Instructions for use

Instructions for use

The whole learning module is built in a strongly modular way. The single thematically connected parts are split into preferably small structured units. This is helpful for advanced users because it allows skipping units which explain simple basic features.
The introducing text of each unit gives advices which requirements of knowledge (the appropriate unit is named) you have to fulfill to understand the unit and the corresponding exercises.
But especially for beginners, it’s useful to do the units in the correct order because they’re built on each other.

The structure of each unit is always the same:

1. A short introduction. What’s the unit about?
2. Depicting the requirements for the unit and the exercises.
3. Learning movie.
4. Spoken text of the movie as a reference.

After a thematically connected block of units, a group of exercises follows. You should do these tasks for deepening the contents. In the exercises are shown some additional opportunities and features, which weren’t explained in the units. It’s also mentioned on which units the exercises are based.
The exercises of the first 19 units about the handling of GroIMP aren’t built on each other. This means that the files and results of earlier exercises aren’t required for later exercises. You can work on them independently.


Short description of the software GroIMP

GroIMP is a short-form of “Growth-grammar related Interactive Modelling Platform“. This software is a 3D Modelling Platform which was written in JAVA. GroIMP contains the language XL.
You can write, compile and execute Structural-Functional Plant Models within GroIMP. It is an open source software and can be downloaded at www.grogra.de/software/groimp

The described system requirements are the following:

- Minimum is a 1 GHz CPU
- Minimum are 256 MB RAM
- JAVA Runtime Environment 1.4 or higher (available at http://java.sun.com).

The installation process starts with a simple routine after a double click on the downloaded setup file.


Used GroIMP file types in the module:

1. RGG: stands for “relational growth grammar”; it’s the basic model file which contains the model code (the growth grammar).
2. GSZ: this is a project file; several RGG Files and other files can be saved and used within a project; the project also saves all preferences and settings. GSZ Files can be opened by WinZIP.