Announcing PieceTracer

[Evan Garmaise]

Announcing the PieceTracer tools for Google SketchUp
Download the beta and watch the full demo at http://www.piecetracer.com?tp=10

Please provide feedback on this forum!

[flash=640,385:3rbch2pl]http://www.youtube.com/v/xyGXwYmvATY?fs=1&hl=en_US[/flash:3rbch2pl]

[dale]

Wow, I can see some real potential here, having been in the position to have to show building components in order to get design concepts across. Thanks, I will be giving it a shot.
Cheers

[ken]

I have the following error message. I have check and the directory and files are there, however it will not load.

Ken

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[Evan Garmaise]

Hi Ken,

Would it be possible for you to submit your phone # and some good times to call at http://piecetracer.com/contact and we will call you as soon as possible to try to resolve?

[Evan Garmaise]

We have resolved the issue of the "no such file to load" error message. If you have already downloaded PieceTracer and experienced this problem please go here http://piecetracer.com/extend and enter your passcode to download the latest version. Or just re-enter your information in the download page: http://piecetracer.com/download.

[Evan Garmaise]

PieceTracer is excited to announce the release of v1.0, now available for just $20 USD. Download a 30-day trial here: http://www.piecetracer.com/download.

[Evan Garmaise]

I have an idea for a new PieceTracer tool that would make it much easier to fill surfaces with pieces: Fill-and-Shear. I wanted to see what people thought of it. Is this something you might use?

First you place a piece on a surface, and click on it with the tool. That creates a copy of the piece, which you position into place before clicking again.

Now a second copy of the piece is created, and you position it into place before clicking a third time.

The location of the two copies determines the horizontal and vertical spacing between the pieces (in this case there is no spacing), the horizontal axis, and the transverse motion of the pieces as they move in the vertical axis.

The result is shown here: the entire face is instantly filled with the pieces. Pieces are sheared off at the edges to ensure that the entire surface is filled.

As usual with PieceTracer, the pieces carve into the surface, so you can immediately start working on the next surface down.

[mitcorb]

This looks like a very useful feature as part of Piecetracer. However, does it have a way of keeping file size low?

[Evan Garmaise]

Thanks, mitcorb. It would have logic to ensure that sheared pieces of the same shape are instances of the same component definition. Assuming there is a regularity to the pattern (which there normally is), the tool would create only a few new component definitions in each operation. Creating many copies of the same component definition has a limited effect on file size: a file with 1500 shingles (of 4 shapes and sizes) and 2900 bricks (of 3 shapes and sizes) is under 600 KB, for example.

[Evan Garmaise]

Please take our 5-question PieceTracer survey and share your views on Fill-and-Shear and PieceTracer in general:

http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?C0E48892C682969BC4

Your input is much appreciated!