Face Sun Plug-in
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Hi.
As a follow up of my previous topic about Archaeoastronomy and Sketchup, I'm wondering if there is a Plug-in for "Face Sun". It would work like the existing feature "Face Camera", but in this case the selected plane would face directly straight to the sun in such a manner that the sun rays fall perpendicular to that plane. Thanks in advance for any info.
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This one gives 45°shadows Elev45Shadows.rb by TIG
I don't know if that can help you
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Thank You Pilou, but what I need is not about shadows, but about selecting a plane and rotate it in such a way that it faces the sun. Thanks for your reply.
@unknownuser said:
This one gives 45°shadows Elev45Shadows.rb by TIG
I don't know if that can help you -
A plug-in does not exist as far as I know, but it wouldn't be hard to write.
How's your Ruby programming?
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Jim:
I also think it wouldn't be hard, but I dont do Ruby, or any kind of programming. I hopping someone can help making the program or telling where I can learn to do it.
@jim said:
A plug-in does not exist as far as I know, but it wouldn't be hard to write.
How's your Ruby programming?
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We can get the vector to the Sun's rays (
Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["SunDirection"]). This should be equivalent to theface.normal, so we just need to make a rotation transformation to align these two vectors [say about theface.bounds.centerwith the axis obtained from thecrossof the vectors ?] and then apply that to the face's vertices en mass (I assume it'd be a loose 'face' ??)...
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Would also need a Shadow observer to update when as the Sun changes.
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@thomthom said:
Would also need a Shadow observer to update when as the Sun changes.
That's assuming it was to auto-update its orientation - otherwise a one-off - 'set_the_face_to_look_at_the_sun_now' tool would simply reorient the face to look direct at the current sun's position - but if the sun moved the face wouldn't ?
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I got the impression live update was part of the request.
@construsol said:
. It would work like the existing feature "Face Camera"
But if a one of adjustment is all that is needed then it'd simply things - avoiding pesky observers.
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With it auto-updating via 'pesky observers' you would get a weird model, with things turning to the sun as it changed between scenes like a time-lapse movie of flowers ??? Better, but much more convoluted code-wise...
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The SunTools plugin by Guedi Capeluto has a feature called "Sun View"
which gives an axonometric view from the Sun. -
Hi Thomthom:
Live update is not needed, just make a plane face to a direction in which the sun would be in a specific date and time, and keep that orientation fixed even if the sun starts to move.
@thomthom said:
I got the impression live update was part of the request.
@construsol said:
. It would work like the existing feature "Face Camera"
But if a one of adjustment is all that is needed then it'd simply things - avoiding pesky observers.
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Made a quick plugin: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=27499
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I have also seen a dynamic component of a solar panel that followed the sun.
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Yea - good point. Though I never manage to find it when I want to use it as an example...
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Thank you very much, this is just what I needed with the "Face Sun" Plug-in. I tested it by putting a perpendicular line to the plane that is facing the sun and it does not cast shadows, so it looks that it works great. One question, ¿How can a plane of a cube be selected and then the entire cube, not just the plane, faces the sun? Thanks again.
@thomthom said:
Made a quick plugin: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=27499
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@thomthom said:
Yea - good point. Though I never manage to find it when I want to use it as an example...
I got it - posted here:
Subject: Solar panels that track the sun
@dsarchs said:
The solar panel is under the "solar panel" tab for this component
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@construsol said:
Thank you very much, this is just what I needed with the "Face Sun" Plug-in. I tested it by putting a perpendicular line to the plane that is facing the sun and it does not cast shadows, so it looks that it works great. One question, ¿How can a plane of a cube be selected and then the entire cube, not just the plane, faces the sun? Thanks again.
@thomthom said:
Made a quick plugin: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=27499
I could make it orient the connected geometry to the selected faces. Doubt I have time until after the weekend though.
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Thom:
I would greatly appreciate it if you can do this. Thanks again for your help.
@thomthom said:
@construsol said:
Thank you very much, this is just what I needed with the "Face Sun" Plug-in. I tested it by putting a perpendicular line to the plane that is facing the sun and it does not cast shadows, so it looks that it works great. One question, ¿How can a plane of a cube be selected and then the entire cube, not just the plane, faces the sun? Thanks again.
@thomthom said:
Made a quick plugin: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=27499
I could make it orient the connected geometry to the selected faces. Doubt I have time until after the weekend though.
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