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