Question about palettes

CadFather

thanks Thom, so i should go the 'closeau' route....i'll check it out... just hope i can get them to hide at some point

TIG

This code toggleWindows.rb is based on some ideas by Jim.
It's useful for toggling the Outliner so it's rolledup, as it can cause splats during intensive processing if open...
I've recently added the ' closeWindow' method.
name='Layers' - or other window name.
toggleRollUp(name) toggles the rollup of the window specified by 'name'.
isRolledUp(name) returns true/false if window specified by 'name' is rolled-up/rolled-down.
closeWindow(name) closes the window specified by 'name'.
It required ' Win32API.so' I've attached a zipped version if you don't have it - unzip it into the Plugins folder...Win32API.zip toggleWindows.rb

CadFather

Thanks master TIG - this is amazing!

one last question..

how would i have given two send action commands?

just by this, and each command gets executed as the scripts is read down?

def togz
Sketchup.send_action 21354
Sketchup.send_action 21926
end

TIG

Your method should execute the two actions in order, BUT I've not tried it.
It should first open Layers, or roll it up/down if it's already open.
Then it would close all open palettes which is not what you really need ?

I think you'd be better off opening the Layers palette with the first set of code... and then use the isRolledUp() test to roll it down with toggleRollUp() if it was already open and you code just rolled it up.
E.G. Sketchup.send_action 21354 toggleRollUp('Layers') if isRolledUp('Layers')
This ensures that the Layers palette window is opened and rolled down, even if it was already open but rolled up!
Later when you are done with it use closeWindow('Layers') to close just that specified window...

CadFather

ok thanks TIG, it's going to be a full afternoon trying to get that in my head, but that example helps a lot!

but if i get this right, there is no way to have just one button to fully show or fully hide the palette..

in previous versions it was easier..

TIG

Yes there is.
You start the script running with a variable that persists across usages so to set it if the tools never been used yet...
When the user clicks the button the tool has these tests...
At the start @open is nil so use
` if @open==1 ### it WAS clicked ON earlier, so it's probably ON

now check if it's open and close it if it is.

'close code'

but if it's already been closed [manually?] do nothing but this...

@open=0
else ### it's either been clicked OFF, or it has not yet been clicked at all

now check if it's closed and open it if it is.

'open code'

but if it's already open do nothing but this...

@open=1
end`

CadFather

wow...didn't know what i was asking...!

I shall study it veery slowly.. Thanks TIG - you basically wrote it yourself..

CadFather

wow, this is terrible... just when i think i 'understand'...

this is the code:

def togz
name='Scenes'
if @open==1 	### it WAS clicked ON earlier, so it's probably ON
toggleRollUp(name) if isRolledUp(name)  	### now check if it's open and close it if it is.
closeWindow(name) 	### 'close code'
### but if it's already been closed [manually?] do nothing but this...
@open=0
else ### it's either been clicked OFF, or it has not yet been clicked at all
togglecloseWindow(name) if iscloseWindow(name)  ### now check if it's closed and open it if it is.
Sketchup.send_action 21354 ### 'open code'
### but if it's already open do nothing but this...
@open=1
end
end #def

and this is the error when i type togz into the ruby console...

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `iscloseWindow' for main:Object>
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/- - togz.rb:14
(eval):155

i have placed both toggleWindows.rb and win32api.so in the plugins folder (and i saw there is a def called closeWindow in toggleWindows.rb)

TIG

I've added a 'windowIsVisible(name)' test to the toggleWindows code.toggleWindows.rb This code below does what you want...


require 'toggleWindows.rb'
  def toggleLayersWindow()
    if @toggle==1
      if windowIsVisible('Layers')
        closeWindow('Layers')
      else
        Sketchup.send_action(21354)
      end
      @toggle=0
    else
      if windowIsVisible('Layers')
        if not @toggle ### 1st go
          if isRolledUp('Layers')
            toggleRollUp('Layers')
          else
            closeWindow('Layers')
          end          
        else
          closeWindow('Layers')
        end
      else
        Sketchup.send_action(21354)
      end
      @toggle=1
    end#if
  end#def

thomthom

Along with a require 'toggleWindows.rb' to ensure it's loaded before accessing the code.

CadFather

that's not fair TIG - you're hacking your own code!

i'll give it a spin..

ok folks, seriously what the heck have you got in those brains...i'm thinking of early retirement..

Thank You

thomthom

Ain't no backing out now!

CadFather

you must be joking, i'm going out for a drink to forget!

thomthom

You'll be drinking binary

Dan Rathbun

Note that TIG's current example works on English Sketchup only. It needs a bit of work to retrieve the localized window titles from the exe's resources, in order to work for all language locale editions.

CadFather

that's true.. it works fine, but it greys out many context commands on starting SU...

TIG

How are you making the commands? - make one only attached to the toolbar.
The reason for the grey-outs is 'too many commands'.
It's possible to accidentally create a new command every time it's used...

CadFather

i went through most plugins commands, numbered them all differently (e.g. cmd1, cmd2, etc)

also got rid of some plugins - right now it works - but i'm keeping an eye...

many thanks again TIG... i owe you quite a few pints!

CadFather

ok, updated version with better commands and icons. works fine on my pc

TogglePanels.zip

CadFather

yes, maybe i'm better at it after a few guinness...

meantime here's the result - i don't have a mac so do not know whether it works there.

only thing is that upon reopening, the windows always dock at the bottom of the stack..

Cheers