[Plugin] Extrude Edges by Rails

plot-paris · 7 Dec 2009, 17:27

Nice little tool.

But all the messageboxes, can't they instead be made into a single UI.Inputbox ?

I agree with thomthom - on both statements
and I think he didn't mean to complain about the few seconds it takes to klick yes or no several times - he is just searching for perfection!

and I think he is right in thinking, that having all these questions together in one popup window would make sense.
I imagine all the options having a check-box to check/uncheck. settings for 'smoothing' or 'intersecting' will be saved throughout a SketchUp session. thus you don't have to deal with these questions again, when using the tool again.
alongside the 'OK' button you would have an 'Update' button. like that you can for example reverse the path direction, then update to view the changes, then maybe change back again and update once more... this would not only make workflow even quicker, but add another level of control to the tool (because you can try different settings over and over again...)

oh, and TIG - the tool is absolutely fantastic!

TIG · 7 Dec 2009, 18:45

@plot-paris said:

@thomthom said:

Nice little tool.
But all the messageboxes, can't they instead be made into a single UI.Inputbox ?

I agree with thomthom - on both statements
and I think he didn't mean to complain about the few seconds it takes to klick yes or no several times - he is just searching for perfection!
and I think he is right in thinking, that having all these questions together in one popup window would make sense.
I imagine all the options having a check-box to check/uncheck. settings for 'smoothing' or 'intersecting' will be saved throughout a SketchUp session. thus you don't have to deal with these questions again, when using the tool again.
alongside the 'OK' button you would have an 'Update' button. like that you can for example reverse the path direction, then update to view the changes, then maybe change back again and update once more... this would not only make workflow even quicker, but add another level of control to the tool (because you can try different settings over and over again...)
oh, and TIG - the tool is absolutely fantastic!

I'm currently looking at updating several of my extrusion tools and putting them onto a toolbar and giving them web-dialogs were appropriate... so be patient

JClements · 7 Dec 2009, 19:05

Maybe Chris Fullmer will allow you to put "Bender" on the same toolbar. It would be a good fit.

J

Carrozza · 7 Dec 2009, 21:34

Hi TIG and all, today I spent some quality time trying to achieve the result of this procedure with Extrude Edges by Rails plugin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUYN_Uqzvec .

Any idea if and how is possible to produce this kind of result?
Thanks in advance for the plugin and any help.

plot-paris · 8 Dec 2009, 15:07

@tig said:

I'm currently looking at updating several of my extrusion tools and putting them onto a toolbar and giving them web-dialogs were appropriate... so be patient

wow, sounds exciting. I will be as patient as I can manage

(@Gaieus**: see, with a Wave I would have been able to place this comment inline, where it belongs, instead of having to quote to make clear which post I am referring to...)**

TIG · 8 Dec 2009, 17:00

@carrozza said:

Hi TIG and all, today I spent some quality time trying to achieve the result of this procedure with Extrude Edges by Rails plugin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUYN_Uqzvec .

Any idea if and how is possible to produce this kind of result?
Thanks in advance for the plugin and any help.

As you found vanillas FollowMe isn't going to make a Fillet that touches the Leg and Arm properly...
Here is away of doing it with careful pre-planning, Groups, Copy/Paste-in-Place, Intersect and EEbyRails etc - however the Fillet that's made is very poly-intensive... BUT it is accurate to suit the facets of the cylinders... depends what you want - for detailed work OK but for massing just leave out the fillets as you'll barely see them! EEbtRailsFilletWeldForm.skp

Carrozza · 8 Dec 2009, 21:06

Hi TIG, thanks for your help. There's a problem with the fillet created this way, though: it doesn't revolve correctly around the "arm". See picture, taken from your kind example: on one side the arc points inward, on the other side points outward.

blajnov · 8 Dec 2009, 21:08

With the plug "Round Corner" by Fredo, you can do the welding seam.

TIG · 8 Dec 2009, 22:17

@carrozza said:

Hi TIG, thanks for your help. There's a problem with the fillet created this way, though: it doesn't revolve correctly around the "arm". See picture, taken from your kind example: on one side the arc points inward, on the other side points outward.

You are right !
If you make it in 90 degree bits it's better...
BUT it should be like that - I'll look at the cause...
Perhaps the Fredo Rounded Option is the best ... see below ...
Blajnov - exactly did you do that I can't reproduce it ???

d12dozr · 9 Dec 2009, 04:52

@tig said:

exactly did you do that I can't reproduce it ???

Top segment of horizontal pipe has to line up with a segment on the vertical pipe...look closely at his hidden geometry

Carrozza · 9 Dec 2009, 09:46

Mamma mia, this is a great learning experience!
Thank you very much Blajinov and TIG for your help, is much appreciated!

blajnov · 9 Dec 2009, 10:32

@tig said:

Blajnov - exactly did you do that I can't reproduce it ???

I enclose a file with scenes of action

RailsFilletWeldForm.skp

TIG · 9 Dec 2009, 10:36

I see now...
So to recap: DON'T use EEbyRails for making Fillets between Rounded Legs and Arms etc - instead USE Fredo's 'Round Corners' - it's quicker and produces better results !
Blajnov - it might be best if you edit / retitled your SKP without reference to EEbyR, to avoid confusion

TIG · 9 Dec 2009, 11:27

Here's a way to make a Multi-Railed Mesh with EEbyRails by making sub-meshes and combining them...EEbyRailsMultiRailSteps.skp

Rip Tanion · 15 Dec 2009, 08:49

Awesome plugin! Thanks!

round_corner.skp

TIG · 20 Dec 2009, 09:45

I don't understand you diagram.
You can already do this ?
Are you wanting some sort of 2-face FollowMe ? Just use the faces edges [welded into a curve] as your Rails ?
With EEbyRv2 [that is about to be launched] you will be able to choose the Profile, Rail1 and Rail2 and then a 'Melding-Profile' that fixes the end form too - is that what you want ? It will allow a definite start and end profile location form to be predefined...

hsjzyangbin · 20 Dec 2009, 10:22

Hi,TIG,I have a idea that <extrude edges by rails> adds a path like this,thanks

next:I wish it could be add rotate and scale function

hsjzyangbin · 20 Dec 2009, 10:33

@tig said:

I don't understand you diagram.
You can already do this ?
Are you wanting some sort of 2-face FollowMe ? Just use the faces edges [welded into a curve] as your Rails ?
With EEbyRv2 [that is about to be launched] you will be able to choose the Profile, Rail1 and Rail2 and then a 'Melding-Profile' that fixes the end form too - is that what you want ? It will allow a definite start and end profile location form to be predefined...

Yes,it could be "2-face +2-path+FollowMe"
I also do not have this plug-in, I use the LATHE. RB command generates images shown, as you said, the first path to the same, choose the second Rails as a control Rails
"lathe" you can see it http://www.sketchupbbs.com/thread-40382-1-1.html

charly2008 · 20 Dec 2009, 12:14

Hi,

TIG · 20 Dec 2009, 12:22

@hsjzyangbin said:

@tig said:

I don't understand you diagram.
You can already do this ?
Are you wanting some sort of 2-face FollowMe ? Just use the faces edges [welded into a curve] as your Rails ?
With EEbyRv2 [that is about to be launched] you will be able to choose the Profile, Rail1 and Rail2 and then a 'Melding-Profile' that fixes the end form too - is that what you want ? It will allow a definite start and end profile location form to be predefined...

Yes,it could be "2-face +2-path+FollowMe"
I also do not have this plug-in, I use the LATHE. RB command generates images shown, as you said, the first path to the same, choose the second Rails as a control Rails
"lathe" you can see it http://www.sketchupbbs.com/thread-40382-1-1.html

I too have a lathe.rb that is somewhat similar...