Plugins

[cnin]

Hello:
I am new to sketuchp. i never heard of it before this week. I have used autocad solidworks 3ds before for fun, but never for a real project.

I am a software engineer by trade and was drawn to the ruby API as an ability to solve my problem.

I build boats, kayaks, and want to start shaping my own hulls, so i am experimenting with 3d programs and cant find the jargan too get an answer to following question.

I want to create a slice of a 3d model at regular intervals and export a 2d vector images, to make full size print patterns for the buck of my boat. (similar to this car).

http://www.ru2inc.com/inprogress1.html

IN sketchup it apears i can create a model, and add a "SECTION PLANE" and orient the plane view, then export a wireframe of the model. i have only downloaded the free version so i can only export jpgs, but i understand the pro-version has DXF output.

I want an automatic way to do this procedure. for example: a dialog to enter a "step value" in inches or mm, and execute the procedure on a "selected selection plane object"

In the demo version of sketchup, I cannot see how to move the section a specific distance.

and I cannot find a RUBY script that does this procedure already. I would imagine it has been done before, as it is a tedius task that is ordinary for model shaping.

for example: If i have a model of a boat 12 feet long. i want a section plane DXF image of every 1 foot along the length of the boat.

any help or pointers would be great.

thnaks in advance.

[nemosuke]

Maybe you could use TIG's SectionCutFace ruby?
Search the forum with the keyword "SectionCutFace" for more details; I believe the latest version is in the first post of this thread: http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=1517&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=section

Hope this helps!

[Jim]

Hi cnin, welcome to the forums.

I have not used this one myself, but this slice modeler plugin seems to be what you are looking for.
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=15313

And another here:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=3357

[Gaieus]

Hi Chuck (and welcome).

Apart fromthe plugins mentioned above (I myself only used slicer to experiment with), you can also eport a certain "section cut only" in dxf/dwg format from the Pro version.

Moving of the section plane works just like moving any other, "real" geometry: select it > Select themove tool > click on it (or, as a matter of fact, click anywhere) > start moving > type 1' (for instamnce) and hit Enter.

Even better, start moving by toggling Copy/move with the Ctrl key,move one foot then type 12x and hit Enter. This will create an array of the section planes of which only one can be "active" at a time so you can export your series of section cuts easily.

AND there are so many other ways to automate and speed up your workflow...

[cnin]

thnaks for the pointers

ill do the searches myself, but if anybody knows off the top of their head is there a script to export every object seperatly, this is all i need to go ahead and buy the pro-version for my projects.

thnaks again

chuck