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    [Plugin] Component Stringer UPDATED May 23, 2013

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    • TIGT Offline
      TIG Moderator
      last edited by

      The major to do's - like loops and connected curves - are pretty much sorted in my ExtrudeEdgesToEdges... for the upcoming version I have borrowed some of the sorting edge-vertices code etc from Chris's script (which Chris probably borrowed from RickW [or my borrow of it?]!!!). Chris should then be able to transpose these fixes back into his script? My updated script will be out shortly...

      TIG

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      • simon le bonS Offline
        simon le bon
        last edited by

        @chris fullmer said:

        Great comments and feedback. I agree there are lots of great possibilities on this one. The main things I would like to tackle first are:

        Major to do list

        • Make it work with closed loops!

        • Also it can crash if you select edges that are connected to other edges that are not selected - fix that!

        • The scale is messed up if the component axis is set in the middle of the component - fix that.
          After that

        • Add multiple component support - random and ordered placement

        • Rotation - overall rotation and each component rotation settings.

        • Branching edges support

        • Edges that are not connected support

        • Add some pre-made dinosaur bones to the plugin folder for Thom 😄

        Those are the main things that come to mind and that I've seen suggested that I think are good suggestions. I think that covers most things?

        So I should probably go write this instead of sitting here on the forum.

        Chris

        @unknownuser said:

        I think that covers most things?

        Hi Chris,

        Here is my (first) wish! important one for many I guess!
        I wish it were possible to drive a component in an invariable direction along the path like those stakes of the fence:


        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/BarriereBucolique01th.jpg


        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/BarriereBucolique02th.jpg


        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/BarriereBucolique03th.jpg

        Important remark:

        I have found no solution to make the flat stakes to follow the path while they are planted vertically (=invariable direction+ following direction) ❓ ❓

        http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/BarriereBucolique04th.jpg

        (PS: I'm thinking about your PayPal link 😉 )
        *simon

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        • simon le bonS Offline
          simon le bon
          last edited by

          Some help to produce the component to copy along a path.

          I)Put the good axes:

          If it is for you like for me 😳 , positionning axes of the component I want to copy along a path is not so evident.
          So, make a cube, make it as a component, and......
          [flash=500,405:24zdfbqa]http://www.youtube.com/v/z81CNzCE4V0[/flash:24zdfbqa]

          II)How to conceive a chain link:
          Using one or other method to produce a chain, necklace and many others fences and so on, you will need to think about the shape of the links.
          Here is my tip. Just think to draw a portion of curve with the smallest radius you think you are going to use for your path...
          [flash=500,405:24zdfbqa]http://www.youtube.com/v/PG8aK7fC2LA[/flash:24zdfbqa]

           :wink: simon
          
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          • thomthomT Offline
            thomthom
            last edited by

            Wow! Very cool Simon.

            I've been tracking this thread and I like all the shapes being produces. About time I actually read how it's done.

            Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
            List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

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            • simon le bonS Offline
              simon le bon
              last edited by

              Hi Thomas,

              thanks for this nice word good to me..
              I haven't enough time as I would like to study this way every great plugin you and other cheerful authors offer to us day after day.

              I'm secondly very pleased for you to come , 'cause I was just intending to ask you something as the better specialist in this place about selecting matters.

              I haven't the first knowledge of if it is possible or not, and if it is, if it is complicated or not, but a great tool which I have found is missing would be a tool which give a number to a face or a component along a path and then give the choice to select elements in an incremental way or into an array of data.
              This way for example to give a redundant place to some type of pillar along a long fence or barricade; organize a driveway pavers etc...

              http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/BarriereBucolique02th.jpg

              ❓ 😉 simon

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              • Chris FullmerC Offline
                Chris Fullmer
                last edited by

                I'm not quite sure what you're asking for on that one Simon. But here's a guess.

                You would likt to be able to automatically select every 10th pillar in that image for example? Or every 5th pillar? Is that the idea?

                That could be built into my tool, but it would only work with components placed using my tool. But it would be do-able.

                Chris

                PS. I'm doing more work on this plugin. I have it set so it works with edges that are not connected - more than one spline. Or even just a large of amount of single edges. Hopefully a few more surprises before I release the next round.

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

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                • EscapeArtistE Offline
                  EscapeArtist
                  last edited by

                  Just for fun, a little "DNA":


                  dna.jpg

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                  • jeff hammondJ Offline
                    jeff hammond
                    last edited by

                    ha Simon..
                    i love the stuff you come up with using some of the scripts that pop up.

                    dotdotdot

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                    • K Offline
                      kostas_designer
                      last edited by

                      Great plugin Chris!

                      I was trying it while working on an industrial component, i kind of chain.
                      Problem is that i cannot edit the single component because ita has a given dimension.
                      So, arraying straight segments is not a problem as i can use the Copy Array Groups or Components plugin, but when it comes to follow a curve things get tough (at least for me! 😕 )
                      I agree that having the control of sthe spacing would be best for many applications.

                      See some screenshots for explanation:


                      component and path to follow


                      straight arraying


                      Component stringer. Components don't match properly


                      plugins comparison

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                      • plot-parisP Offline
                        plot-paris
                        last edited by

                        @kostas_designer said:

                        ...having the control of the spacing would be best for many applications.
                        +1

                        Simon, I love your stuff. keep it coming. these show off nicely, what the plugin can do...

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                        • simon le bonS Offline
                          simon le bon
                          last edited by

                          Hi jeff and Jakob, Thanks for nice words.. So I can be restful: I am not that sort of bat vampirising the threads I sometime feel I am 😕 (my small paranoia I'm afraid.)
                          http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/generalPicts/voldragon.gif

                          Hi Kostas!
                          I'm sorry, I don't understand your problem (I can't see the details of your pictures!).
                          Mercy for us, get a real print screen and make close ups 😉

                          @unknownuser said:

                          having the control of sthe spacing would be best for many applications.
                          For me the spacing in a chain is invariant so..
                          May be you want to do something like that:

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

                          If it is the case , you can apply this solution:
                          Copy Array Along Path tool...have a look.

                          Hi Chris,

                          @chris fullmer said:

                          You would like to be able to automatically select every 10th pillar in that image for example? Or every 5th pillar? Is that the idea?

                          Yes You've got it!
                          But I would like be able to do many other various things: may be in this exemple above > put 3 components in place of pillars every 10 pillars...
                          This is the reason why I think what we need is mainly a special selecting tool with an incremental feature, (but also an array to select freely into it, and also may be a feature of aleatory choice)
                          And very important to be able to do the reverse selection.

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

                          this way we can -do a first pass, delete what we want to change,

                          • Do another pass with the other component and delete everything but the previous holes
                            and put the two passes together.
                            This way we can do the number of passes we want.
                            We can also mix variant and invariant (in direction) components....

                          @unknownuser said:

                          That could be built into my tool, but it would only work with components placed using my tool. But it would be do-able.

                          But this special feature would be simply top cool 😉

                          🤓 simon

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                          • plot-parisP Offline
                            plot-paris
                            last edited by

                            actually, that may be a good idea for a different ruby request... a selection tool, that automatically recognizes component arrays (whether distributed on an even grid or along a path...) and then lets you do various selection scenarios. ideally a dialog would pop up that let you change your selections dynamically (or, at least have an update butten, that lets you change selections without closing the dialog)...

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                            • GaieusG Offline
                              Gaieus
                              last edited by

                              Simon,

                              I absolutely love the way you fully exploit these different (and of course, wonderful) tools and model things probably even the author didn't even dream about!

                              Cheers and keep posting, please! 👍

                              Gai...

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                              • simon le bonS Offline
                                simon le bon
                                last edited by

                                😳 😳 😳
                                As usual I am tiring everybody with my extensions. I promise that this is the last one. You know , when I begin something I go on surrounds until I can think I have finished. May be those studies will brought some help to someone in some future 😆

                                ../VARIATIONS on Helical matter..


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer015th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer016th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer017th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer018th.jpg

                                The main point to obtain a good result is to work firmly on the curve, in order to give it the real number of segments: individual in orientation and indentical in length

                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer019th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer020th.jpg

                                Another variation: Triple use! of Component Stringer 😆

                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer021th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer022th.jpg


                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer023th.jpg

                                The result isn't so beautiful 😎 Well, it is just for example

                                http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer024th.jpg

                                simon
                                
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                                • simon le bonS Offline
                                  simon le bon
                                  last edited by

                                  Dear Gaieus
                                  http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/generalPicts/matrix-03.gif

                                  Your so kind words 😳 me!! 😄

                                  @unknownuser said:

                                  and then lets you do various selection scenarios. ideally a dialog would pop up that let you change your selections dynamically
                                  +1

                                  EscapeArtist (Jeff) shows with his Dna

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

                                  A very cool other use of what I have in mind with this possible selecting tool:
                                  Using sequences of the same component colored differently. In the particular case of a dna, the possibility of selecting elements into an array of data would be probably the most useful..

                                  http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/generalPicts/grenouilenenuphar.gif
                                  simon

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                                  • simon le bonS Offline
                                    simon le bon
                                    last edited by

                                    Hi Chris, Hi SketchY fellows,
                                    I'm following Component Stringer Study.

                                    Chains are now so easy to produce 👍 👍 😉

                                    "Component rotation" = 90° ; Fredoscale by Center

                                    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer010th.jpg

                                    Helical study:

                                    See Http for some explanation:
                                    A PoorFlatEllipsoidIndian Bowl


                                    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer011th.jpg

                                    The joints are not welding perfectly, but if we need a good welding, we can use this one as a gauge..

                                    "Scaling Uniform"; "Component Rotation" 15°

                                    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer012th.jpg

                                    Double use of Component Stringer 😉 😆
                                    (With a smart use of "Total Rotation" 15°

                                    [flash=500,405:2xup4in2]http://www.youtube.com/v/CEPRPA1TqwY[/flash:2xup4in2]

                                    +++Making a straight line as it was a curve in order to use it as the "path" to copy components on.

                                    1. a reverse line is added to our line (or else, our line is right clic and divided by minimum two) in order to apply "Weld" because Weld need at least two elements to be applied..

                                    2)This welded line is now (Bezier curves installed) right clic converted to segmented polyline.
                                    3)Now apply "Component Stringer" on this "straight curve" 😆 "Scaling Stretch" ; "Component Rotation" 15° (in case -15° ❗ )

                                    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer013th.jpg

                                    Same action on a Bezier Curve

                                    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clfCompntStringer014th.jpg

                                    *simon

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                                    • Bob JamesB Offline
                                      Bob James
                                      last edited by

                                      Simon, there's no other word for you but awesome 👍

                                      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

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                                      • CarrozzaC Offline
                                        Carrozza
                                        last edited by

                                        Men, this plugin with help of fantasy and skills (like Simon') are a killer combo!

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                                        • Chris FullmerC Offline
                                          Chris Fullmer
                                          last edited by

                                          Hey, looks great Simon. I love the way you dig in and study the plugins. I think its helpful for users to see how they can be used, and its helpful for me to see how people are trying to use these scripts. Helps think of new workflow improvements.

                                          In fact, the next version of componet stringer lets you select more than 1 component. And it gives you the option of random placement of all selected, or ordered. So the reandom placement will help in the palisade example you just showed. It would make it quicker to place random boards.

                                          The next version will also support series of non-connected edges (I think I already hinted at that earlier) and also supports closed loop selections of lines. It also includes a great little tool to reverse the direction components are "strung". I'm trying to get it all put together for one big release soon.

                                          Also, I'm thining about the offset placement possibilities. I'm trying to figure out how that should be implemented. If anyone has any thoughts on how they want to see that work, I'd be interseted in hearing it.

                                          Chris

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

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                                          • simon le bonS Offline
                                            simon le bon
                                            last edited by

                                            Thank you Bob & Carrozza ! your encouragement warms my heart..

                                            The following is probably the last idea that I wanted to develop With Component Stringer.
                                            I dedicate it to our so nice fellow and great author, Chris.

                                            It is his:"TOTAL CHRIS FULLMER RANDOM PALISADE"
                                            (because made about totally with a set of his own tools 😉 )

                                            How to produce a palisade constituted with random singular boards!!

                                            My idea is to copy palisade's boards along a path constituted by a random segmented curve Using ComponentStringer/Stretch mode.


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_025th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_026th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_027th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_028th.jpg

                                            Using ShapeBender this way: same length for the curve and for the grouped segmented line, the resulting ShapeBender Component keep closely the same lengths of segments inside the curve than those of the segmented line 😉 😉
                                            [Plugin] Shape Bender Beta v0.51

                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_029th.jpg

                                            [Plugin] Select Lines by Length
                                            Jim_Selection Memory

                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_030th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_031th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_032th.jpg


                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_033th.jpg

                                            We delete 3/4 component for each segment( artistically if possible 🤣 )

                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_034th.jpg

                                            Et voila votre jolie pallissade ☀

                                            http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/Spendauballet/SketchUp/clf_CompString_035th.jpg

                                            Dear Chris,dear all,
                                            with my very friendship..
                                            😄 simon.

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