[PlugIn] 3D Printers G-Code importer/Exporter Ver0.0.9

Davidfi1 · 17 Jan 2013, 16:11

Hello Guys.
Small step in Plugin Vertion giant leap for 3D-Printer's kind

Attached is a 3D-Printer's G-Code Importer AND Exporter.
It will turn Sketchup to a Virtual 3D-Printer
Plugin

Version 0.0.9
New in Importer:
Will put a Attribute with the value of speed from the imported G-Code in the
"filament" & "MotorMove" components
Change the Z scale of the "filament" component according to the amount of
extruded filament in the imported G-Code
New in Exporter:
Export to the G-Code the Attribute of speed as was imported by the importer.
Export the Extruded length according to the Z scale of the "filament" component

Version 0.0.8
Added to the exporter the ability to connect "unconnected" components
so now if a component is deleted - the exporter will just put a link to the
first component of the disconnected chain

Version 0.0.7
Now we have a G-Code Exporter of the previously imported G-Code in the plugin menu.
So I changed the name to GcodeTools ... (please delete the old one)
The new exporter is a very simple assuming that in the next versions will be
adding all the needed features to make it usable
[highlight=#ffff40:34kfw3wr]- so please let me know what need's to be fixed!.[/highlight:34kfw3wr]

Version 0.0.6
Added Layers - Each New Z level gets it's one layer
- Using the Sketchup Layer it is easy to hide and unhide Layers of the Gcode
Version 0.0.5
Impruvment to speed by making no shadow hidden edjes of the filament

If you just want to help clean up my begginesrs ruby codeing
you can use this test gcode files Test files

I would like to thenk the guys who helped me allot in the
Developers' Forum at http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=180
Thank you.

P.S

Look at the ruby console to see the progress of the importing - every 1000 lines it prints the line count
In the "Entity Info" you can see the line of G Code that is responsiable for the filament pice
A move of the motors is also a component with a line inside - so you could hide it by hiding the line inside one of the movements.

My Motivation for writing this Importer:
I am trying to learn about 3D printing while waiting for my printer to arrive.
I was using SketchUp to play with 3D design for many years, so it was natural for me to
make a 3D model with SketchUp - slice it - and see the result.

I made few models, downloaded few from the internet - that was no problem.
Slicing turned out to be much harder.
I tried 3 slicing softwares with different levels of success.
In the process foud out that there are two types of G-Code formats,
and that it is not possible to convert from one type of G-Code to the other.

So I started to write an importer of G-Code for Sketchup.
My intention is that it will be possible to see what the G-Code will look like in a "neutral" environment and will enable the export of G-Code in a "wanted" format

Please follow my work and give any advice you think fit.
Keep in mind it is a work in progress...

Thank you,
David.

Whaat · 17 Jan 2013, 18:29

I could sure use this. Looking forward to trying it out. Thanks!

sdmitch · 17 Jan 2013, 21:50

I find a problem with the Get_Filament_component method. The problem occurs when you run the plugin a second time. The @filamentComp and @HeadMoveComp are not remembered from the first to the second run so @HeadMoveComp is not redefined because of the return executed when @filamentComp is found and redefined.

Here is my re-write

   def Get_Filament_component
   @filamentComp =Sketchup.active_model.definitions[ "filament" ]
    # if there is no existing component named "filament", make one
    unless @filamentComp
     @nozel = 0.4.mm
     @layerH = 1.mm # the Z axis movements will scale this parameter
     @filamentComp = Sketchup.active_model.definitions.add("filament")
     @pts = [ ORIGIN,
     [-@nozel/2, 0.mm , -@layerH/2], 
     [-@nozel/2, 0.mm , -@layerH ], 
     [ @nozel/2, 0.mm , -@layerH ], 
     [ @nozel/2, 0.mm , -@layerH/2] ]
     @newface = @filamentComp.entities.add_face(@pts)
     @newface.reverse! if @newface.normal.y < 0
     @newface.pushpull(1.mm)
    end
   @HeadMoveComp = Sketchup.active_model.definitions[ "HeadMove" ]
    unless @HeadMoveComp
     @HeadMoveComp = Sketchup.active_model.definitions.add("HeadMove")
     @oldPoint = [0, 0, 0]
     @newPoint = [0, 1.mm, 0]
     @HeadMoveComp.entities.add_line @oldPoint, @newPoint
    end
   end # def Get_Filament_component

Dan Rathbun · 18 Jan 2013, 02:49

In Ruby, everything is an object, and every object has a reference.

References that begin with a capital letter are constants. Module and Class references (names) are constants that are in title case (without underscore spacing, such as FileImporter).
Other constants are all capital characters (with underscore spacing, such as ROOT_PATH.)

Methods are also objects, and the method name is it's reference, which by convention is lower case (with underscore spacing, such as get_filament_component.)

The Ruby interpreter is designed to work fastest when we follow these conventions.

Dan Rathbun · 18 Jan 2013, 03:21

When choosing a file to import... and clicking the "Options..." button (in the import file dialog,) I get an error:

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method[]' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/Fishelzon/GcodeImporterVer0.0.3.rb:262:in units_dialog' C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/Fishelzon/GcodeImporterVer0.0.3.rb:102:in do_options'`

The error occurs on line 262 of the plugin file, viz:
cu = Sketchup.active_model.options["unitsOptions"]["LengthUnit"]

Reason: The Sketchup::OptionsManager instance method [] returns a valid Sketchup::OptionsProvider instance object IF the key is valid, otherwise it returns nil (the singleton instance of the NilClass class.)
Since the key is invalid, nil is returned, and since the NilClass class does not have a [] instance method, the NoMethodError exception is raised.

The valid key name to get a reference to the units options provider is "UnitsOptions"

NOW... there are ONLY TWO possible import units in a Gcode file.. inches (G20) and mm (G21), so can the plugin set mm as default, and then recognize the Gcodes G20 and G21, to change the import units "on-the-fly" as needed ?

This would actually make the import file options dialog unnecessary (at least when it comes to setting import units.)

Dan Rathbun · 18 Jan 2013, 07:58

Key for saving defaults:

It is preferable to use underscore "" instead of spaces, and to prepend "Plugin" to the key, thus:

"Plugin_Fishelzon_GcodeImporter"

Davidfi1 · 18 Jan 2013, 20:17

OK Guys - Thank you.
I fixed the code according to your suggestions in the next version
I added a "last version" load to the loader and updated the version number.
Waiting for yor remarks befor moving on.

I am thinking about how to implement a "G-Code exporter"
I need to figure out a way to keep the unused G-Code lines.
The adding of these lines will enable the exporter to put these lines
back to the exported G-Code.

Didier Bur · 21 Jan 2013, 09:47

Hi,
Call me stupid but how to launch the script ??

thomthom · 21 Jan 2013, 10:14

@didier bur said:

Hi,
Call me stupid but how to launch the script ??

It's an importer, you find in the list of import formats. File > Import and in the file dialogue you pick the fileformat for G code.

Davidfi1 · 24 Jan 2013, 07:15

Uploaded vertion 0.0.5.
Include impruvment to speed and rendering

Please let me know if you like it

Dan Rathbun · 24 Jan 2013, 10:35

Line 117:
if (Sketchup.version_number < 7)

should be:
if (Sketchup.version.to_i < 7)

Line 135:

# wait forever
while 1==1 do 
end # while 1

That is dangerous! It could lock up SketchUp if an error occurs, causing file handles to remain open.

Use a continue messagebox instead.

And you should return a numeric error code instead of 0 when an exception occurs.

Dan Rathbun · 24 Jan 2013, 10:43

@davidfi1 said:

Uploaded vertion 0.0.5.
Include improvment to speed and rendering

Just so you know...

The native Ruby Console, is not actually a "true console interface".
It is really a dialog with a non-editable multi-line text control.
Writing output to the text control is VERY slow, and gets SLOWER the more that is written.

(*) Write only what you NEED to.
OR ...
Perhaps write output to a log file instead, and after the import, display the log file's text in a Webdialog frame. (The browser can display plain text files.)

Davidfi1 · 24 Jan 2013, 19:24

Dan.
Thank you, you are very helpfull.
I don't really know what to do with these errors in the G-Code I am getting.
It is not even correct to say they are errors at all.
I use the ruby console as a very simple "information console"
There is nothing to do with these "errors" just know about them...

If somone don't want to see these messages he could just close the console.

In the following versions I will not open the ruby console at all.

Thank you again.
David.

Davidfi1 · 24 Jan 2013, 19:29

@dan rathbun said:

Line 117:
Line 135:

# wait forever
> while 1==1 do 
> end # while 1
>

That is dangerous! It could lock up SketchUp if an error occurs, causing file handles to remain open.

will do.
Thank you.

Davidfi1 · 27 Jan 2013, 13:46

New Version 0.0.6 posted
Thank you.

antoninoion · 2 Feb 2013, 03:10

I'm getting the following error in the ruby console every time I start SU and it doesn’t show the G-code file type in the import file types list:

GcodeImporterVer0.0.6.rb:38: warning: Object#type is deprecated; use Object#class

I installed the plugin through the "Preferences/Extensions/Install Extension" option. I have SU V8.0.16845 for Mac, any idea on what I should do?

Thanks
Antonio

Davidfi1 · 2 Feb 2013, 20:51

@antoninoion said:

I'm getting the following error in the ruby console every time I start SU and it doesn’t show the G-code file type in the import file types list:

GcodeImporterVer0.0.6.rb:38: warning: Object#type is deprecated; use Object#class

I installed the plugin through the "Preferences/Extensions/Install Extension" option. I have SU V8.0.16845 for Mac, any idea on what I should do?

Thanks
Antonio

I found the problem - fixing it soon.
change line 38 from:
if @ent.type == Sketchup::Edge
to:
if @ent.class == Sketchup::Edge

But wait for more testing - I will post a fix soon
Thank you.

Davidfi1 · 9 Feb 2013, 19:13

Version 0.0.7
Now we have a G-Code Exporter of the previously imported G-Code in the plugin menu.
So I changed the name to GcodeTools ... (please delete the old one)
The new exporter is a very simple assuming that in the next versions will be
adding all the needed features to make it usable

so please let me know what need's to be fixed!.

Davidfi1 · 14 Feb 2013, 22:14

Version 0.0.8
Added to the exporter the ability to connect "unconnected" components
so now if a component is deleted - the exporter will just put a link to the
first component of the disconnected chain

Davidfi1 · 23 Feb 2013, 18:27

Version 0.0.9
New in Importer:
Will put a Attribute with the value of speed from the imported G-Code in the
"filament" & "MotorMove" components
Change the Z scale of the "filament" component according to the amount of
extruded filament in the imported G-Code
New in Exporter:
Export to the G-Code the Attribute of speed as was imported by the importer.
Export the Extruded length according to the Z scale of the "filament" component