[Plugin] Contour Maker v1.6

TIG

A method's 'deprecation' is when a method or a part of a method is no longer 'used' or 'works'.
For example in many API examples in the guides it will say for things like:
entities.add_cline point1, point2
this works fine in past and current versions...
BUT the 'standard' way recommended in Ruby and guaranteed to stop faults is to use 'parenthesizes' to enclose all arguments, like this
entities.add_cline(point1, point2)
[Note NO space between the method and opening ( and the arguments are separated by ',']
This also gets over the occasional glitch that occurred in existing code with the new PC version of Ruby shipped with v8, for example in v7 this [probably] worked
my_command (x+y/2), z
in v8 it will fail because the first set of stuff inside the '()' is taken as all the arguments there are and the following ', z' throws an error, but changed to
my_command((x+y/2), z)
it then works for both versions and is also 'future-proof' as all of the arguments are now encapsulated inside the ()...

mitcorb

Thanks for your explanation, TIG
You are an amazing dude.
Another question. Could this tendency toward deprecation be the reason why older scripts that worked fine last year, suddenly do not work this week, even though the same SUversion is being used?

Didier Bur

Hi,

@unknownuser said:

Could this tendency toward deprecation be the reason why older scripts that worked fine last year, suddenly do not work

Yes, especially since SU8 is out. The API "uses" a newer version of Ruby that is less permissive, concerning arguments within brackets, no spaces between function name and arguments, and such boring coding stuff.

mitcorb

Didier wrote:
"...such boring coding stuff"
I am dragging this way off topic, but one more comment and I will quit.
I superficially understand that all of those punctuation marks and symbols are a way to organize the input, but why should input be so tedious? Just think about it, don't answer so that this thread can continue.

JGA

Thanks very much, it works well!

chenkl

Thanks TIG

pilou

Life is encapsuled (Life)

Keep the good work

CAD Addict

I haven't had time to try it, but I have a question.

Isn't it the same as the Sandbox tools can do?

What does it do better than the standrads sandbox?

Thanks

TIG

@cad addict said:

I haven't had time to try it...
Isn't it the same as [what] the Sandbox [does]...?
What does it do... better...?...

No, it's quite different!
The 'opposite' tool in fact...
The Sandbox tool takes contours supplied to it, that are already set at the correct heights, and makes a mesh surface from them.
The ContourMaker tool takes a mesh surface and it makes [grouped] contours from it.
Your mesh might not have been made from contour data at all, but contours can be very useful when visualizing a complex land-form - this tool lets you add them.

irwanwr

i'd like to try this plugin.
i'd like to see if i can draw (or model) a pond near a tent or a house perhaps.
i just love to draw

thank you

TIG

@irwanwr said:

i'd like to try this plugin.
i'd like to see if i can draw (or model) a pond near a tent or a house perhaps.
i just love to draw

thank you
Get it from the link in the first post in this thread...

irwanwr

umm... i think i still cannot understand how it works and to use it though
need to learn more about instruction, mesh definition, etc.

TIG

The contours are cut through a grouped mesh [e.g. a terrain surface that is a group]...

marvins_dad

Man that is sweet Tig!
Thanks for another great ruby!

mrdcon

@tig said:

The contours are cut through a grouped mesh [e.g. a terrain surface that is a group]...

I've downloaded the plugin and created contours for a meshed terrain model that was generated from Goodle maps. Now that I have contours on the meshed terrain model, other than seeing contours, what else can I do with them. I've tried to manipulate the contours (ie, push /pull, etc.) but they are not editable. Am I missing something?

TIG

@mrdcon said:

@tig said:

The contours are cut through a grouped mesh [e.g. a terrain surface that is a group]...

I've downloaded the plugin and created contours for a meshed terrain model that was generated from Goodle maps. Now that I have contours on the meshed terrain model, other than seeing contours, what else can I do with them. I've tried to manipulate the contours (ie, push /pull, etc.) but they are not editable. Am I missing something?
Use your imagination ?
Perhaps all some people need is some contours drawn over their terrain to help visualize their design...
But if you want a simplified surface mesh made from the contours edit their group and use the Sandbox tool to make a 'surface from contours'.
The coarser you space the contours the more simplified is the new mesh...
You decide what to do with the tool - I only made it

arystoteles

thank you for the plugin!

However I was wondering if you could suggest a tip to rebuild the curves and make them ultra smooth?

ScreenClip[14].png

massimo

Well the smoothness of the curves is related to the smoothness of the mesh.
Here I've used "Artisan" plugin to smooth the terrain.

arystoteles

Oh I see thank you Massimo!

But regardless of the terrain mesh is there a function in Sketchup to rebuild a curve wit fewer points and therefore smooth it out?

TIG

If you don't want to mess with the mesh you could use a edge 'smoothing' tool...
I think Thomthom has something in his Edge Tools set - you'll [probably] have to use weld.rb on each connected set of contour-lines to make 'curves' from them firs, since they are made as raw individual edges...