Ruby Equivalent of Move/Copy

kybasche

Hey all.

I have a general understand of how to move entities using transformations.

But here's what I don't know how to do.

I have a group.

group_shell=model.active_entities.add_group()
ents=group_shell.entities
points_box=[[0,0,0],[5,0,0],[5,10,0],[0,10,0]]
		
face_box=ents.add_face(points_box)
face_box.pushpull(-20)

I'd like to make a copy of that group and move it to a different location. (I want two identical boxes sitting next to each other)

(yes, it's more complicated than just a box )

That's it.

Any hints?

Thanks!
Derek

sdmitch

kybasche,

group_shell=model.active_entities.add_group()
ents=group_shell.entities
points_box=[[0,0,0],[5,0,0],[5,10,0],[0,10,0]]
      
face_box=ents.add_face(points_box)
face_box.pushpull(-20)
group_shell_copy=group_shell.copy#create a copy
tr=Geom;;Transformation.new([10,0,0])#copy location
group_shell_copy.transform! tr

kybasche

Brilliant!!

Thanks sdmitch.

TIG

One of the problems with using the standard group.copy method is that there are a few rogue scripts out there that mess with the function because they ill-advisedly change built-in classes/methods or have poorly formed observers etc - e.g. SketchyPhysics and DrivingDimensions... As some of these are popular it's best to avoid the .copy method in a distributed script, where you have no control over what other tools the user has installed...
I forgot and had to recast SuperDrape the other day and I also remade Mirror a while ago too.
The alternative way produces the same result...
group_copy = group.copy
becomes
group_copy = group.parent.entities.add_instance(group.entities.parent, group.transformation)
I know it's a lot more convoluted BUT it does the same thing and doesn't seem to have issues with other scripts so much
In you case you can do the [predefined] transformation as you add the instance
group_copy = group.parent.entities.add_instance(group.entities.parent, tr)

sdmitch

TIG, Thanks for the info. As many times that I have searched through the Ruby API Document, I never saw that .add_instance could be applied to groups. It's always a good day when you learn something new.

TIG

You can only use entities.add_instance() of a definition, BUT there's no built in group.definition method , BUT all components, groups and images are all just types of instances of a definition.
To find a group's definition you have to find its entities' parent which is the definition - so
defn = group.entities.parent

ComponentDefinition
just as the much snappier method defn = instance.definition does for a component-instance !
The second argument of the entities.add_instance(defn, **tr**) is the transformation used to place/manipulate the new instance...