Examples

Overview

The raisim2Lib distribution ships C++ example sources and prebuilt RaiSim and rayrai libraries. Build the examples with CMake; the install target does not copy those source-built executables or provide a prebuilt TCP viewer. The rayrai_tcp_viewer target builds the viewer from this repository’s sources. Use server examples such as primitive_grid, rayrai examples such as rayrai_pbr_material_grid, and non-visual tools such as model_asset_pipeline to exercise RaiSim physics APIs, mesh import/export, OpenUSD mesh loading, and rayrai asset inspection. Use rayrai_tcp_viewer to inspect applications that publish a raisim::World through raisim::RaisimServer. RaisimUnity and RaisimUnreal are no longer supported.

Run

After the top-level build from Build, Test, and Benchmark, run examples from the build tree:

./build-examples/examples/primitive_grid
./build-examples/examples/rayrai_pbr_material_grid

On Windows, use the .exe executable from build-examples\\bin:

.\build-examples\bin\primitive_grid.exe

If the runtime loader cannot find shared libraries, use the platform-specific environment setup before running examples:

source /path/to/raisim2Lib/raisim_env.sh

This script sets LD_LIBRARY_PATH on Linux and DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on macOS.

.\raisim_env.ps1

raisim_env.bat

Visualization modes

There are two visualization paths. See Visualization for the full workflow comparison.

RaisimServer examples

Server examples such as primitive_grid create a RaiSim world and publish it through raisim::RaisimServer. They do not open a renderer window themselves. Start the source-built viewer, then run the server example:

# Terminal 1
./build-examples/examples/rayrai_tcp_viewer

# Terminal 2
./build-examples/examples/primitive_grid

The default server port is 8080 unless the example changes it. Use this path when you want to inspect the same simulation data that a normal RaisimServer application publishes.

Rayrai examples

Examples such as rayrai_pbr_material_grid, rayrai_pbr_texture_maps, and rayrai_visual_asset_support create or use a raisin::RayraiWindow directly and render in process. They do not need the TCP viewer:

./build-examples/examples/rayrai_pbr_material_grid

Prefer these examples when you need camera images, GPU/offscreen rendering, PBR materials, glTF visual import, or standalone rayrai feature inspection. USD visual meshes can also be loaded through RayraiWindow::addVisualMesh; see OpenUSD Loading for the importer scope.

Non-visual examples

Some examples are intended to print output or create files rather than show a window. model_asset_pipeline writes preprocessed and exported OBJ files to /tmp/raisim_model_asset_pipeline_example.

Example layout

The examples project groups targets by executable behavior:

Group	Purpose
Server examples	Build targets for RaiSim physics, contact, terrain, sensor, robot, XML/MJCF, and OpenUSD scene workflows.
rayrai_*	rayrai tools and standalone renderer examples.

Choosing an example

Start with these targets when learning a specific feature:

Target	Demonstrates
primitive_grid	Basic rigid primitive creation and RaisimServer publishing.
model_asset_pipeline	Mesh preprocessing, content-hash cache reuse, addMesh with processed assets, and OBJ export from a world.
shadow_hand_usd_cube	Loading an OpenUSD ShadowHand scene through World(shadow_hand.usd) with a textured cube visual and publishing it through RaisimServer.
nvidia_usd_robots	Loading vetted NVIDIA Isaac Sim robot USD scenes through the World constructor and publishing them through RaisimServer.
rayrai_pbr_material_grid	Inspecting metallic-roughness PBR material behavior under rayrai.
rayrai_visual_asset_support	Rendering textured URDF visual meshes (OBJ/DAE with image textures) separately from their collision geometry.
rayrai_coacd_mesh_approximation	Visually comparing original meshes and CoACD convex approximation parts generated through World::addMesh. The first run can take a few minutes while CoACD generates and caches the parts.
rayrai_tcp_viewer	The TCP visualizer used by RaisimServer examples.
tendon_elastic, tendon_pulleys, tendon_coupling	Elastic suspensions, routed guides/pulley branches, and joint transmissions. See Tendon examples and Rayrai.
rayrai_tendons	Automatic tendon rendering with scene selection, pause/step/reset, and live transmission values. See Tendons.
rayrai_forest	Dense instanced vegetation on a heightmap with automatic mesh LOD, foliage wind and shadows, and asynchronous loading. Requires the upcoming rayrai release; see Rayrai Example: Forest.

Runtime assets

Some targets depend on bundled assets or platform runtime packages:

• OpenUSD loading uses the package’s bundled OpenUSD runtime and USD files; keep the openusd runtime directory and rsc assets with the installed package.

• Rayrai examples require SDL2/OpenGL and rayrai runtime libraries. See Platform support for the OpenGL requirements and the reduced macOS feature set.

• Poly Haven and PBR asset examples require the corresponding assets under rsc. CMake copies rsc next to the executables (build-examples/examples/rsc, or build-examples/bin/rsc on Windows).

• rayrai_forest reads its assets from rsc/forest in the configured checkout and writes regenerable rayrai_cache_*.lods files beside them.

• rayrai_coacd_mesh_approximation writes raisim_coacd_* cache files beside the YCB meshes in the build tree’s rsc copy.

After building, list the example executables from the platform-specific output directory. Linux and macOS builds place them under examples:

ls build-examples/examples/

Windows builds place them under bin:

Get-ChildItem .\build-examples\bin\*.exe

Current Package Examples

• granular_media

Benchmark Examples

• articulated_system_benchmark
• anymal_standing_benchmark
• Island Sleep Benchmark

Rayrai Tools And Examples

• Rayrai Example: Basic Scene
• Rayrai Example: Complete Showcase
• rayrai_blender_scene_import
• Rayrai Example: RGB Camera
• Rayrai Example: Depth Camera
• Rayrai Example: Heightmap Replacement
• Rayrai Example: LiDAR Pointcloud
• Rayrai Example: Aruco Marker
• Rayrai Example: Custom Visuals
• Rayrai Example: Instancing Grid
• Rayrai Example: Forest
• Rayrai Example: Pointcloud Animation
• Rayrai Example: PBR Material Grid
• Rayrai Example: PBR Texture Maps
• Rayrai Example: Nested Glass
• Rayrai Example: Quality Lighting and FXAA
• rayrai_visual_asset_support
• Rayrai Example: CoACD Mesh Approximation
• Rayrai Example: Runtime Scene Editing
• Rayrai Example: Rolling And Spinning Friction
• Rayrai Example: Swept CCD
• Rayrai Example: Forest
• Rayrai Example: TCP Viewer

Server Examples

• Server Example: Compound Object
• Server Example: Deformable Objects
• Server Example: Dynamic Heightmap
• Server Example: Dynamic Object Addition
• Server Example: Dzhanibekov Effect
• granular_media
• Server Example: Heightmap From Png
• Server Example: Inverse Dynamics
• Server Example: Kinematic Platform
• Server Example: Length Constraints Newtons Cradle
• Server Example: Material Restitution
• Server Example: Material Static Friction
• Server Example: Mesh Stack
• Server Example: Minitaur PD
• mjcf_gymnasium_hopper
• mjcf_gymnasium_humanoid
• mjcf_gymnasium_walker2d
• Server Example: Model Asset Pipeline
• Server Example: NVIDIA USD Robots
• Server Example: Object Lifecycle Stress
• Server Example: Primitive Grid
• Server Example: Procedural Heightmap
• Server Example: Ray Casting
• Server Example: Ray Scan LiDAR
• Server Example: Sensor Suite
• Server Example: Sim Control Demo
• Server Example: Sphere Drop
• Server Example: Spring Damper Joints
• Server Example: Synchronous Server Update
• Server Example: Shadow Hand USD Cube
• Server Example: Templated Tracked Robot
• Server Example: Visual Objects Showcase
• Server Example: Wheeled Robot Force Control
• ycb_objects
• ANYmal Pair
• Atlas
• Kinova Arm
• Office1 Scene

XML Examples

• XML Example: Templated World
• XML Example: World Loader