Reload component script - anyone have one

[zzm]

Hi,

I was wondering if any one had a script that would:

1. open a sketchup file
2. replace a component with a different component.

I have 300 skp files that I want to open and replace a tree with a different tree.

[Gaieus]

Hi Zack,

I wonder if TIG's X-ref manager could do this:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=7289
Note that there's a 5.1 version, too (but no discussion):
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=7329

---

@TIG: any ideas about the plugin being the best for the job?

[TIG]

No existing tool but - you could write a simple script that opens all files in a selected folder [pick one skp it a folder to run] and imports a pre-specified tree-component and then changes all instances of another component [found by its name] with that new component...
Can you be more specific and I'll outline a tool for it...

[zzm]

Thanks for the ideas. I really wish I knew ruby a little better so I could write it. Here is more detail.

1. Select a folder that has 300 skp files
2. Find all components named "tree1.skp" (for example) would be nice to be able to change the name, but I could always tweak the code
3. Replaces all "tree1.skp" with "tree2.skp" in all files. Open, save, and closes files.

Basically what happen is that I used a tree for 300 files and realize now that I would like it to have a taller trunk. So running a ruby would be faster than opening all the files.

[jim smith]

Zack,

Maybe I am misunderstanding your problem but if you right click a component, pick reload and pick another component, all instances are replaced.

Jim

[Gaieus]

He wants to do this in hundreds of skp files and too lazy to open them one-by-one (no wonder)

[MartinRinehart]

@zzm said:

I have 300 skp files that I want to open and replace a tree with a different tree.

I've written a plugin-like Ruby, DOStalk.rb. It lets you issue MSDOS-type commands in the Ruby Console window. For instance,

dir '*.skp'

lists all the models in the current directory.

I bring this up because there is also a change command:

change '*.skp'

This calls process() for each file in the specified list. The default process() reports that it is processing each file in the Ruby Console.

Now we need a process() that swaps components. TIG?

Here's my DOStalk, very early version. Do not bury it in Plugins. Put it in some convenient directory where you can load it in the Ruby Console. load '/convenient/dir/DOStalk.rb'. (Choose something easier to type than "/convenient/dir".)

Edit: Ooops! Forgot to add:

# DOStalk.rb - emulates a few MSDOS commands'
# Copyright 2010, Martin Rinehart

$dos_talk_pmode = false 

=begin
In program mode, the dir function returns a list of file names. Otherwise, it displays the list in the Ruby Console.
=end

def dir( *args )

    if args.length() == 0
        return Dir;;pwd()
    end
    
    list = Dir;;glob( args[0] )
    list.sort!()
    
    if $dos_talk_pmode 
        return list
    else
        for f in list do puts f end
        puts
    end # if pmode
    
end # dir()

def cd( path )
    Dir;;chdir( path )
end

def change( path )
    list = Dir;;glob( path )
    for f in list do process( f ) end
end

def del( path )
    delete( path )
end

def delete( path )
    list = Dir;;glob( path )
    for f in list do File;;delete( f ) end
end

def ldt()
    load __FILE__
end

def md( path )
    mkdir( path )
end

def mkdir( path )
    Dir;;mkdir( path )
end

def process( pathname )
    puts 'processing(  "' + pathname + '" )'
end

def rd( path )
    rmdir( path )
end

def rmdir( path )
    Dir;;rmdir( path )
end

# end of DOStalk.rb

[Chris Fullmer]

Yeah, but does that let him open all 300, replace a component, and then close them. And do it all automated? The point is that its tiresome to do that over 300 models if you have to do an action manually for each model.

[MartinRinehart]

Here's a start.

I don't know how to find the component to delete. Do you have to cruise through entities looking for Component and then check name. Any less tedious way? I also don't know how to import a component. Looked at Model.import() but that doesn't seem quite right. I was looking for something that let me position the component. Having to position 300 new components would be a big improvement for zzm, but hardly optimal.

zzm: by proceeding with this discussion you certify that your files are fully backed up and that you know, understand and will abide by all the terms and conditions of Murphy's Law.

def zzm( )

    list = Dir;;glob( '*.skp' )
    
    if list.length == 0
        UI.messagebox( 'Found no SketchUp models (*.skp).' )
        return
    end
    
    ret = UI.messagebox( 'There are ' + list.length().to_s() + 
        ' files. Proceed?', MB_OKCANCEL )
    return if ret == 2 # CANCEL
    
    prompts = ['Name of component to delete; ',
        'Name of component to import; ']
    defaults = ['deleteme', 'importme']
    UI.inputbox( prompts, defaults, 'Delete/Import Box' )

    for fn in list do
        file = Sketchup.open_file( fn )
        UI.messagebox( fn + ' opened.' )

        # do the work here

        
    end
    
end

I'm gone for the day.

[thomthom]

Importing an external component: model.definitions.load http://code.google.com/apis/sketchup/docs/ourdoc/definitionlist.html#load
Position the component: Entities.add_instance(definition, transform) - just copy the transformation of the instance you replace.

@martinrinehart said:

I don't know how to find the component to delete. Do you have to cruise through entities looking for Component and then check name. Any less tedious way?

If you have it's name, then it's easy: model.definitions['definitionName']

I think the code would be something like this:

newDef = model.definitions.load(path_to_new_component)
oldDef = model.definitions['definitionName']
oldDef.instances.each { |old_inst|
  t = old_inst.transformation
  ents = old_inst.parent.entities
  ents.add_instance(newDef, t)
  old_inst.erase!
}

[honoluludesktop]

This is a great plugin, especially for landscape visulization.

[thomthom]

Moved this topic to the Developer section of the forum.

[sahi]

It is my experiment.
Prompt me if that not so.

1. we choose a file (this will be a folder )
2. We enter the name of component
3. we choose a component in which and will replace

Attention!!!! Attention!!!! Attention!!!! before the use backup folder
menu "Plugins >> reload_component"
reload_component2.rb

[SLOf1Fan]

For some reason I have recently found that right-clicking a residence model in my site model to update the revised component does not work. I get the usual pop-up stating the component has been added and asks if I'd like to replace, however when I click yes, nothing happens. It used to open the file folder so I can select the replacement folder. Please help.

[Technical Ben]

Sorry to post in an old thread. But I'm looking for something similar to this.
Just a hobby project, but I would really like a tool that checked for updates to components for me.

So, I have a large file separated into separate components, these are save in a folder (such as Floor 1, Floor 2, Floor 3 etc). These are constructed into one big model (Such as "House"). I would like a script that automatically loaded up the components from file, when I opened the main project. I thought Sketchup did this automatically, but I have to click "reload" and each component separately.

[honoluludesktop]

Select Window > components, right click the component you want to change in the component's window, then "select instances", again right click the component in the component's window, and "reload", "yes", and find the .skp you want.

[TIG]

My old XrefManager does do this BUT you need to have added the items as an 'Xref'... It is long overdue an update, but does list components that have changed externally and then allows you to reload them...

[Technical Ben]

Thanks honoluludesktop.
I'll have to do that, and force myself not to amend objects in the wrong file.

[BigAl]

I'm using Thom Thom's lines of code below to batch replace a series of proxy components with hi-res versions.
newDef = model.definitions.load(path_to_new_component)
oldDef = model.definitions['definitionName']
oldDef.instances.each { |old_inst|
t = old_inst.transformation
ents = old_inst.parent.entities
ents.add_instance(newDef, t)
old_inst.erase!
}
To speed this process up I'd like to add a conditional test before this code such that the code to replace Component A with Component B only runs if Component A already exists within the model. Otherwise skip to the next component in the list.
Does such code or similar already exist somewhere?
Any help greatly appreciated.

[Dan Rathbun]

It looks like it already does that.

Meaning ComponentA's defintion's instances collection is iterated, and the statements within the curly delimited block are run if the collection has any references pointing at instances that have been placed within the model.

IF the instances collection is empty, then the iteration loop is exited without running the block.