Do i need plugins do so modeling with sketchup?

[dylan]

I agree some do seem difficult to work out and many you cannot work out there true potential without a full demonstration/video.
I suggest if there are any you are particularly interested in, post here your questions and we will try and help/explain further.

[Tekkybot]

ok. what is soap skin and bubble and how does it apply to modeling with sketchup?

[thomthom]

@tekkybot said:

ok. what is soap skin and bubble and how does it apply to modeling with sketchup?

If you need a approximation of how tensile structures behave, that's the tool for you. And that's the original intent of it. I've used it specifically for such a task. I had to model up some 'umbrellas' as a roofing system for a street. We found a solution that didn't use glass, but transparent film which was pumped up by air. SSB saved me a whole lot of work for that.

[Tekkybot]

so its not for like modeling curves? what about tools on surface? and skin?

[thomthom]

You can use SSB to create organic shapes. I've used it to create ponds some times. Drawing the outline of the pond, use those edges to SSB and apply a negative pressure.

Tools on surface allows you to draw lines and shapes on curved surfaces, as oppose to normal SU tools which require a flat plane.

Skin I haven't used. But I think it generates a surface out of a selection of edges and curves..?

[jeff hammond]

some examples of how i use skin and soap skin bubble.

skin does basically what it sounds like it would do..

say i'd like to put a surface to cover up this hole: [EDIT] i should've exaggerated this more in the example but those two sides aren't parallel.. they're closer together at the bottom than at the top.. otherwise, i'd just use push/pull here

i can manually connect the vertexes:

or i can use skin.rb:

after soften/smooth:

i choose which method to use based on the amount of connections and/or complexity..

for soap skins, i mainly use them as a visualization tool.. (and i don't think the author had this use in mind but it works for me)

say i have a complex hole to fill:

skin wouldn't work here and doing this manually would be a major undertaking so i use a soap skin:

after some pressure adjustments and soften/smooth i have a very fast method for visualizing this shape:

[Tekkybot]

good post jeff

[Tekkybot]

i should rephrase what im asking... what are the STEPS needed to take to blow up a bubble when using soapskin and bubble? ? what exactly, do you DO? i notice that s/b has all these extra icons in the folder that don't appear in sketchup for me after checking the s/b menu. maybe this is why i cant get s/b to work?

[Gaieus]

You need to activate SSB at Preferences > Extensions (then maybe even the toolbar at View > Toolbars)

[pilou]

And a little tut for use it

[mfarooqi]

@unknownuser said:

And a little tut for use it

Thank you MAN..