[Plugin] Component Stringer UPDATED May 23, 2013

Chris Fullmer · 30 Nov 2009, 22:36

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

simon le bon · 1 Dec 2009, 08:49

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.

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

[Plugin] Select Lines by Length
Jim_Selection Memory

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

Et voila votre jolie pallissade

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

simon le bon · 1 Dec 2009, 08:51

..

pilou · 1 Dec 2009, 09:41

Suggestion
A rotation (s) of object on it own axis?
A scale of object?

plot-paris · 1 Dec 2009, 17:20

wow, Chris. thats sounds like a reason (or several for that matter) to be excited about the next release...

hsjzyangbin · 20 Dec 2009, 09:29

Hi,Chris,I wish your 'Component Stringer'and TIG'S "GROW.RB" combine together

mitcorb · 15 Jan 2010, 02:43

Chris:
When using the uniform scale parameter, does the script start out with a set multiple? I am guessing say 1.5 x the scale of the component? and then the factor is applied to each subsequent component instance?
If this is so, would there be a user changeable scale factor parameter in the future?
By the way, this is a nice tool and I appreciate your sharing it.

Chris Fullmer · 15 Jan 2010, 05:49

Hmm, good idea. That is not the way it works, but it would be fairly easy to implement (I think). No guarantees how fast I'll get it done, but I'll try to put this feature in the mext release.

Chris

JClements · 30 Jan 2010, 22:56

In the attached I have component which I have attempted to string along a path in an orientation similar to that of the component. I've played with changing the component's axis but can't seem to get it right by only changing the component axis (rotating the component and then reseting its axis can work).

Chris, what is the secret? Your video mentions setting the blue axis but what of the red and green and at what corner of the component?

Signed, all strung out.
John

STRINGER - What are the rules to getting component oriented on path correctly.skp

Chris Fullmer · 31 Jan 2010, 17:42

Hi John, I set is up so that the blue axis in the component lines itseful up with the line spegment it is being placed on in the path. That is as much as I control directly in the script. The x and y axes are determined through what SU calls "an arbitrary axis rule." Digging into this, it appears that once I set the blue axis, SU forces the component's red axis to lie flat on the x,y plane. Then the component orients itself so that the green axis is pointing in a positive direction (always pointing slightly upard, or completely upward if the path being followed is flat on the ground).

So, if your path is flat, then the blue will follow the segment it is to stetch over. And the green will point upwards in the model's blue direction.

But once your path gets off the flat x,y plane, the it gets a little trickier to guess how the pices will orient themselves.

Sorry thats not much help,

Chris

JClements · 31 Jan 2010, 19:06

Thanks, Chris. Helps make things a bit more predictable.

Purita · 11 Feb 2010, 07:05

@cadfather said:

Thanks Chris

it's funny how many different angles you land on sketchup from..

utiler · 11 Feb 2010, 09:58

@unknownuser said:

Suggestion
A rotation (s) of object on it own axis?
A scale of object?

What I wished for a while now.... http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=19204&hilit=+copy+rotate+scale
I wish I could explain!!!

KXI System · 10 Mar 2010, 22:27

Chris, I love your tools but just one thing...

This plugin I can't get to work for some reason, I even reinstalled it. Nothing happens when I even activate it, here is what I get in the Ruby console:

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methoddefinition' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:103:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190 C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call'
See Chris? a little help here?`

Chris Fullmer · 10 Mar 2010, 23:21

Thank you for reporting the error with the error codes from the console, helps spped things up a bit!

It looks like you do not have a component selected when you start the script. So make sure that you select a component first, then start the script.

If that does not fix it, please upload a test model that you are having problems with and I'll test it.

Chris

KXI System · 11 Mar 2010, 00:47

Chris,

After a few moments of struggle I found out that the script works after a few failures...
But what I have found is that sometimes the selected component changes during action, see attachments:

Bug1.skp
Ruby Console:
No reversing needed Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methodposition' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:137:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each_with_index'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each_with_index'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190 C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call'.`
Note: 1 try only

Bug2.skp
Ruby Console:
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methodedges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<ArgumentError: Cannot convert argument to Sketchup::Point3d> C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:79:in add_text'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:79:in curve_labeler' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:70:in curve_ordering'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190 C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call'
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method definition' for nil:NilClass> C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:103:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call' Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method edges' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:59:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in times'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:56:in curve_ordering' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:105:in main'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call'
Note 10+ tries, no result

Bug3.skp
Ruby Console:
No reversing needed Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methodposition' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:137:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each_with_index'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in each_with_index'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:134:in main' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190 C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/clf_component_stringer.rb:190:in call'`
Note 1 try, "big" problem

simon le bon · 15 Mar 2010, 20:25

Hello Chris, Hello everybody,
I'm back for a little addition in using Component Stringer.

I have had the idea to use a progressive segmented curve in conjunction with Component Stringer for various interesting effects.
It exists a Fredo's tool :Fredo_BZ__Animation which can do the goal. But it is build for animation matters and I had found it not enough flexible for my purpose.

So I have made a small tut to make our Own BZ_animation Curve

I have made some exemples, not very subtle I guess but I think the idea is shown

*s

brookefox · 2 May 2010, 22:48

Well, I'm happy to post this homely little picture: my first entry into the well-worn spiral stair saga. Contents: the usual suspects: one set of edges, one component (soon to be tuned and embellished with stringers, railings etc.). Why bother this thread? I just thought maybe a point or two needed clarification: In this case the length of each edge determines the displacement of the component, and the component cannot touch the edges or the routine will not work (for me).

Thanks, Chris!!

(For me, it would be nice if the settings were sticky across uses.)

jackalvn · 16 May 2010, 04:16

Hi Chris, Hi All.
I used the plugin to make an array of component along a path, but it only create one component at the start of the path and nothing else.
I don't know what i do wrong. Any help?
One more thing: The plugin don't give me a choice of inputting distance between components (like Copy to spacing in Copy along path plugin). Or I miss something?
Thanks for your attention!

Chris Fullmer · 16 May 2010, 04:23

Hi Hu. There is no option for spacing. It always inserts a component at each line segment. There is no way to skip line segments, or evenly space components over uneven lengthed lines.

It should not stop after a single component though. Could you upload the test model where this happened? Thanks,

Chris