[Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

TIG

hi,
i want to install, but cant open the .rb file.
please help me how to install it
THannksssS
You don't 'open' a .rb file you put it into the Plugins folder, restart Sketchup and follow the instruction on how to use it. It's an Extension so it needs activating from Preferences, it's toolbar then needs activating from View > Toolbars; then pick a group or component and follow the instructions about picking a premade line and curve - good luck

TIG

Maker - if the bent form will involve facets that are very small it will fail - scale up, bend, then scale down...

Chris Fullmer

I agree with everything TIG and Dave said.

@Maker - sounds like you just need to scale everything up by 100 times. SU does not like small faces

@Fightingfish - That is generally an installation error. Just extract it to you plugins folder and it will install it with the right folder structure.

@Esther - Yup, like they said. You should read up on how to install a SketchUp plugin. Its a matter of putting the files and folders into the plugins folder. Then SketchUp will load the plugin the next time you open SketchUp.

Good luck folks. Was there a tutorial posted somewhere that included shapebender? 3 people in a day or 2 seems like a lot.

deprezzar

thanks!!!

LannorMov

Gracias Cris, le voy a sacar el jugo a este plug.

LannorMov

@chris fullmer said:

woohoo, we're getting somewhere.

You didn't install it right.

Chris, Te cuento que a mi también me ha dado problemas con la selección de la línea, pero lo que hago es explotar el grupo o componente y le vuelvo a dar "crear grupo o componente" y luego me funciona muy bien.
Chris, I tell you that I too have been problems with the selection of the line, but what I do is to exploit the group or component and it keeps coming back "create group or component" and then I work very well.(excuse my English)

stillhouse

Struggling to get shapebender to work on Sketch-up 8 for windows 7.
I have downloaded both shape bender and progressbar and have put them in my sketchup plugins folder.
I draw a line on the red axis
I extrude a bar next to it and make it a group
I make a curved line a little ways away
I select the bar and go under plugins and select shape bender. It asks me to select the line on the red axis but I can't select it.
Any help would be great. I love this plugin and I have used it in the past on my old mac, and would love to get this going on my new pc.
Cheers,
BW

Chris Fullmer

This sounds like an installation error. You should have clf_shape_bender_loader.rb in the plugins folder, and then clf_shape_bender.rb and all the shapebender icons should live in a subfolder called clf_shape_bender.

If that doesn't help, open the Ruby Console (in the windows menu). Then try to run shape bender and see what errors it gives.

Let me know how it goes,

Chris

tsunamile

Hi Chris Fullmer.
I did same everything you said..., but i can use this plugin; when i run sketchup... a load error appear!
I use sketchup 8, win Xp sp2 32bit.
Help me fix it..
Thank's.

Gaieus

The instructions also say that you need this additional plugin as well:
http://www.smustard.com/script/ProgressBar

tsunamile

Thank's Gaieus...

driven

hi,

First time I've needed to use this since V8 M2 and I'm getting this

Error: #<NameError: undefined local variable or methodclf_shape_bender' for main:Object>
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/clf_shape_bender.rb:995`

which is Toolbar related, I'm seeing it, but get the error on clicking.

I haven't changed anything to do with it since it last worked, other then M2...

osx 10.5.8

john
EDIT: fixed it by changing to this Sketchup.active_model.select_tool Clf_shape_bender.new

Chris Fullmer

Weird, I swear this plugin has a mind of its own.

Rich O Brien

@chris fullmer said:

Weird, I swear this plugin has a mind of its own.

k_drive

Thanks for the Shape Bender and the posts about the Progress Bar.
I got the load error message; but, once I read and followed the instructions for the Progress Bar Plug-in, the Shape Bender worked.

mitcorb

Hi.
I have not used shape bender in a while, but due to another post on it I was experimenting. Probably somewhere in this thread it is mentioned, but I noticed this: I started with a group as instructed. When I decided to edit this group, only "Edit Component" was available on right click. Probably better that way, but I was not aware of this before.
Thanks Chris for a job well done.

TIG

ShapeBender's result is always a component, even if the original UNbent object starts its life as a group !

Chris Fullmer

Yup, that was "by design" though I'm not sure it is the correct way to do it.

irwanwr

i like it the way it is.
probably because i tend to make components more than groups

TIG

@chris fullmer said:

Yup, that was "by design" though I'm not sure it is the correct way to do it.
It doesn't really matter... If the user wants a group he simply Selects the new Instance, Explodes it and immediately makes a Group of the still Selected Geometry... Sometimes we authors worry too much about how users will use tools - they always find new ways of using [or breaking] them and some always want them to work differently from the way they do - sometimes they have a good idea and I adopt it - sometimes its pants!