Naming components

TIG

I'm having a problem with a seemingly simple task. how can I add both a Name and Defintion Name to a component that contains subcomponents?

I can add both to an instance of the subcomponents without a problem but I can only manage to add the Definition Name to the parent component.

I've read and searched but can't find a solution.


> def=model.definitions.add @name + " (test def)" 
> entities=def.entities
> 
> ins=entities.add_instance @def_test, [0, 0, 0]
> name=ins.name=@name + " (test ins)"
>

Thanks,
Frank
You can't use 'def' as a reference - it's reserved for 'methods', try 'defn' instead.

defn=model.definitions.add(@name + " (test def)")
tr=Geom;;Transformation.new()
ins=defn.entities.add_instance(@def_test, tr)
name=ins.name=@name + " (test ins)"

Should work ??

Dan Rathbun

You can assign a value to the name attribute to a particular Sketchup::ComponentDefinition as many times as you like, but after the first time, you will be re-assigning a new value.

Keep in mind that, Rubywise, when you say definition, you really are talking about an instance of the Sketchup::ComponentDefinition class.

And.. when you say, instance, we are talking about an instance of the Sketchup::ComponentInstance class.

BOTH of these two class objects have an instance method, that allows assigning a (usually String) value, to an instance variable.
The method identifiers, are the same (and likely the attributes, ie, instance variables,) " name".

NOW... you may be a bit confused. Every Sketchup::ComponentInstance instance, has a Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instance, that describes it's properties, and if it is not unique, holds a list of all it's other siblings in the model.

OK.. you do not attach OTHER Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instances to / beneath / inside of another Sketchup::ComponentDefinition. Instead, you attach Sketchup::ComponentInstance instances, (who are described by Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instances,) to ANOTHER Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instance, that has nested components.

SO.. the actual nested objects... are Sketchup::ComponentInstance instances, never Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instances.

Think of a Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instance as being a specification, and all the Sketchup::ComponentInstance instances OF IT, as being the articles built TO the specification.

Lastly... all the Sketchup::ComponentDefinition instances, are kept at the model level, (all in one drawer of specifications, so to speak.) Accessed via the model.definitions() method.

Dan Rathbun

And you should be using an editor like Notepad++ that has syntax highlighting, to avoid attempting to use keywords as variable names.

301 Moved Permanently

(notepad-plus-plus.org)

see: [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=39783:2pgebma3][Info] Notepad++ : Tip, Tricks & Plugins[/url:2pgebma3]

Frankn

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry for using def as a reference, I'm not using that in my plugin code it was just as an example... though I didn't know not to use it... learn something new everyday. I got used to komodo edit for some reason even though seems like Notepad ++ is what most use.

Now, that being said... Dan you're 100% correct I'm totally confused . And I'll have to reread your post a few times to get it straight, thanks for taking the time to explain the differences in detail.

TIG, using your code I get the same result as I am now. Which is my parent component has a definition name but no name and the child component has both. I know I'm probably not explain what I'm trying to do properly since as already stated I'm confused.

Here's something I found that resembles what I want to do other then I'm not working with groups...

From a post by ThomThom, here...
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=23567

group = model.active_entities.add_group(sel)
      name = model.definitions.unique_name(input[0])
      # We set the name we will see in the Entities window.
      group.name = name
      # We set the definition name as well. If you convert the group to a component, this is the
      # name it will get.
      group.entities.parent.name = name

And also from TIG, here...
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=23311

instance=group.to_component
definition=instance.definition
definition.name="My Definition's Name"
instance.name="My Instance's Name"

Hope that helps making what I'm trying to do clearer...
Thanks,
Frank

TIG

The code I offered you was simply a corrected version of yours.

The code makes a new definition ['defn'] assigning it a new name [all definitions must have a unique name].
The code then adds an instance of another preexisting component [again that definition must have a unique name of its own] into the entities of 'defn'.
When that the instance is added it has no name [the default].
The code then gives that instance a name.
It also assigns a variable 'name', but does nothing with it.
The code then stops.

If you were then to add an instance of 'defn' it would obviously display that component's definitions name [all instances of that definition will!]... However, an instance will not have a name, because by default a new instance does not have a name.
Of course you could give that instance any name you like... perhaps using 'name'...

Frankn

@tig said:

The code I offered you was simply a corrected version of yours.
If you were then to add an instance of 'defn' it would obviously display that component's definitions name [all instances of that definition will!]... However, an instance will not have a name, because by default a new instance does not have a name.
Of course you could give that instance any name you like... perhaps using 'name'...

Ok so far I understand that logic and I'm aslo able to put it onto practice... except for the part I highligthed in bold... which correctly explains what I'm not able to do. I don't get where I should add the 'name' part. the only way I can think of is by

defn_new=entities.add_instance defn, [0, 0, 0]

but I get a double occurance error. And everything else I've tried will change the defintion name and not add an instance name.

Perhaps it's in how I add the instance of defn to the model that is the problem(I hope I'm using the correct term, still a little confused)?...

status=model.place_component(defn)

TIG

dins=model.active_entities.add_instance(defn, tr) dins.name=name
The model.place_component(defn) is like picking ' defn' off the Component-Browser.
You'll get no 'reference' to it this way - so naming it is difficult - because it'd be the only instance defn.instances[0] would refer to it, BUT the ' place_component' will break your code when it's invoked - a convoluted observer set up might work BUT there are other easier ways...
Use add_instance and then if you want the instance [ dins] to be movable thereafter you can write your code as a 'Tool' class and then have the transformation of din reset dynamically to always be at the cursor's point, and when you left-click the mouse it'd set dins's transformation to be at the clicked point...
BUT perhaps that is too complex for now

Frankn

I knew that model.place_component was too good to be true!

@tig said:

Use add_instance and then if you want the instance [ dins] to be movable thereafter you can write your code as a 'Tool' class and then have the transformation of din reset dynamically to always be at the cursor's point, and when you left-click the mouse it'd set dins's transformation to be at the clicked point...
BUT perhaps that is too complex for now

Ok, I have no idea what all that means but I'm game to learn it! Could you point me in the right direction? Maye a plugin that already does something similiar or a code snippet to get me started?

Thanks for the help TIG!

Dan Rathbun

@frankn said:

Sorry for using def as a reference, I'm not using that in my plugin code it was just as an example... though I didn't know not to use it... learn something new everyday.

They are called "reserved" keywords for good reason. Their misuse will confuse the poop out of the Ruby interpreter.

Here's a URL bookmark for ya':
Ruby Keywords

@frankn said:

I got used to komodo edit for some reason even though seems like Notepad ++ is what most use.

Well as long as it has syntax highlighting for Ruby, that shows keywords, and classes in a different color than user defined variables... it's OK. I also know some people are partial to NetBeans.

That's what syntax highlighting is all about. Helping you to not make those kind of mistakes.

Frankn

Thanks for the link Dan... that's the kind of info that seems trivial till you run into a problem.

Yeah Komodo does all that good stuff plus the pro version does a bunch of other stuff and even debugging for ruby, I think. But I tried it and it had too many bells and whistles for a newbie like me and was confusing!