ROD Tutorial  
Project: 
Title: 
 
Date: 
 
Issuing Party: 
 
Last Author: 
ROD 
ROD Tutorial 
March 6, 2019 
VIRES Simulationstechnologie GmbH 
Esther Hekele 
 
Distribution List: 
 
ROD Users 
 
Document No.VI2013.066 
 
 
 
 
No. of pages: 96 
 
 
 
issued by 
VIRES Simulationstechnologie GmbH 
Grassinger Strasse 8 
83043 Bad Aibling 
Germany 
phone            +49.8061.939093-0 
fax               +49.8061.939093-13 
e-mail     supportVTD@vires.com 
web                      www.vires.com 
 
 
 
Version Control 
Version number   Date 
Author 
Description 
14/12/2015  Gruszka 
Reformatted tutorial, first release 
15/12/2017  Hekele 
Minor updates 
06/3/2019  Hekele 
Added PBR/HCS Chapter 4.2.3 
OSM Configuration File 
1.00 
1.01 
1.02 
 
 
This  work  contains  valuable,  confidential  and  proprietary  information.  Disclosure,  use  or 
reproduction outside of VIRES Simulationstechnologie GmbH is prohibited except as authorized 
in writing. 
 
 
Copyright note according to DIN ISO 16016 
i 
 
Contents 
 
Version Control ................................................................................................................................. i 
Contents ........................................................................................................................................... ii 
Table of figures ............................................................................................................................... vi 
1  Quick Start for experienced ROD-Users .................................................................................. 8 
2  Getting started .......................................................................................................................... 9 
2.1 
Installation ......................................................................................................................... 9 
2.2  Dongle Driver .................................................................................................................. 10 
3  Basic layout ............................................................................................................................ 11 
4 
Project ..................................................................................................................................... 13 
4.1  Creating a project ............................................................................................................. 13 
4.2 
Project settings ................................................................................................................. 14 
4.2.1  Adding a background image picture ........................................................................ 17 
4.2.2  Bird’s eye view ......................................................................................................... 18 
4.2.3  Generation Mode ...................................................................................................... 19 
5 
6 
Editor settings ......................................................................................................................... 20 
Editor usage ............................................................................................................................ 23 
6.1  Zooming and moving field of view ................................................................................. 23 
6.2 
Selecting objects .............................................................................................................. 23 
6.3  Moving objects ................................................................................................................ 23 
6.4 
Sticky Points .................................................................................................................... 23 
6.5  The grid feature ............................................................................................................... 24 
7  Creating a track ...................................................................................................................... 25 
7.1  Geometry ......................................................................................................................... 25 
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7.1.1  Geometrical objects in general ................................................................................. 25 
7.1.2  Creating lines ............................................................................................................ 25 
7.1.3  Creating curves ......................................................................................................... 25 
7.1.4  Creating splines ........................................................................................................ 27 
7.1.5 
Parametric cubic curve ............................................................................................. 27 
7.1.6  Combining geometry to a track ................................................................................ 27 
7.1.7  Creating linked objects ............................................................................................. 28 
7.2  Adding properties to the track ......................................................................................... 29 
7.2.1 
The property dialog .................................................................................................. 29 
7.2.2  Defining lanes on a track .......................................................................................... 31 
7.2.3  Defining lanes by macros ......................................................................................... 33 
7.2.4  Defining the road type .............................................................................................. 34 
7.2.5  Adding elevation ...................................................................................................... 35 
7.2.6  Creating the landscape ............................................................................................. 37 
7.2.7 
Signals ...................................................................................................................... 47 
8  Modifying a track ................................................................................................................... 53 
8.1  Duplicating and separating .............................................................................................. 53 
8.2  Changing the geometry .................................................................................................... 53 
8.3  Extend the track ............................................................................................................... 54 
8.4  Combine and revert ......................................................................................................... 54 
8.5 
Splitting a track ................................................................................................................ 54 
9  Generating the database ......................................................................................................... 55 
9.1  Default generation ........................................................................................................... 55 
9.2  Generating with the generation area ................................................................................ 55 
9.3  Configure generation ....................................................................................................... 56 
9.4  Configure OpenDRIVE export ........................................................................................ 58 
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9.5  Configure reference export .............................................................................................. 59 
9.6  Database-Viewer ............................................................................................................. 59 
9.6.1  OSGViewer .............................................................................................................. 59 
9.6.2 
Showroom ................................................................................................................ 60 
10  Creating a junction ................................................................................................................. 62 
10.1 
Basics ........................................................................................................................... 62 
10.2 
Creating a junction automatically ................................................................................ 63 
10.3 
Creating a junction manually ....................................................................................... 68 
11  Tiles ........................................................................................................................................ 77 
11.1 
Adding a tile ................................................................................................................. 77 
11.2 
Snapping tiles together ................................................................................................. 78 
11.3 
Reload tiles ................................................................................................................... 78 
12  Using own data in ROD ......................................................................................................... 79 
12.1 
Adding own signals ...................................................................................................... 80 
12.2 
Adding own tiles .......................................................................................................... 81 
12.3 
Adding own externals .................................................................................................. 83 
12.4 
Adding own styles ........................................................................................................ 84 
13 
Importing Data ....................................................................................................................... 86 
13.1 
Importing OpenDRIVE ................................................................................................ 86 
13.2 
Importing OpenStreetMap ........................................................................................... 86 
14  Starting ROD via command line ............................................................................................ 86 
15  Performance considerations ................................................................................................... 88 
15.1 
Reducing memory and drawables ................................................................................ 88 
15.2 
Occlusion planes .......................................................................................................... 88 
Appendix ........................................................................................................................................ 90 
Shortcuts ..................................................................................................................................... 90 
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Style Definition .......................................................................................................................... 90 
OSM Configuration File ............................................................................................................. 93 
 
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Table of figures 
Figure 1: Basic layout of ROD ..................................................................................................................... 11 
Figure 2: The status bar .............................................................................................................................. 12 
Figure 3: General project settings ............................................................................................................... 14 
Figure 4: Generation project settings .......................................................................................................... 15 
Figure 5: Export project settings .................................................................................................................. 15 
Figure 6: Background image project settings .............................................................................................. 16 
Figure 7: Adding a background image ........................................................................................................ 17 
Figure 8: Bird's eye view in ROD main window ........................................................................................... 18 
Figure 9: Bird's eye view dialog ................................................................................................................... 19 
Figure 10: DB Generation dialog ................................................................................................................. 20 
Figure 11: HCS PBR toggle buttons ............................................................................................................ 20 
Figure 12: The options dialog ...................................................................................................................... 21 
Figure 13: Grid aligned normally ................................................................................................................. 24 
Figure 14: Grid aligned to track ................................................................................................................... 24 
Figure 15: Creating a curve with intersecting lines...................................................................................... 26 
Figure 16: Creating a curve with parallel lines ............................................................................................ 26 
Figure 17: Combining geometry to a track .................................................................................................. 27 
Figure 18: The basic layout of the property dialog ...................................................................................... 29 
Figure 19: The drive lane dialog .................................................................................................................. 31 
Figure 20: The lane width dialog ................................................................................................................. 32 
Figure 21: Applying lane macros step by step ............................................................................................ 33 
Figure 22: Applying macros to more position entries .................................................................................. 34 
Figure 23: The elevation dialog ................................................................................................................... 35 
Figure 24: Adding elevation - Secondary View ........................................................................................... 36 
Figure 25: Open the landscape macro dialog ............................................................................................. 38 
Figure 26: The landscape macro dialog ...................................................................................................... 38 
Figure 27: Landscape macro question dialog ............................................................................................. 39 
Figure 28: Track build with macros.............................................................................................................. 40 
Figure 29: Adding a new style ..................................................................................................................... 41 
Figure 30: Adjusting a style ......................................................................................................................... 42 
Figure 31: Attaching a style ......................................................................................................................... 43 
Figure 32: Adding externals ......................................................................................................................... 43 
Figure 33: Select External dialog................................................................................................................. 44 
Figure 34: External filter 1 ........................................................................................................................... 44 
Figure 35: External filter 2 ........................................................................................................................... 44 
Figure 36: The external dialog ..................................................................................................................... 45 
Figure 37: The signal dialog ........................................................................................................................ 47 
Figure 38: The signal dialog configuration fields ......................................................................................... 48 
Figure 39: Adjusting pole height .................................................................................................................. 50 
Figure 40: Rotating signs ............................................................................................................................. 51 
Figure 41: Referencing signs ....................................................................................................................... 52 
Figure 42: The track context menu .............................................................................................................. 53 
Figure 43: Generation area ......................................................................................................................... 55 
Figure 44: Generation settings .................................................................................................................... 56 
Figure 45: Export OpenDRIVE settings ....................................................................................................... 58 
Figure 46: The OSGViewer ......................................................................................................................... 59 
Figure 47: The showroom ............................................................................................................................ 60 
Figure 48: Junction naming convention ....................................................................................................... 62 
Figure 49: Creating junction automatically - step 1 ..................................................................................... 63 
Figure 50: Creating junction automatically - step 2 ..................................................................................... 64 
Figure 51: Creating junction automatically - step 3 ..................................................................................... 64 
Figure 52: Modify the geometry of a path with the arc dialog ..................................................................... 65 
Figure 53: A junction with all paths .............................................................................................................. 66 
Figure 54: Generated junction from top view .............................................................................................. 67 
Figure 55: Manual junction target setup ...................................................................................................... 68 
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Copyright note according to DIN ISO 16016 
 
Figure 56: Create shifted tracks for manual junction ................................................................................... 69 
Figure 57: Creating path for manual junction. ............................................................................................. 69 
Figure 58: Path with lanes ........................................................................................................................... 70 
Figure 59: Hiding pavement of a lane ......................................................................................................... 71 
Figure 60: Junction with all paths ................................................................................................................ 72 
Figure 61: Junction without auxiliary tracks ................................................................................................. 72 
Figure 62: The junction area ........................................................................................................................ 73 
Figure 63: Adding paths to junction (auto) .................................................................................................. 74 
Figure 64: Adding paths to junction (manual) .............................................................................................. 74 
Figure 65: Junction before fillet definition .................................................................................................... 75 
Figure 66: Defining fillets for junctions ........................................................................................................ 76 
Figure 67: Adding tiles ................................................................................................................................. 77 
Figure 68: Adding a custom directory .......................................................................................................... 79 
Figure 69: Creating a tile ............................................................................................................................. 81 
Figure 70: The tile dialog ............................................................................................................................. 82 
Figure 71: Activating occlusion plane export ............................................................................................... 89 
 
Copyright note according to DIN ISO 16016 
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