environment for your project. This can be done using the following command:

conda create --name project_name python=3.x

Replace project_name with your desired environment name and 3.x with the specific version of Python you want to use. This package requires python 3.9 or a higher.

Activate the new environment by running:

conda activate project_name

Step 2: Install plugin

To install aixd_ara in your conda environment, use the following command:

conda install -c conda-forge aixd_ara

Finally, install the plugin in Rhino/GH using the following command:

python -m compas_rhino.install -v 7.0

Verify installation

After installation, you can verify that the plugin has been successfully installed by running:

python -c "import aixd_ara; print(aixd_ara.__version__)"

If everything worked out correctly, the version of the installed plugin will be printed on the screen, and you can start using the plugin in your projects.