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    [Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

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    • J Offline
      Justchill30
      last edited by

      Im having trouble shape bending a thin surface with rounded edges. After the shape bend the surface has holes on the edges and for the life of me I don't know how to prevent this. Any advice would be helpful. I will attach a ex. of what I am dealing with.


      shape bender test 3.skp

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      • Chris FullmerC Offline
        Chris Fullmer
        last edited by

        I believe that is a scale issue. SketchUp has problem making faces that are very small. I see the missing ones on your model are all under 1/16", which is often too small for SU. So unfortunately, you will probably need to scale the shole thing by 10x and then scale it back down to regular size after you bend it. That is the only workaround unfortunately.

        Chris

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

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        • P Offline
          pr0bka
          last edited by

          Hey Chris,

          I have done just like you said, i even tried the other way, and i got an error saying that it couldn't find the clf_shape_bender.rb via the loader. The file is the same as the example you show in the video - the shape is grouped, under it a line and an arc that it is to bend to. Just in case i can upload the file itself. btw, in the bottom menu when it gets stuck it tells me that it is search for objects to explode (don't really know what that means, perhaps it can help?)

          also, could it be possible that it might conflict with another plugin? Like profile builder for example?
          Thanks in advance.

          -Sam


          example.skp

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          • Chris FullmerC Offline
            Chris Fullmer
            last edited by

            ok, it worked just fine on my system, so you do have it set up right (thanks for uploading the model to verify).

            It could be a script conflict. There have been problems with people who have an old version of component spray installed. So if you have that, try removing it. Also, there is a slim chance it might be sketchyphysics.

            But check the coponent spray first. If removing that fixes the problem, then there is a new version of component spray that is compatible. I'll find a link for you if that is the problem.

            Chris

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

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            • P Offline
              pr0bka
              last edited by

              Chris! you were right afterall...removed sketchy physics and component spray and voilaaa!! it works!!! πŸ˜„

              I will try installing a new version of component spray (v.1.1?) and sketchy physics. Maybe theres a newer version? Thanks a lot for all your hard work and attention!

              -Sam

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              • Chris FullmerC Offline
                Chris Fullmer
                last edited by

                There is a greater chance that it is component spray than sketchy physics. So you might put Sketchy physics back first, then test if it still works. Then if it work, just reinstall component spray.

                Chris

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

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                • G Offline
                  glider
                  last edited by

                  Chris,

                  Thank you for the Shape Bender plugin. I was working on placing some text on an Old West saloon window, as seen in a 1880 image. The name of the saloon was slightly "bent" across the window. This worked great.....great job!

                  Dave

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                  • Chris FullmerC Offline
                    Chris Fullmer
                    last edited by

                    Cool Dave, thanks for posting to let me know it worked for you.

                    I noticed this is your first post also, so welcome! You joined only a couple of weekS after I did in 2007. Do you visit regularly, just never post? Or is this your first time back in 2 years? I'm just curious is all.

                    Thanks,

                    Chris

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

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                    • L Offline
                      loolytoo
                      last edited by

                      i am a beginner and strugling a bit. if someone has some time and patience i would love some help.
                      Please help me install this script, i downloaded it and saved the rb file in plugins, and also the progress bar, but it dosnt work. can anyone guide me through the steps of installing properly? do i need to install another file from the zip file, there are lots more in another folder with png extentions what are they? do i need them?
                      Lucy

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                      • massimoM Offline
                        massimo Moderator
                        last edited by

                        Hi Lucy. Unzip the downloaded folder and put the file and the folder contained inside (see the picture below) in your SU plugin folder.
                        That' all. πŸ˜‰


                        ScreenHunter_01 Nov. 10 10.01.jpg

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                        • N Offline
                          nikkkko
                          last edited by

                          Hi,

                          I'm also having a problem at the point where I need to hit 'enter'. I usually run SU under Wine, which has been working well for me over the last year, including various ruby scripts, but when I ran into this problem also tried it under XP with the same result. I have tried removing all other scripts but with no difference.

                          Here's the ruby console output :

                          Error: #<NameError: uninitialized constant Clf_shape_bender::ProgressBar>
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:522:in exploder' C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:244:in onLButtonUp'
                          Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method /' for nil:NilClass> C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:671:in draw'
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:522
                          Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method /' for nil:NilClass> C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:671:in draw'
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:671
                          Error: #<NameError: uninitialized constant Clf_shape_bender::ProgressBar>
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:870:in transform_it' C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:288:in onReturn'
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:671
                          Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method /' for nil:NilClass> C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:671:in draw'
                          C:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/clf_shape_bender/clf_shape_bender.rb:870

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                          • N Offline
                            nikkkko
                            last edited by

                            Replying to my own post here...

                            I don't know anything about ruby, but seeing as the first line in the console output was an error concerning progressbar, I re-downloaded it and hey presto, everything works under linux/wine, (I haven't bothered tried it under windows).

                            Thanks for a great plugin by the way. About 80% of my work is building structures with arcs - steel frames for oval shaped cabins to be precise - and this is going to save me a ton of time.

                            Nick

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                            • C Offline
                              carpediem0881
                              last edited by

                              I just downloaded shape bender to add some text on a curve surface of a bowl and the button shows up in the top left corner of sketchup as well as the plugins tab.

                              I select my component and then try to sellect my line and curved line to follow but it will not allow me to select the lines like your videos shows.

                              I am wondering if I installed the plugin incorrectly or I am missing some instructions like holding down a button to allow me to select the lines.

                              if someone could point me in the right direction that would be great.

                              Jeff

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                              • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                Chris Fullmer
                                last edited by

                                Hi Jeff, there are 2 things to remember when selecting the straight line.

                                1 the straight line must be drawn on the red axis.
                                2 the cursor "hotspot" is horrible. 😳 You often have to click to the side of the line. But it will highlight plue when you are correctly hovering over it.

                                The hotspot thing holds true for selecting arc also.

                                If that does not help, upload a test model here and I'll take a look at it. Hope that helps,

                                Chris

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

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                                • C Offline
                                  carpediem0881
                                  last edited by

                                  @chris fullmer said:

                                  Hi Jeff, there are 2 things to remember when selecting the straight line.

                                  1 the straight line must be drawn on the red axis.
                                  2 the cursor "hotspot" is horrible. 😳 You often have to click to the side of the line. But it will highlight plue when you are correctly hovering over it.

                                  The hotspot thing holds true for selecting arc also.

                                  If that does not help, upload a test model here and I'll take a look at it. Hope that helps,

                                  Chris

                                  1. So I tried uninstalling the plug-in and sketchup... reinstalled both and gave it another shot.

                                  2. Made a line on the red axis, a arc on the red axis and a 3d rectangle to arc around the curve.

                                  3. Made the 3d rectangle a group

                                  4. selected the group, and activated the plugin. "please select line on red axis" appears in the bottom left corner

                                  5. I then scroll over the straight line but still won;t let me select it, its doesnlt turn blue and i tried clicking on the line in numerous places. I watched your videos and did the set-up the same but nothing...

                                  Do I need sketchup pro? or does it work with the standard program? any ideas?

                                  Jeff

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                                  • C Offline
                                    carpediem0881
                                    last edited by

                                    I got it to work... I am just a new mac user and didn't know how to install the plugin correctly... i only drug the one file in not the folder containing all the information... thansk for your input and this sweet plugin!!!

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                                    • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                      Chris Fullmer
                                      last edited by

                                      Excellent! glad you got it working. I hope it is able to help,

                                      Chris

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

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                                      • C Offline
                                        carpediem0881
                                        last edited by

                                        @chris fullmer said:

                                        Excellent! glad you got it working. I hope it is able to help,

                                        Chris

                                        So after getting it to work and playing with it, i tried to bend text. and game up with some errors in the finished product. The text bends but creates holes and lines that are not in the original text images. I have attached a file... Any thoughts on my these holes and deformations to the letters happen? Is it something in my settings that i need to change or is this just what happens when you bend more complicated items?

                                        You can see in the e there is a hole, and on other letters that I didn;t picture and the t clearly has lines that are deformed.


                                        Screen shot 2009-12-07 at 11.43.00 PM.png

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                                        • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                          Chris Fullmer
                                          last edited by

                                          Sorry to say that you are just running into the glitches of the script unfortunately. But there are things you can do to help a bit.

                                          If you are getting holes, its possible that the model is too small for SketchUp. It struggles to make small faces. Try scaling larger by 10 or 100 times. That might help.

                                          The extra lines that come in are from SketchUp deforming geometry on top of my script deforming it. The best thing to do is to clean it up by softening those lines. Use the eraser tool and hold ctrl (or option or something on the Mac). That will soften them and they disappear. Also, some lines get hidden during the bending that should not be hidden. So you will want to find those and then un soften them.

                                          Also, try adding segmentation to the arc. That could help. Or line up your text slightly differently with the straight line. Those kinds of things can help, when you are able to do them. Its painful though when you are working on something that does not allow you to move the geometry as it must line up with something and the bending is just not working right.

                                          Like I always warn, this script is great, but its not perfect and its full of little glitches. So it as best you can. And it might require a bit of clean up afterwards. Good luck,

                                          Chris

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

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                                          • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                            Chris Fullmer
                                            last edited by

                                            OH also, I meant to add that text is often difficult to bend because its mesh is not as clean as it looks. You might have some better luck also if you select all the geometry of the text, right click and choose "explode curve". That might help the bending.

                                            Chris

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

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