[Plugin] Component Stringer UPDATED May 23, 2013

Chris Fullmer

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

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

Purita

@cadfather said:

Thanks Chris

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

utiler

@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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

tomislavm

Thank You Chris!

maybach67

great plugin, thanks alots

pep75

unbelievable! Well this is an essential plugin! What can they still do at Google?

SU has become a full functional modeller at the moment...

Thanks Chris!

grim

chris
the video shows a great tool and i have put it to the test, i build a chain link and made it a component, however when i apply the plug in it spaces the component far apart and rotates it in odd positions a can not seem to imitate the steps you show in the tutorial video is there a problem with this script?

pilou

@unknownuser said:

is there a problem with this script?

no

Chris Fullmer

Hi Grim, it is important to pay attention to the x-component axis. This plugin uses the component axis to place the component. So you are going to have to make sure that the axis is placed very strategically. You can post you test model if you are still unable to get it to work,

Chris

simon le bon

@unknownuser said:

I have found no solution to make the flat stakes to follow the path while they are planted vertically (=invariable direction+ following direction)

Well.., I've found a hand-assisted solution

Fredo6 [Plugin] Tools On Surface - v1.5f

Fredo6 [Plugin] BezierSpline v1.21

I assume I want the stakes are to be regularly spaced, non depending of the declivity. So The 3D curve must be regularly segmented (Segmented Polyline) before to be projected on the wall and on the floor.
(Re: if reversely we want the stakes planted depending of the déclivity, the segmentation must be done after curve projection on the floor and on the wall.)
Didier Bur [plugin] Projections version 2

The long rectangle set as component, distributed along the wall projected curve using Component Stringer is going to be used as a gauge. A line of this rectangle fall in coincidence with the initial 3D curve. This intersection is the point where to move each stake placed on the ground.
(Re: 1)ground face is deleted to make the process easy.
2)Move tool is used with Up arrow to constraint the moving on the blue direction)