[Plugin] Component Dropper

thomthom

Tools -> Component Dropper

Works like the Material Dropper - but for components and groups.

[flash=600,450:286laqax]http://www.youtube.com/v/5RhuVc36ADY[/flash:286laqax]

Make a selection containing groups and components. (Doesn't matter if it contains more, it'll be ignored.)
Activate the tool
Pick another group or component instance to replace the ones in your selection.

The replaced instances will be made to match the bounding box of the old.

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Known Issues:

2D components won't work. Don't try to replace them. The replaced instances will end up as Zero Dimensional! You've been warned! (How many of you silly lads will still try this? Yea - I know what you're like.)

thomthom

hmm... think I'm seeing some oddities in some cases... looks like I need to take another look.

xrok1

another good one. maybe swapper or changer would be a better name though.

solo

Thomthom, let's say i have a tree with 1000 leaves,I have a single polygon representing the leaf, can I substitute the single polygon (which is a group) for another group say a higher poly one with mapped texture to replace all instances of the low one?

xrok1

he he, you try it and tell us all

thomthom

@solo said:

Thomthom, let's say i have a tree with 1000 leaves,I have a single polygon representing the leaf, can I substitute the single polygon (which is a group) for another group say a higher poly one with mapped texture to replace all instances of the low one?

Yes - I'd think so.

Just occurred to me that I don't copy the group/component material of the instance I replace...

thomthom

@xrok1 said:

another good one. maybe swapper or changer would be a better name though.

I was considering that, but choose "Dropper" to indicate it was a tool like the Material Dropper.

but I got another one baking which will be a "??? Swapper"

xrok1

good then, its just that when i first spotted this thread i was thinking of smartdrop at intersection and wondered what else could be done? drop is drop.

solo

swopper.rb?

xrok1

very punny Solo. but i like it!

TIG

Unfortunately 'dropper' in English is usually taken as something to do with 'dropping' - i.e. it is 'something that 'makes drops' [drops = either some actual or potential physical movements downwards, or small globules of liquid] or makes things 'drop' [i.e. to move downwards] - long before it clicks that it is meant as 'eye-dropper' [something that makes **eye-**drops - i.e. globules of liquid that fall into the eye from a rubber-bulb activated pipette - commonly called an 'eye-dropper']...

So I recommend that you either rename it 'eye-dropper' or 'matcher' or 'swapper/swopper' or something else that doesn't sound like it's to do with things being made to fall downwards - the older tool 'Drop' moves selected components downwards so 'Dropper' sounds like it'll do something similar !!! ...

PS: it's a great idea otherwise