Hi

you will notice whenever you scale a object its material stretches, so the area calculation remains the same, just what you see is a stretch representation of the same area

so make the component unique, so it does not effect others using the same definition, after scale or changes, right click choose scale definition, and right click dynamic component redraw may also be required.

I hope to later create a set of ruby script tools to overcome some of these issues

Hi

It is possible to create components with ruby code, but i believe its much easier to use the ruby code to load a defined component and position it,

I will continue with the pipe line DC, I created earlier and develop that.

If you look at the cylinder code in the linetool example,

%(#000080)[vec = pt2 - pt1
length = vec.length
if( length == 0.0 )
UI.beep
puts "Cannot create a zero length cylinder"
return
end]

I used that as the starting point, initially changing the cylinder for a simple line.

I now need to load a component and scale, then rotate it to the line created.

%(#0000BF)[path = Sketchup.find_support_file('rod.skp', 'Plugins/su_examples/')
definitions = Sketchup.active_model.definitions
definition = definitions.load(path)]

to get a scaling factor I saved the pipe line DC with a length of 1 meter and used that to scale to the length of the line. I loaded that DC to the su_examples folder

http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.0/Math.html
gives the syntax for the maths

being a roof carpenter, I used my knowledge of the relationship between a rafter and a hip (bevel cuts, lengths) to create a transformation sequence for the rotation
searches in this forum helped to work out the method

then I deactivated the line as it was no longer required as a reference

added
dc_observers.get_latest_class.redraw_with_undo(componentinstance)
to redraw the scaled component (tig)

I have attached the amended rod.skp and linetool.rb, which can overwrite the existing in the C:\Users"computer name"\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2016\SketchUp\Plugins\su_examples

links

the base component

linetool.rb

When you position the subcomponents, don't include the containing block's X, Y, or Z attributes in the formulas (firepit!X + the rest of the position formula). If you do, everything displaces the amount that you move plus the additional distance.

Try the component in the attached file.

BLAH-rev.skp

Thanks. I will try your advice ASAP

This is perfect. Thank you very much. I believe I can safely say, "case closed"

innerHTML gives you the tags, as well as text content, that you probably don't want...

john

This deserves to be included in SketchUp by default !
Thanks

It's unclear to me how the plugin would know to use "IfcFurnishingElement" as the type in the path. There does not appear to be any way to retrieving this type using a plugin. So I'm stumped.

@garry k said:

Thanks Philip - my latest plugin is over 8000 lines of code.
By comparison this just seems like an exercise.

I saw your post and then I put threw this together from scratch.
What I should say is this only works for component definitions which is what DC's are all about.
You might want to also look at other dictionaries.

Garry, you are too modest. Not taking away from your GREAT plugin GKWare Cabinet Maker, sometimes a short script is all that is needed to fill a void. There is nothing more valuable than the one that 'does the trick' when you need it.

Most users are not coders. There is no equivalent native SU report. Dynamic Components are not that well documented for the new user. Your script (it needs a name) makes tracking and changing formulas in DCs much easier for us amateurs: we can paste results in any text editor and print what we need! It streamlines the learning process (priceless!). So again, for all of us that will benefit from this, thank you. You rock!

I just realised Thomthoms Selection Toys has Select all active DC instances that works with DC's even if they have been scaled or modified. 👍

You can use condition statements to effect the placement, if you want individual input, perhaps up to ten, then you can use the dialog.

x = 10 + if(copy,10,0) + if(copy>1,80,0) + if(copy>2,300,0)

results for copy: for 0 => 10,for 1 => 20, for 2 => 100, for 3 => 400, your first example

or
x = if(copy=0,value1,0)+if(copy=1,value2,0)+if(copy=2,value3,0)+.......

There is an example on my warehouse page
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=u39b49ce8-66fb-4a59-ab35-3e9c9ae3d1ea

where either selected or user input effects position and number of copies of elements to build a door

But after a point, based on complexity and file size, as Phillip says....use Sketchups native tools

The intention of this exercise was to move one component and have it immediately affect to color of another by reinterpreting its X value. This result is a failure. It requires an intermediate set of actions. The user must select the interact tool and click on the component. Perhaps someone with more knowledge and better skills (which would be just about anyone here) will see something I missed.

The three sliders, SliderR, SliderG and SliderB's X attribute is evaluated as:
=NEAREST(CURRENT("X"),0,0.015748,0.031496,{...},3.984252,4.000000)

ColorCube Material=CONCATENATE(INT(ABS((SliderR!X/IncAmt))),",",INT(ABS((SliderG!X/IncAmt))),",",INT(ABS((SliderB!X/IncAmt))))

ColorCube onClick=REDRAW()

Slider DC v1.skp

@garry k said:

You are limited to the interact tool.

Personally - I don't think I would involve the scaling tool. I was able to affect 2 components with different motions with 1 click.

If this is what you are looking for I can post an example.

I get that. But that is the point. Can you select one of 256 increments with one click without going to a drop down box? The scale tool does not fire the onClick attribute, so unfettered dynamic motion such as produced by scale and move will not activate a formula. That is the reason for a feature request. See my post in 'What's the Future of Dynamic Components?' for my reasoning. See if you agree. I would be very interested to get your take on this.

@driven said:

@phillip h said:

..."Whatever can this mean?...
Anyone have any news or thoughts they can share?

I believe that there was a 'bit of a cockup' updating the preview images for older 3dWareHouse models...

a number of models where converted to kmz format in error and lost all their unique skp properties...

this included simple things like 'smooth edges' , 'double sided faces' and DC 'attributes'...

the updating was halted and 'fix' has been tested and a re-render/repair is expected soon...

so, keep on playing...

have a look into controlling DC's with Ruby via tool observers, there may be some milage in that approach...

have fun

john
Whoo hoo! Thanks for the update John! And thanks for the suggestion! Hope springs...

Okay, thanks.
It was just that I was looking for a solution that didn't require the user to run a certain script/plugin. (It wasn't meant to be used by me only.)
Will think about this...

Without some examples its hard to pin point the problem, but most likely some of the sub-components have the same definition names. You will need to edit each component created from the first one by changing the saved definition names of the subs as well as the parent.
Another possibility is using a common attribute with different formulas in swapping components, but I don't think you are swapping

In regards to the warehouse, there is a hidden attribute which your copied components have inherited.
This can be viewed in Attribute Inspector and then deleted.

http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?listtype=1%26amp;author=0%26amp;category=0%26amp;search=attribute%26amp;submit=%3Fare you

When creating copies it is best to use the generic term Parent!anAttribute instead of mycomponentname!anAttribute

The DCs appear to be based on a spreadsheet. The cells can be referenced as in excel by clicking on a different cell after =, or inside a formula. So a reasonable knowledge of formula calculation in excel helps. There are articles in the Sketchup knowledge center in the help

http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114561

A good understanding of groups, components, box boundary and scaling is required, generally its best to inspect other DCs to get ideas

As with coding start simple and then add on.

I am hoping there will be much need improvement with the next release (soon) otherwise one will need to create ruby scripts to manipulate and simplify the DC process

I updated the block DC, swap some elements to component as group seems to be unstable in copies (another point to add to Dave's growing list why he prefers components over groups), see attached file, the pier and corner created from the basic unit. To go in the other direction, one or more block units can be rotate & attached and if required grouped. After scaling, one can change the bond if require at the unit level

You will soon notice the lag and file sizes plus the need for purging (window/model info/statistics and purge unused button) This is why simple walls with material painted on is better.

However, there are some processes (exploding, outer shelling) that can be done to rectify the lag and memory usage...to much really to do manually, but really waiting until after the next release before committing my time to such an adventure in Ruby

pier.skp

@sdmitch said:

@rnpatel9789 said:

@sdmitch said:

It seems that TIG and/or ThomThom had such a plugin. I have one also,Reset Component Origin. You can find it on my blog.

Hello "sdmitch"

I use your Plugin. its very good and useful plugin. I am doing same but I resetting the component and all it's entities Origin to global Origin. Please If you have any idea then guide.[attachment=0:2cxiw7c5]<!-- ia0 -->axis.png<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:2cxiw7c5]

I think you will find the answer hear

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=43582%26amp;hilit=originate

Thanks "sdmitch"

This is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks for the help. U really Doing great job.

TIG,

Every suggestion you have made works perfectly; the issue was actually with my system.

I am running OSX and it turns out that when smart quotes are enabled sketchup does not recognise " as a valid symbol. I discovered this when I copied and pasted code I found online it worked but when I retyped it, symbol for symbol, it did not. Very weird

In order to fix this I needed to do the following:
System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Text -> uncheck "Use smart quotes and dashes"

This is something that I am sure trips up many OSX users and should probably be looked at by Sketchup.

Thanks again for all your help.

Brad

There's lots out there...
Here's an example:
http://sketchupapi.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/dynamic-components-that-react-to-scene.html