sketchucation logo sketchucation
    • Login
    ℹ️ Licensed Extensions | FredoBatch, ElevationProfile, FredoSketch, LayOps, MatSim and Pic2Shape will require license from Sept 1st More Info

    Copy Array Along Path tool...have a look.

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Developers' Forum
    46 Posts 15 Posters 118.0k Views 15 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • E Offline
      Ecuadorian
      last edited by

      Takeshi Hashimoto wrote a basic, but good explanation:
      http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/ruby-scripts/9467-visual-index-ruby-scripts-3.html#post132098

      I'm also waiting for a version that can do what you want...

      -Miguel Lescano
      Subscribe to my house plans YouTube channel! (30K+ subs)

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • C Offline
        Click Draw
        last edited by

        Thanks Miguel,

        Seems to work fine when the path is 2D by not when 3D. So far I have made a work around using the Radial Bending ruby....just more time consuming.

        Cheers,

        Jeff

        Have I mentioned how much of a laugh I get out of some of the Signatures on here!

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • E Offline
          Ecuadorian
          last edited by

          Jeff, I made a request very similar to yours back in March. You might want to check the thread for some ideas people gave:
          http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=17285

          EDIT: Now that I think about it, perhaps a combination of 1001bit's extrude along sloping path + Chris Fullmer's Components to Faces could be the ticket.

          -Miguel Lescano
          Subscribe to my house plans YouTube channel! (30K+ subs)

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Chris FullmerC Offline
            Chris Fullmer
            last edited by

            My perpendicular face tools will do it. It just doesn't do it as an array. You have to click where you want each face to be applied. So it could be useful, but also tedious if you need a perfectly spaced array.

            Chris

            Lately you've been tan, suspicious for the winter.
            All my Plugins I've written

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • C Offline
              Click Draw
              last edited by

              Hi Chris,

              Ya...I used it in the sample above but I would for sure be very time consuming. I was wondering, each face is created as a group, could it be possible to have it place a component on a node instead of a circle, square or custom face. Kind of a combo between copy path and perp faces.... what do you think?

              Thanks,

              Jeff

              Have I mentioned how much of a laugh I get out of some of the Signatures on here!

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • R Offline
                RickW
                last edited by

                @tig said:

                This along awaited update of RickW's tool CopyAlongPath - to rotate as it copies... I'm do some other stuff that will involve an algorithm that could be applied to this - but don't hold your breath...

                2D rotation works for components, but 3D rotation has yet to be implemented.

                RickW
                [www.smustard.com](http://www.smustard.com)

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • E Offline
                  Ecuadorian
                  last edited by

                  This will make a nice commercial script, Rick. 😎

                  -Miguel Lescano
                  Subscribe to my house plans YouTube channel! (30K+ subs)

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • JClementsJ Offline
                    JClements
                    last edited by

                    Jeff, I use perpendicular to path as well to do what you showed in your first posting, but it can be a tedious process.

                    If it could be automated AND combined with scale along a path from one object to a rescaled-copy of itself, it would sure be helpful in producing things such as reduced elbows.

                    Lets hope ...

                    John | Illustrator | Beaverton, Oregon

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • simon le bonS Offline
                      simon le bon
                      last edited by

                      @tig said:

                      This along awaited update of RickW's tool CopyAlongPath - to rotate as it copies... I'm do some other stuff that will involve an algorithm that could be applied to this - but don't hold your breath...

                      "This along awaited update of RickW's tool CopyAlongPath" Yes indeed dear Rick, we agree with TIG. We need it! (we want it 😉 )

                      this is my try:


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray001th.jpg

                      3d_grid.rb


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray002th.jpg

                      Weld v.3.000 by Rick Wilson


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray003th.jpg

                      BezierSpline v1.21 by fredo


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray004th.jpg

                      Perpendicular Face Tools by Chris Fullmer

                      @jclements said:

                      If it could be automated AND combined with scale along a path from one object to a rescaled-copy of itself, it would sure be helpful in producing things such as reduced elbows.

                      Lets hope ...


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray005th.jpg

                      2 Faces + Path ver. 1.4. by Kirill

                      @click draw said:

                      I'd like to experiment with changing or replacing the component with another. I think this will come in very useful for creating rope, chain, spine type shapes, etc....


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray006th.jpg


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray007th.jpg

                      Components onto Faces v1.0 by Chris Fullmer


                      http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray008th.jpg

                      As Jean lemire always say: "just ideas" 😄
                      simon.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • simon le bonS Offline
                        simon le bon
                        last edited by

                        Tweaking the process:


                        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray009th.jpg


                        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray010th.jpg


                        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray011th.jpg


                        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray012th.jpg

                        *s

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • X Offline
                          xrok1
                          last edited by

                          love that chain! i'd like to see it rendered with a glass material. 😉

                          “There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”

                          http://www.Twilightrender.com try it!

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • simon le bonS Offline
                            simon le bon
                            last edited by

                            Hi Rocky

                            Please take it and make it at your convenience 😉
                            (click the pic for Skp)

                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/th_CopyArray013th.jpg
                            ../sim

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • simon le bonS Offline
                              simon le bon
                              last edited by

                              Playing with the process..
                              (easy and fast)


                              http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray014th.jpg


                              http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/CopyArray015th-1.jpg

                              (two components made with the same 60° rotated)
                              *s

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Bob JamesB Offline
                                Bob James
                                last edited by

                                @simon le bon said:

                                (easy and fast)

                                Is your "easy and fast" the same eight-step process in your previous post or have you come up with a real "easy and fast"?

                                i7-4930K 3.4Ghz, 2x GTX780 6GB, 32GB DDR3-1600 ECC, OCZ Vertex 4 500GB, WD Black 3TB, 32TB NAS, 4x 27" Monitors, SpaceMouse Pro, X-keys XK-60

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • P Offline
                                  pav_3j
                                  last edited by

                                  simon you are a master of getting the best results using methods most don't think of!

                                  i'm still a little confused by the process, but i'll get there!

                                  pav

                                  Just won the 'Who is Least Competitive Championships' where trying to win will make you lose. Trying to lose makes you win which makes you lose. Not trying at all makes you lose which makes you win which makes you lose.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • P Offline
                                    pav_3j
                                    last edited by

                                    ah i get it now simon, thank you very much for the written explaination.

                                    i think one thing you may have missed out (as i understand it) is that the amount of steps you have to take with the 2 faces and a path tool, must equal the amount you have segmented the curve by, or the faces will not end up on the end point of each line.
                                    correct?

                                    thank you again.

                                    pav

                                    Just won the 'Who is Least Competitive Championships' where trying to win will make you lose. Trying to lose makes you win which makes you lose. Not trying at all makes you lose which makes you win which makes you lose.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • C Offline
                                      Click Draw
                                      last edited by

                                      Very clever Simon....I'll be trying this for sure!

                                      Thanks,

                                      Jeff

                                      PS: I wonder if it would be possible to have a ruby called "Replace segment with Component"...nah....I doubt that could be written 😉

                                      Have I mentioned how much of a laugh I get out of some of the Signatures on here!

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                        Chris Fullmer
                                        last edited by

                                        Was TIG working on something that would replace a single line with a component and use the line scale and orientation to determine the scale and orientation of the component? Something about that sounds familiar...

                                        Chris

                                        Lately you've been tan, suspicious for the winter.
                                        All my Plugins I've written

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • C Offline
                                          Click Draw
                                          last edited by

                                          I sure hope someone is working on something like that. That would be an awesome ruby. What you could model and the time saved would be great! My eyes will be glued to this thread...
                                          Cheers....

                                          Have I mentioned how much of a laugh I get out of some of the Signatures on here!

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • simon le bonS Offline
                                            simon le bon
                                            last edited by

                                            Hi Bob and Pav,

                                            I'm confused because in following my own idea I was sure to have described the process in its simplicity!! Your two comments tell enough I was wrong.

                                            I am going to try to explain better , "pardon pour mon anglais".

                                            I)My main idea is that we need to prepare the curve we intend to be the path along which we want to copy our elements. Because what we need is a curve made of
                                            -a)an exact number of segments
                                            or
                                            -b)a curve divided by segments of a precise length.

                                            1)If we make our "path" using arc tool or/and line tool or/and bezier spline we need to make it first a "clean curve". This is made by the help of "Weld".

                                            2)Once this is accomplish, we are going to convert this curve as a well wanted segmented polyline. this is made with underknown features which go with "BezierSpline" . When you select the curve, you can choose by right-clic context menu 😆 Convert to: Polyline Divider (if you wish to divide your curve by segments of exact length) or Polyline Segmentor (if you want to divide this curve by a specific number of equals segments.)

                                            II)My second idea is to use "2Faces + Path" plugin in an unusual way. This plug is first intending to drive a transformation from a face to another one. My idea is to use it with no transformation! the first and the last face are the same! So this face is going to be dispatched in one clic all along the path in between the segments.
                                            Re: to simplify the process I use "Perpendicular Face tools" to put in place with a clic those first and last faces, but we can do without it. (in particular when we want to use a complex face)

                                            III)My third idea is to use "Components onto Faces" to replace those faces by the component I want. One more time in just a clic and, as the faces remain selected, I can delete them with one push on "Del" .
                                            Re: if I want to dispatch various components like in the case of my chain, I copy the same number of the path+faces and I delete by hand the faces I don't want to follow the component. And I assemble them at the end.
                                            Re: the main tip is to play foxy with "modify axes" inside components.

                                            In summary:

                                            1)drawing the curve
                                            2)make it clean (weld)
                                            3)make it a divided polyline (BezierSpline: Polyline Divider or Segmentor)
                                            4)put the first an last face (Perpendicular face tools)
                                            5)put a face at each segment intersection (2Faces + Path)
                                            6)replace faces by components.

                                            (I have some others ideas to develop the process, I shall tell latter 😉 )

                                            simon.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 3
                                            • 1 / 3
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Buy SketchPlus
                                            Buy SUbD
                                            Buy WrapR
                                            Buy eBook
                                            Buy Modelur
                                            Buy Vertex Tools
                                            Buy SketchCuisine
                                            Buy FormFonts

                                            Advertisement