PyHelios
PyHelios
Cross-platform Python bindings for Helios 3D plant simulation library.
PyHelios provides a Python interface to the powerful Helios C++ library for 3D physical simulation of plant and environmental systems. It enables plant modeling, geometry manipulation, and biophysical simulations including GPU-accelerated radiation transfer, photosynthesis, and plant architecture modeling.
⚠️Note that this is a work in progress. Not all Helios functionality has been implemented in PyHelios ⚠️
See the Helios C++ documentation for a more in-depth description of Helios: https://baileylab.ucdavis.edu/software/helios
Quick Start
Installation
Windows
Prerequisites:
- Visual Studio 2019+ or Build Tools for Visual Studio
- Python 3.7+
# Clone repository
git clone --recursive https://github.com/PlantSimulationLab/PyHelios.git
cd PyHelios/
# Build native libraries (optional - pre-built binaries included)
./build_scripts/build_helios
# Install PyHelios
pip install -e .
macOS
Prerequisites:
- Xcode command line tools
- Python 3.7+
# Install Xcode command line tools
xcode-select --install
# Clone repository
git clone --recursive https://github.com/PlantSimulationLab/PyHelios.git
cd PyHelios/
# Install dependencies and build native libraries
source helios-core/utilities/dependencies.sh
./build_scripts/build_helios
# Install PyHelios
pip install -e .
Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
Prerequisites:
- Build essentials
- CMake
- Python 3.7+
# Clone repository
git clone --recursive https://github.com/PlantSimulationLab/PyHelios.git
cd PyHelios/
# Install dependencies and build native libraries
source helios-core/utilities/dependencies.sh
./build_scripts/build_helios
# Install PyHelios
pip install -e .
First Example
from pyhelios import Context
from pyhelios.types import *
# Create simulation context
context = Context()
# Add a patch primitive
center = vec3(2, 3, 4)
size = vec2(1, 1)
color = RGBcolor(0.25, 0.25, 0.25)
patch_uuid = context.addPatch(center=center, size=size, color=color)
print(f"Created patch: {patch_uuid}")
Documentation
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Getting Started | Installation, setup, and first steps |
| User Guide | Core concepts, API reference, and examples |
| Cross-Platform | Platform-specific usage and deployment |
| Plugin System | Available plugins and configuration |
Key Features
- Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux support
- Plant modeling: WeberPennTree procedural generation
- GPU acceleration: OptiX-powered radiation simulation
- 3D visualization: OpenGL-based real-time rendering
- Flexible plugins: Currently 4 plug-ins implemented
- Development mode: Mock mode for development without native libraries
Quick Commands
# Test installation
pytest
# Check plugin status
python -m pyhelios.plugins status
# Interactive plugin selection
./build_scripts/build_helios --interactive
Support
- Documentation: https://plantsimulationlab.github.io/PyHelios/
- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Helios C++ Docs: https://baileylab.ucdavis.edu/software/helios
Note: This project is in active development. The API may change quickly - see docs/CHANGELOG.md for updates.