A Welcome Message to New SketchUcation Members

RootlessAgrarian · 20 Oct 2009, 05:59

Just introducing myself.

I am a rank newbie to CAD/CAM (I know what it does, but my day job was in the s'ware engineering, not mech engineering department; the closest I got to AutoCAD was looking over other people's shoulders). Now I'm retired and working on boats for fun and occasional profit, and I am kind of excited about using Sketchup to model boat hulls and interiors -- first project would be modelling the interior of my own boat, in order to visualise various options for a planned remodel.

The catch is of course that boats are all made of weird angles and complex contours -- nothing is parallel or orthogonal and a lot of surfaces have compound curvature -- and curved surfaces seem to be kind of an advanced topic (requiring plugins of various kinds) in Sketchup. [I did get "skin23" plugin but so far have not managed to get it to do anything at all I suspect it may require some other plugin that I don't yet have -- either that or it doesn't like SU7.] I'd sure like to know how the authors made e.g. the sails of the various spiffy boat models I've been looking at. Being able to warp or deform plane surfaces by various (catenary, hyperbolic, parabolic, spherical, etc) algorithms would be very handy.

At any rate, my top priority is to learn how to make flat shapes into complex curves, such as fabric (or sheet steel) under tension; sail forms, hull forms, foils, etc. Any tips or pointers would be most welcome.

Areacodese1 · 20 Oct 2009, 07:03

Hi, I have just joined and looking at some tutorials. Could you give me some help? I need to down load a plug in for Bezier Curves and Pipe Along. I can see them on the extensions page, but don't know how to get them or or download them to start using.

Thanks

remus · 20 Oct 2009, 07:47

if your downloading them from didier burs site ( http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/em_geo_page.htm ), you can right click the link to the plugin you want then 'save as' to your desktop. If the plugins a .rb file, you can then place it straight in to your sketchup plugins folder (program files\google\google sketchup 7\plugins.) If it is a zip file, you will need to unzip it first then place everything in the plugins folder as before.

And most importantly, welcome.

Gaieus · 20 Oct 2009, 09:57

Hi De Clarke and Simon, both welcome.

DC: there are numerous newer plugins that do a better job than skin.rb (which was a very nice plugin at its time but the author seems to have abandoned the project).

Look at Cris Fullmer's loft tool now for instance.

Also, I see you have already found Soap skin and bubble - that's what you'll need for sails and such tensile structures (Pilou has already started to "educate" you over the Ruby forum).

RootlessAgrarian · 20 Oct 2009, 17:05

@gaieus said:

Hi De Clarke and Simon, both welcome.

DC: there are numerous newer plugins that do a better job than skin.rb (which was a very nice plugin at its time but the author seems to have abandoned the project).

Look at Cris Fullmer's loft tool now for instance.

Thank you Gaieus -- the only hit I got for the loft tool was an alpha release back in May -- is that the one? it looks rather hopeful. My learning curve is nearly vertical at this point, so I hope everyone will forgive the inevitable newbie idiocies. I've become a little obsessed with SU -- watched all the official Google minivids and walked through all the self-paced skp tuts, and am now in the "collecting really kewl plugins" phase. I'm still trying to get that "feel" for how to approach the modelling of an object in the way that is natural and easy with SU, rather than doing things all bassackwards. skp tuts are absolutely wonderful, I have never seen a software tool before that so easily and perfectly provides its own HOWTO. the "assembly line" walk-through skp's used by some of the boat hull modellers are wonderful.

I've written quite a few data viz interfaces in my time, and so I've got my hat off in sincere admiration for the thought and creativity that went into the SU local universe. the rules are remarkably consistent and the core method/approach to simple models (subtractive and additive extrusion) is very powerful. we've come a long way since paper tape readers (and yes, I remember them personally).

Gaieus · 20 Oct 2009, 17:11

@rootlessagrarian said:

My learning curve is nearly vertical at this point, so I hope everyone will forgive the inevitable newbie idiocies.

If you look at the name of this subforum: "Newbie", you will realise that here (well, "almost") anything is allowed so as to get beginners encouraged a little bit.

@rootlessagrarian said:

we've come a long way since paper tape readers (and yes, I remember them personally).

And I still use them in the field.

Mick · 25 Oct 2009, 10:54

Hi All, my name is Paolo and write from Genoa Italy, I'm a very newbie of Sketchup and also of read and write in english.
I'll try to read your post, many thanks at all!

Gaieus · 25 Oct 2009, 11:43

Hi Paolo and welcome.

Although our Italian subforum is not very busy, I have added you to that usergroup so eventually you can also post there - but we will make sure to try to understand what you are saying here (so far it's OK )

scooby555 · 30 Oct 2009, 15:28

Hello,

I have spent a few days on the forum now, and you guys rock.

Everything a new user needs is here, I am going to do my best to follow the advice and see how it goes. Will hopoefully post some results and try to repay the favour with things I have found along the way.

Gaieus · 30 Oct 2009, 15:44

Hi Martin and welcome. I see Remus has already started to help with a couple of good advices in your other topic.

bmscmoreira · 2 Nov 2009, 20:23

That is indeed the spirit. Help and be helped. Everyone wins.

hvanessen · 13 Nov 2009, 11:31

Hi everyone,

I am een middelaged dutch guy who is very interested in working with sketchup and kerkythea. So i spend the last month(s) on learning the getting started from sketchup en kerkythea. Also i asked some questions on this forum.

And i must say, it helped me a lot. Today i did my last tutorial, and i think that i have know enough knowledge to make my first project and render.

So i would like to thanks everyone on this forum, and next week i deliver my first project and then can everyone shoot there critics and comments.

My english is not my best, but i hope everyone understand what i'm meen

Gaieus · 14 Nov 2009, 09:40

Hi Henk,

Glad that members could help here. Looking forward to your project and don't be shy - everyone had to start it somewhere.

CosmicFlow · 16 Nov 2009, 07:38

Hello All in the community.
I would to say that I am ecstatic about this resource and grateful to all those who have answered my questions. Thank you!

I have more questions though. I wanted to know what some of the errors mean and if there is a forum already established to discuss the issue?

Example of my load errors:

Error Loading File cracking.rb
undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File delaunay.rb undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File export_points.rb
undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File hull.rb undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File pointify.rb
undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File recursive.rb undefined method add_item' for nil:NilClassError Loading File tooling.rb
No such file to load -- tooling/cracking.rb

Thanks for your help!

TIG · 16 Nov 2009, 23:45

Ruby Forum here...
What is 'cracking.rb' that seems to be causing this error ?
Look in your Plugins Folder...

ScrubBurnRepeat · 17 Nov 2009, 08:53

hello,
am interested in parametric, bim, data, 3d modeling aspects (though aware of su's "fake" curves).
revit arch's massing and site tools are clumsy and erratic.
autocad is... autocad.
so, i guess i'm always looking for something that works better.
and am often working with sites (contours, grading)

enough for now.

remus · 18 Nov 2009, 07:58

Hi scrub and jane, and welcome to the forum.

If your interested in parametric stuff be sure to have a look at sketchups dynamic components. Theyre not full BIM but they do go some way towards it.

chunling_hu · 18 Nov 2009, 11:24

Hi,
My name is chunling_hu and I just joined today.

pkramer · 18 Nov 2009, 12:37

Hello all,

Solidseal · 18 Nov 2009, 19:52

Hi,

My name is Micheal and I type this message from a computer @ The Netherlands

was trying the Tutorials (the car) and was doing pretty good
I have a question about the Skin plug in .. from lots of sites there say that there are alot versions of skin.
Do you ppl have a good one ? or do I have to find out myself

also in the gallery section of this forum I see the following

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Anything I need to know ?

Greetings,

Mike