A little suggestion.

derei

At first I want to apologize if this suggestion is inappropriate, as I am not a programmer, I barely understand ruby language, but not (yet) able to do smart things with it.

So, what is all about:
I used some plugins that required RGB color input (random painter, color by slope) and I noticed that the RGB had to be inserted separately in three fields in a input box.
I am wondering if this would not be much easier for the user to input them like this: 128,256,30 (RGB values in order) in one single line, separated by comma (or numpad point, to be much faster input). Of course, in this case a regexp filter would be needed, to avoid unwanted symbols and correct spaces/points/commas.
In this way, the start color and end color (for color by slope, for example) could be inserted in same input box (two separate fields) and compared. After a while using RGB input, you get used to it (I did).
Other suggestion in same problem would be to allow user to select two materials:
Message box: Select first material (OK) user clicks in Material Browser (or eyedropper in model?) Message box: Is material correct? If YES, select next material.(YES/NO) user clicks in Material Browser (or eyedropper in model?) Message Box: Is material correct?(YES/NO)

if YES, take COLOR (because material can have texture too) from selected materials and proceed with next functions. If NO, allow reselection from Materials list.

If this makes any sense for you, thanks for your time in reading, otherwise, please excuse me for having "ideas" out of my field of expertise.

I'm just a lazy person and I like doing things fast and with as less as possible work

TIG

There is no 'magic' reason the RGB has to be in separate fields, as this example shows

rs=UI.inputbox(["R,G,B"],["255,255,255"]);rgb=rs[0].split(",");r=rgb[0].to_i;g=rgb[1].to_i;b=rgb[2].to_i;UI.messagebox("R=#{r}\nG=#{g}\nB=#{b}");

copy/paste into Ruby Console to see affect...
The values could be separated by anything that isn't a numeral or |
Commas seem logical as they separate list items but spaces could also be used...
Now all you have to do is hack the inputbox code in the scripts and you're done... Getting color by eyedropper is NOT easy but I'm sure that there are great minds working on it [thomthom for one...]

Chris Fullmer

I've written a entire RGB color picker for the SketchUp UI. I just haven't had the time/real need to implement it. Maybe I should get it into my color scripts and just release them to see how it goes. I'm not sure if my color picker is too bulky to even really be useful. But it is a great improvement over the old system.

Ahh, but come to think of it, it is still necessary to enter RGB values using my color picker if you want to be prcise. So in that case, I suppose I could still revamp my RGB input methods too.

Chris

Dan Rathbun

@tig said:

Getting color by eyedropper is NOT easy but I'm sure that there are great minds working on it [thomthom for one...]

There is actually 2 eyedropper tools hidden on the Materials dialog Edit panel.

Match Paint to Object, id:2501
Match Paint to Screen, id:2508

using Sketchup.send_action with either id (on PC,) has no effect.

Jim

Good idea. I use a third party color picker that saves the R, G, G values to the Clipboard. Then there could be a new dialog to create a new color by pasting the r,g,b string in, or right-click a material and paste to edit an existing color.

thomthom

@chris fullmer said:

I've written a entire RGB color picker for the SketchUp UI. I just haven't had the time/real need to implement it. Maybe I should get it into my color scripts and just release them to see how it goes. I'm not sure if my color picker is too bulky to even really be useful. But it is a great improvement over the old system.

Ahh, but come to think of it, it is still necessary to enter RGB values using my color picker if you want to be prcise. So in that case, I suppose I could still revamp my RGB input methods too.

Chris

Aye! The color picker was looking good.