post moved @wsellers89 said: Is there a good reference or tutorials for learning more about Ruby on SketchUp? Free downloadable PDF version of "Automatic SketchUp" at Google Docs (Look for the download link in the upper-left of toolbar.) EDIT: As of JULY 2010 Google reports "Sorry, the page (or document) you have requested is not available." Try the author's website: Automatic Sketchup You ALSO need to learn some standard Ruby, the old 'Pick-Axe' book "The Pragmatic Programmer's Guide: Programming Ruby" http://phrogz.net/ProgrammingRuby/frameset.html (There is a tar download link at the bottom of the left pane.) @wsellers89 said: I am experienced in Fortran and to a less extent C, but I can follow most of the the code. The weirdest thing about Ruby (and it's kept secret from newbies, I guess to surprise them in the advanced course?,) is that Ruby has no actual variables like BASIC, Pascal, or FORTRAN. Read this post for more info: [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=26437#p230201:2y8qpfiu]By value or by reference?[/url:2y8qpfiu] I personally would ALWAYS tell experienced programmers about this FIRST thing, as it can and has led to much wasted time and frustration. @wsellers89 said: I am not sure what ".to_f" does in the loop to parse out the x,y points and would like to know more. Converts the object (on the left of the dot,) to a Float class. This is one of the standard Ruby instance methods. [url=http://phrogz.net/ProgrammingRuby/builtins.html#builtinclassesandmethods:2y8qpfiu]Built-In Class and Methods[/url:2y8qpfiu] This old 'Pick-Axe' version was written for Ruby 1.6.x, but still helps alot. Sketchup is using the 1.8.x branch, but the book is still say 95% valid. Ver 1.8.x renamed a few Exceptions, added some more methods, etc. (There are updated hardcopy books available for sale for the 1.8.x and 1.9.x branch. Check booksellers or Ebay.) Other Topics here at SketchUcation on Ruby Programming: [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=10142:2y8qpfiu]SketchUp-Ruby Resources[/url:2y8qpfiu] [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=20427:2y8qpfiu]Developer Forum Sticky Links[/url:2y8qpfiu] [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=27606:2y8qpfiu]Ruby Docs[/url:2y8qpfiu] this topic (pssst! You can bookmark topics and access your bookmarks through your User Control Panel. The link is a the top left of each forum just below the list of Moderators. The bookmark button is hidden all the way at the bottom of each topic webpage in the footerbar.)

@wsellers89 said: Is there a good reference or tutorials for learning more about Ruby on SketchUp? post moved to this topic: "Ruby Docs"

@jblively said: Hey Guys, I can't seem to find it anywhere... What's the syntax to call a Ruby function from within SP, like from the onTouch area? Thanks Joe For others who might be looking: It's very easy syntax, in the blue sketchyphysics boxes in the UI, just put my_rubyfunction(); Although, if you use a UI.messagebox in the called routine, it seems to crash sketchup everytime...but everything else seems to work. Joe

Another one can be Soap Skin and Bubble and you will can regulate the pressure +- PS Alas seems now not more accessible for the moment! Time expired for free version! [image: HyperParaboloid.jpg]

it's basically the where the origin is at in the context of the definition. normally it will always be [0,0,0], but will change to the edit_transform.origin if one of it's instances is in edit mode. EDIT: it is the last point the user grabbed, not the origin. (see below)

Hmmm. Ok, at least I know that I'm not the only one. Luckily, almost all of my models have geometry in them. Thanks, Chris.

Pages.show_frame_at I think that answer's my own question. I would guess that is how the actualy flightpath created by SU is re-created. It would be easy then to export images from scenes - recreating the actual SU flightpath, and then compile those into a movie (presuming you get mencoder to cooperate). Chris

@chris fullmer said: I've used both [hashes and dictionaries] before, just never really enough to feel like I know what I'm doing. Crash course in hashes (a very useful tool to have at hand): A hash is a dictionary and vice-versa. They are sets of key/value pairs. An array is one form of hash: arr[0] = 'fred'. The key is zero and the value is 'fred'. Arrays are commonly restricted to integer keys. The term "dictionary" is commonly used when the keys are single words. dict['name']='fred'. Ruby makes hashes dead simple (though only a devout Rubyist could love the syntax): [image: 3x9H_Ruby-example.jpg] In JavaScript, both objects and arrays are hashes: [image: Mn9Q_javascript-examples.jpg] The last example shows that the key need not be a string. (True in Ruby if you start with a hash: h=Hash.new() or h={}.) The key can be virtually anything. I'm using SketchUp ComponentInstance objects as keys in the stuff I'm doing today (trying to get a lot of things moving all at once). In Ruby, an array must be indexed by number. A hash may be indexed by anything. In JavaScript, an array is really a hash, which wins the flexibility prize but you wouldn't enter them in a race.

I had this brilliant idea (that was a total flop). Since the delay works between frames in an animation, why not just grab that one? Was working well until I moved the puts Time.now() - start out of the animation code and into the mainline: for i in 1..10 do waiter(500); puts Time.now() - start end That said something like 0.03, 0.06, ... So I moved a call to a continue() method into the animation in response to stop(). BugSplat. I think I know how to at least solve the starter problem. The animated "move" commmand stacks move specs that are then run in an animation. Kludgy? Yup. PITA? Yup. But it should actually work.

Hopefully the docs will soon be amended to reflect my comments.

One of the best appearence of drawing curves on the screen is Moment of Inspiration The guy (Michael Gibson) has developped his own graphic engine [image: attachment.php?attachmentid=22617&d=1192006151] [image: attachment.php?attachmentid=22618&d=1192006151] [image: attachment.php?attachmentid=22619&d=1192006151] So you can have that directly on the work's screen By PaQ (Click for zoom)

But that is done with an animation class, right? I was thinking maybe moving things that do not use the animation class would need it. But again, I'm probably wrong. I have not tried this, my computer has been tied up rendering artsy shadows for the seasonal changes over the course of a year.

@honoluludesktop said: Here is an explanation, and "partial" solution. Thomas, When UAC off and as administrator, have you ever experienced a program having problems saving files? Nope.

@chris fullmer said: a point and/or another inputpoint. I only see it referring to InputPoints... And I think the ip it takes as argument are meant for inferring... ...the docs are a wee bit unclear here...

So I'm not mad!

I haven't had time to test this code yet..Has anyone else had a chance?

thanks guys, we've found someone. No need to apply anymore Radiance

@henda said: Ruby script or Ruby extensions written in C\C++ can export google sketchup file to other software that accept only xml file? Do you need something general-purpose (very hard) or more specific (possibly easy)?

@brett mcallister said: Thanks for the replies. The only ruby code I am using is just to load the dialog to test it so there is no namespacing etc. Sounds like that will solve the problem,so I will keep that in mind as I get further along. Cheers Brett Failure to include two parameters in the code block of an action callback is a crime punishable by BugSplat. PC or Mac?

refering to TIG's example: Sketchup::Group is also subclass of Sketchup::DrawingElement (so Sketchup::Group instances will inherit a material= method from it's superclass Sketchup::DrawingElement.)