[Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

TIG

When I load Sketchup 8 i get an error message telling me that I need parametric.rb. Where can I get that file?
IF you follow the advice in the main tool's download page... you'd know it's at http://www.Smustard.com - 'progressbar.rb'.
http://www.smustard.com/script/ProgressBar

I think 'parametric.rb' isn't needed by this specific tool - but that's readily available from the main Sketchup plugins page... http://sketchup.google.com/intl/zh-CN/download/rubyscripts.html
Perhaps you have also installed some other tools that need that ?

Dave R

As far as I can tell, Shape Bender doesn't need parametric.rb but you should probably have it anyway because other plugins do use it. Get it here.

Jspro

Yes, is there anyone out there that can help me with the plugin Shape Bender by Chris Fullmer ? I believe I loaded it correctly but maybe not I'm getting an load error message , when I go into sketchup. When I downloaded the file I unziped it, I copied the file and pasted it into the plugins folder, restarted windows and when it came back on and i started sketchup with this Load Error ( Error Loading File clf_shape_bender_loader.rb no such file to load -- progressbar.rb ) . Can anyone help me? I tried this twice w/no luck I would like to get this to work. Thank you john

Gaieus

@jspro said:

I believe I loaded it correctly but maybe not I'm getting an load error message , when I go into sketchup. When I downloaded the file I unziped it, I copied the file and pasted it into the plugins folder, restarted windows and when it came back on and i started sketchup with this Load Error ( Error Loading File clf_shape_bender_loader.rb no such file to load -- progressbar.rb ) .

You also need to install progressbar.rb for here: http://www.smustard.com/script/ProgressBar

(The installation instructions clearly say this)

sherwood11

Well, I found a remedy .. kind of.

I commented out all the lines updating the progress bar with a comment character, #
. . . . #pb.update(i) . . .there are 7 of them.

Unfortunately, I had to do that with clf_color_by_slope, clf_color_by_z and clf_greeble_2

My system doesn't seem to like the progress bar. Even after downloading a fresh copy from smustard
yesterday.

If I find out why (it's a mystery), I'll post it.

Again, it's a great Plug-in. ... hope this helps anyone w/ the same problem.

thomthom

Hasn't that nil error been repeated a few times along in this thread? Might be worth adding a note in the first post about it. No one is going to find it dug into n-number of pages.

sherwood11

I agree it's not the best .... just a trouble shooting remedy.

I'll try your approach.

TIG has suggested a few things also ... (my post on one of the other plug-ins)

Appreciate your input.

sherwood11

Plugin looks great . . . but, i'm getting this feedback :
it seems to lock-up at 7% or 20%

any suggestions ?

I posted a temporary trouble shooting remedy, just after this post.
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=18210&start=1020#p422479
(is that what you mean ?, TT)

darksoft

Grate one ! THNX

BenBo

Hi all,

Using the plugin with dynamic component it crashes.
Has anyone successfully bent a DC?

Otherwise, it works fine.

TIG

Since the Component [DC] is copied to make the bent version it may well conflict with a DC as there is generally only one instance of each variant.
You can copy the DC off to one side and explode it down to its raw geometry and then make a group of that, and then bend that group - it will have lost all of it's DC-ness, so those issues should be avoided...
It's a good idea to do complex operations, like bending, on an object located in a relatively empty SKP, and recombine things into a combo-model afterwards - so exploding the DC in these circumstances seems quite possible.
You can't expect a DC to retain its DC-ness/properties after bending it, as all of its axes etc will be messed up, even if it were to make it through the processing...

gullfo

grab TIG's "undc" script and run that before doing the bend.

TIG

@gullfo said:

grab TIG's "undc" script and run that before doing the bend.

I'd forgotten I made that
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=382224#p382224

tonkolan

it was awesome plugin tools
thanks for sharing

gullfo

@tig said:

I'd forgotten I made that
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=382224#p382224

it's one of my most important tools now - i can use a huge number of DC in my models then "un-DC" them and ship the model out without worrying that my DC will be distributed...

TIG

It's not even a 'tool'... just a 'code snippet'...
Glad it was useful

maladzien

Hey everyone? How do I run this script? I have no idea how to get this "tool" to show up in Sketchup to use it

thomthom

@maladzien said:

Hey everyone? How do I run this script? I have no idea how to get this "tool" to show up in Sketchup to use it

See if this article helps you: http://www.thomthom.net/thoughts/2012/01/installing-plugins-for-google-sketchup/

Geveltje

Hello all,

First I want to say that my english writing is not very good, so sorry for the mistakes.
I have a little help from google

I am very excited about the plugin, I just can not get it working properly.

I select my component.
Select the straight line
Select the curve line
I see that both lines a start and an end appears
but that's all, nothing further happened. I can use the up and down arrow keys to change the start and end.
Also when I press enter then nothing happens.

the straight line is equal to the red axis, the curved line i tried on all axes.
I really do not know what I'm doing wrong

I hope I have explained clearly
Thanks for the response

TIG

Roy

Have you installed the additional helper script progressbar.rb, which is download-able free from Smustard.com.
It's a common issue with less experienced members forgetting about addition helpers like this for the more complex tools - although it is clearly mentioned and linked in the tool's download page.
Also make sure that the 'line' is parallel to the X[red] axis and that it touches no other geometry, also note that the 'curve' must not touch other geometry either.
Also don't try to bend tiny or enormous objects [most day-to-day sized things should be OK, but tiny parts for swiss-watches or entire cities will create issues]...

If you are still getting issues then try running the tool after you've opened the Ruby Console. Post any error messages you get in it, this might give us a better clue as to what you have inadvertently done wrong