[Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

JesperWille · 6 Sept 2009, 14:12

Consider this: - I (shamefully!) haven't kept up on plugins for a while, and this is pretty much the first new one I've tried in, well, a year or more... now ask me if my mind is in anyway blown.

Excellent piece of software there, Chris, and thank you a thousand times for sharing it!

I am currently running it with the latest 7.1 beta, I'll be sure to let you know if anything comes up - so far, flawless.

Thanks again mate!

Jesper W.
http://www.jesperwille.com

EarthMover · 6 Sept 2009, 15:36

It's great isn't it jesper!? I just wanted to say thanks again as well to Chris. I use this tool on every project and I'm really thankful to have it in my repertoire! It's been a real blessing!

kwistenbiebel · 6 Sept 2009, 15:39

Jesper is right.
All these new rubies are wonderful. We should not take them for granted.
Thanks plugin developers!

olishea · 7 Sept 2009, 11:50

great tool, thank you. very easy to use as well.

Chris Fullmer · 9 Sept 2009, 17:04

Thanks for all the encouragement and kind words everyone. Great to see you on here Jesper! Its been a long time.

This is one of my favorite plugins, but it also has the most bugs. So its fun, but also frustrating. This is one on my list of things to do - get this thing re-written. I'm currently updating a few of my other scripts, but they are all small and simple compared to this beast. So once I finish moving in to my new house (just moved with last weekened), I'll try to make this script one of my priorities. I think I need to tidy up my existing scripts before I tackle anything new.

So again, thanks for the comments. It definitely helps the motivation.

Chris

CYS · 11 Sept 2009, 13:28

I've downloaded progressbar and shape bender into my plugins folder and restarted sketchup but there is no "Chris Fullmer tools" in my plugins menu. I do seem to have all of the appropriate files in my plugins folder.

I'm using SU7pro with a Mac- OSX 10.5.8

I have been using a few other plugins with no problem (not component spray) but there are also a few that don't come up in any drop down menus nor display any icons. What I am I missing here? Thanks

hasan · 11 Sept 2009, 14:31

@unknownuser said:

:thumb:[attachment=0:3v20wngf]20090408134624_9s.jpg[/attachment:3v20wngf]

@jesperwille said:

Consider this: - I (shamefully!) haven't kept up on plugins for a while, and this is pretty much the first new one I've tried in, well, a year or more... now ask me if my mind is in anyway blown.

Excellent piece of software there, Chris, and thank you a thousand times for sharing it!

I am currently running it with the latest 7.1 beta, I'll be sure to let you know if anything comes up - so far, flawless.

Thanks again mate!

Jesper W.
http://www.jesperwille.com

david_h · 11 Sept 2009, 14:47

I heartily endorse this Plugin. . . .Bender

simon le bon · 18 Sept 2009, 22:49

Dear Chris,

I am looking day after day on this thread to see if i would be not a new update available for your ShapeBender, with possibly great and astonished enhancements. April seems so far from now

suliman el bueno

Chris Fullmer · 18 Sept 2009, 23:00

uh oh, sorry to disappoint Simon. I have not worked on this script at all recently. It needs it badly. There are a few major bugs that bother me almost everytime I use it.

This script is on my list of scripts to fix up. But if I add any major additions or functionality, I will probably consider releasing it as a script for sale. So we';ll have to see what the future holds,

Chris

EarthMover · 19 Sept 2009, 18:35

Chris. Just so you know...if you do release this script with new functionality and enhancement, I'll be first in line to pay for it.

Two things I'd like to see are the ability to run the script on closed shapes and a timeout method added (similar to Round Corner) where you can Esc out of the process.

Gaieus · 19 Sept 2009, 20:36

AND of course (?) the ability to bend the UV map along with the geometry.
(Please, Chris)

cliffTh · 20 Sept 2009, 02:43

Dear Chris

grateful thanks for all the stuff you and others post. A real help for me as a relative newby, both to woodworking and SU.

what do I need to do to acquire Shape Bender? Looks like just the job I need for a current project.

apologies if all you re going to do is point me to an obvious button - I have searched carefully so as not to waste your time and aware may just be my normal supermarket shelf blindness at work yet again.

with kind regards
Cliff

Chris Fullmer · 20 Sept 2009, 04:21

Hi Cliff, the script is posted at the bottom of the first post in this whole thread. That is the way most srcipts are posted here on this forum. That way when a new update for the script is made, it is always put at the very beginning of the thread so its easier to find.

So just navigate back to the beginning of the thread, go to the bottom of my first post and download the .zip file. Extract it to your plugins folder and then you should find a "Chris Fullmer Tools" in your plugins menu, and the shape bender script will be located there.

And feel free to ask questions here in this thread. I'd rather respond publicly to script questions, so others can have access to the same info. Good luck,

Chris

dylan · 20 Sept 2009, 08:56

I for one would love to see this ruby developed further and am willing to pay for this. It really is an extremely useful script.

simon le bon · 20 Sept 2009, 12:37

+1

(a reasonable price as S&S (not as LightUp (which is I don't Know but seemingly a very heavy scripted tool)) I buy it today )

Many thanks for all your splendid and useful scripts dear Chris.. - - simon

Gaieus · 20 Sept 2009, 12:39

Well, LightUp is definitely a different category and I guess who regularly uses it, can justify the cost.

simon le bon · 21 Sept 2009, 09:18

@unknownuser said:

"LightUp is definitely a different category.."
We had just seen it developed here, with us as beta tester in SCF.
It was a tool we was really needing for. May be we were needing a simpler tool: three lights (and tree shadows), manageable independently, and shadows manageable with translucent material.
LightUp was in our hands, filling this need. And become its overclock price.. Now, only people who hardly need it in their professional work can access to it. (~~ understand but sad.(an affordable price would have been welcome)

So: back to the first step: we need a lighting tool++ for everyone.
simon

Gaieus · 21 Sept 2009, 09:22

I am not sure, Simon, if you are right. Making lights (bumps, soft shadows whatnot) work insideSU is not an easy job I believe. Adam did it and worked his ass off to do it.

Now as for the price? That is indeed dictated by the market. If he didn't find a customer at this price, he'd probably lower it.

There are "cheaper" applications with different approach of course (use some easy render engine to create your lights and whatnot)

simon le bon · 22 Sept 2009, 10:34

Sorry for this digress which leads us away from ShapeBender. >>This is my last one.

@gaieus said:

I am not sure, Simon, if you are right. Making lights (bumps, soft shadows whatnot) work inside SU is not an easy job I believe.

Looking for this here and there, i guess you are right. May be it's possible to manage one artificial light (direction, intensity, color, shadow variations), but probably not possible X2 or X3.
And (as I can tell for I am a cameraman accustomed to build light ) three lights are the good minimal number to construct any artificial atmosphere: main direction+ secondary to smooth the first one, and backlight to underline the geometry.

@unknownuser said:

Adam did it and worked his ass off to do it.

I had followed enthusiastically the development of LightUp. At the end the rescripting of all the code in C language was certainly a hill of work..

"Adam, be sure I respect you, and your work!" - - - simon

@unknownuser said:

There are "cheaper" applications with different approach of course (use some easy render engine to create your lights and whatnot)

This is the point I guess. I have to accept to leave SketchUp when I reach the end of what it is destined for, and learn a bunch of renderers...