Yeah, it's a combination of W/A/S/D and the left and right arrow keys to control it (needs more than just one set because it can strafe too). The keys control the hidden thruster objects on the underside of the craft, and the cube-shaped hidden boxes are what makes it hover. Try viewing hidden geometry when playing the sim to see how that works 😄

Thanks for your reply, I will have to try out these suggestions for sure... Oh btw, did they ever fix the joint settings bug in SP3 yet? I might try the newest SP3 to see if that's still a problem. Thanks again, latz... -B

Thanks for making the machine work. Great job! My question is more about if cables can be simulated and how to go about it...especially around pivots and pulleys.

I think you can modify the ratio on both joints. They both have ratio inputs, so try the examples I made

Hi Jaysax, thanks so much for taking the time to help me. Being new to this it is hard to know the limits and methods to avoid problems. I feel there is very few good tutorials for Sketchyphysics and good information is a bit sketchy. I think it needs a manual...especually for beginers. These forums are great and thanks to all the people that help make it so.

Well $CurEvalGroup applies to whatever object the script is in basically.

@unknownuser said:

...Once you've made a single link once for the type of chain you need, you're done. Copy/paste at will.

And if you do the first part to a component, and then copy it, so will it be much easier to change the style of the chain later.
/hpnisse

Thanks for the suggestions. I was wondering how to use the scale tool so the centre position stays in the same spot. Same for circles. The way I have been doing it always seems to move the object from its centre position.

I think he meant 'pantograph' [or as it's sometimes spelled 'pantagraph'].
It's the device consisting of two parallel, hinged, double-diamond lattice-frames, that transfer current from an overhead wire to a vehicle, such as a tram/trolley-car or electric-locomotive - the sprung action ensures that the contacts are always touching the overhead wires even when their level varies relative to the vehicle's roof-top.
A 'pantograph'/'pantagraph' is also a similar looking device that's used to copy drawing by hand - one end of it holds a pen/pencil onto a blank sheet of paper and the other end has a pointer that you hold, with which you trace over the lines in an adjacent drawing; the movement of the pointer is mimicked in the pen/pencil and lines are drawn on the blank-sheet: if you change the hinge-points in its diamond lattice then the copy is scaled up/down in size as the movements are exaggerated or reduced - that's a VERY early form of copying, much like the much easier 'photocopy' or scan/PC methods of enlargement/reduction!

Does it help to reinstall SketchyPhysics?
http://sketchyphysics2.googlecode.com/files/SetupSketchyPhysics3x-Jun27.exe: download-link.

Or just replace the ClassExtentions.rb file:
ClassExtensions.rb

in the folder: C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 7\Plugins\SketchyPhysics3 (I have Win7).

Hope you get it to work!

@hpnisse said:

Hello!
There is two ways to get it work with keyboard.

Simple:
When you start the simulation there popup a window "SkechyPhysics Control Panel".
Click on that so its active, then the keys will work.

Less simple:
Change the shortcuts to the tools.
Click on: "Window" - "Preferences" - then "Shortcuts".
Then change the shortcuts to whatever you want (or just delete them), tip!, add "ctrl" or/and "shift" key to the letter, then there is the same letter but you need to press "Ctrl" or "Shift" down at the same time.

Just type in the tool-name ;that you want to change shortcut to; in the "Filter" box.
Ex. of standard shortcuts:
Q - Rotate
E - Erase
R - Rectangle
A - Arc
S - Scale
L - Line
C - Circle

Hope this work (I know it do 😄 )
And have fun with SP.
/hpnisse

I did the same thing, and it works.

god knows, its just one of the many unexplained things of life.

thats or its a glitch

I have never been able to figure out how to use the oscillator joint. Instead, I usually use the slider joint. All you have to do is make the slider the right length and then, select it and click the UI button to the left of the joint connection tool. Once you have the UI open, find the controller box.
Capture.png
Once you find the controller box, simply type oscillator(500) You can substitute 500 for any number. The higher the number, the slower the object will oscillate. I suggest starting at 500, and then fine tuning it.

Patience my friend. See the topic 'something new', SketchyBehaviours will contain the next major version of SP.

your proberbly better off using a servo and making it an oscillator

simply put into the controler field:

the number will be the amount of frames it takes to swing from one of the limits to the other.

the lower the number the faster the swing basicly.

Hello,

I am trying to get in touch with Chris Phillips. If you see this message, can you please message me at my e-mail id?
nagendra.setty[atideas-unlimited.in]

Regards

Nagendra R Setty

@nagendra.setty said:

Hello,

I am planning to conduct a one day workshop on using Sketchup/SketchyPhysics to design and model robots. The event is being planned for an annual Robot-soccer festival that is happening, this September in Bengaluru, India.

I am trying to get in touch with the folks who designed Sketchyphysics to see if they would be interested to be part of such a workshop in any manner. Please get in touch with me at my e-mail id below.

Nagendra R Setty
nagendra.setty[at]ideas-unlimited.in

you do realise the posting date on this? he fixed this ages ago, 2 years to be precise. how many pages did you have to crawl through to find a problem you knew how to solve?

If you use the forum's upload feature to upload the model it'd be easier to tell if the problem is just for you, or is something to do with the model itself 😉

I let it lapse since I never did anything with it.

The way controllers work in SP3 (the version of SketchyPhysics you're using) has changed since the last version, SP2 (which was used to write the tutorial you used). To give more flexibility, the controller field now accepts formulas, (i.e. math), combined with old-fashioned sliders.

To get the result you were expecting, use this formula in the controller field:

It must include the quotes ("), but the name can be anything.

As a little example of what you can do with formulas, try making a motor joint, and using this as the controller (note that motors cannot normally reverse):

Sorry, there's no official manual, but you can always ask here 😄