[Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

Dave R · 22 Sept 2011, 17:15

Chris, it would be great if you could get the plugin to repair itself. You're right about the installation problems. Of course yours isn't the only plugin that folks don't install correctly.

nnguyen2288 · 29 Sept 2011, 20:58

Hi guys

I'm having a problem with the shape bender plugin and I can't seem to figure out what is going on. I am working with a file I downloaded off the 3d warehouse and whenever I try to use the shape bender plugin it rotates the object rather than bending it. The screenshot shows you what I am talking about. The plugin works fine on other files so it appears to be something about this particular file. I figured it could be something with the axes, but I can't find a solution. Any suggestions???

TIG · 29 Sept 2011, 21:39

Try placing the instance, line and curve in the +ve quadrant = solid red/green.
And retry...
Also is the object a reasonable size ??

Chris Fullmer · 30 Sept 2011, 07:34

Yeah, I think I agree. Rotate the whole bending setup 180 degrees and move it into the positive red and positive green quadrant. That will probably help.

nnguyen2288 · 30 Sept 2011, 13:41

It worked! How foolish of me. In terms of whether the piece is reasonably sized or not... it was just a test. Actually trying to do a coiled wire that runs along an arc. This will help greatly. Thank you for your help

markitekt · 30 Sept 2011, 20:05

I'm getting this error from Ruby on this;
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `/' for nil:NilClass>
I'm no Ruby guy, but this seems to be a method error.
Any ideas?
Mark P.

Chris Fullmer · 1 Oct 2011, 02:53

Interesting, I need a little bit more. The other lines in the error are also helpful as they give the context of the problem - what line of code returned the error, and what method called it. So maybe could you post those extra lines of error code?

Also, what are you doing when they error occurs? As soon as you press the icon? or when you try to select the line? Thanks!

Chris

PS - didn't you used to have a lot more than just 21 posts?

TIG · 1 Oct 2011, 09:54

The tool's code only contains a / as an operator in the following five lines...
#458 @x_scale_factor = @arc_total_length / @line_total_length
#467 @p_fac = (@line_total_length.to_f / @arc_total_length.to_f) #This gets the percentage multiplier for each curve segment length to get scaled for the line
#676 @offset = @y_total / 6
#830 loop_times = (@preview_poss.length / 2 )
#931 first_weight = weight_point /@line_lengths[corresponding_edge]
So the reference that's unexpectedly nil has to be one of three
@line_total_length @arc_total_length.to_f @line_lengths[corresponding_edge]
I suspect faulty line/curve set up ?

Chris Fullmer · 1 Oct 2011, 19:38

I think that is a good guess TIG.

Corb · 8 Oct 2011, 17:11

This plugin is just great !
I am using it to make a curved structural cage in front of a building.
A bit like Prada building in Tokyo, by HdeM, but the cage is separated from the facade.
It does not work always on very complex shapes but it's incredibly useful !!!
Many thanks indeed !

Chris Fullmer · 8 Oct 2011, 18:51

Woohoo! I love it when it works, thanks for sharing!

Chris

kagazwala · 14 Oct 2011, 08:03

Hello Everyone!!!

I have a little problem.

I select a Group shape then clicked the shape bender icon.
Selected a straight line along the red axis of the same size as the group.
Selected the curved path.

Wallah !!! it bent the shape as desired.

But now when I press Enter Key to commit changes everything goes back to point 0. nothing happens

What am I doing wrong.

Please help

Regards
Kagazwala

TIG · 14 Oct 2011, 10:13

Press ENTER to confirm the bending.
Do you get any errors in the Ruby Console ?

davidbone · 24 Oct 2011, 21:18

Great plugin, I used it on a couple of my Star Trek models to bend the writing for the saucer

Maker · 26 Oct 2011, 13:51

I have troubles with bolt modeling tutorial.
See the screen shot below:

Distribution occurs with error
It does not create all the required surfaces.

esther_febriana · 27 Oct 2011, 04:11

hi,
i want to install, but cant open the .rb file.
please help me how to install it

THannksssS

fightingfishcustoms · 27 Oct 2011, 07:01

it's not working for me, i did the steps but i got stuck in step 2(where you select the straight line), the cursor does not change and i can't click on anything? what am i doing wrong? thanks

Dave R · 27 Oct 2011, 12:58

@esther_febriana said:

hi,
i want to install, but cant open the .rb file.
please help me how to install it

THannksssS

You don't need to open the .rb file. You need to extrct the ZIP file to the plugins directory. See the sticky post in the Plugins forum on installing zipped plugins.

Dave R · 27 Oct 2011, 13:01

@fightingfishcustoms said:

it's not working for me, i did the steps but i got stuck in step 2(where you select the straight line), the cursor does not change and i can't click on anything? what am i doing wrong? thanks

It could be pretty much anything. You don't give us enough info to help you. Post the SKP file so we can see what you are trying to do.

Dave R · 27 Oct 2011, 13:02

@maker said:

I have troubles with bolt modeling tutorial.
See the screen shot below:

Distribution occurs with error

It does not create all the required surfaces.

Do you hit Enter/Return after you get to the second screen shot? Post the SKP so we can see what's going on.