Better scaling tool and setting a rotation axis in a group

xiombarg

I would wish for two things:

Having the scale tool allow for the scaling of a segmented (divided) line which would then create an arc. By using the end vertices of a selection as the planar locking points and then have the scaling fall off leading to the averaged center of the selection as the point of least resistance.
Being able to specify multi-hinged chained objects with anchored axis points. When grouping, Sketchup already sets two rotation points per plane upon the selected group bounding box, but should be user defined rotation points... or have some kind of other grouping tool that will allow the user to set rotation points. For mechanical design this is an absolute must, but for figure design, particularly when doing varieties of poses, this would also be immensely helpful and time saving.

dukejazz

by xiombarg » Yesterday, 10:46 pm

Having the scale tool allow for the scaling of a segmented (divided) line by using the end vertices of a selection as the planar locking points and then have the scaling fall off leading to the averaged center of the selection as the point of least resistance.

Here a windows method:

Answer 1:
Plugin-AnotherSketchupPlus_dj.rb -tool; make group anytime - fix the grouping of the locked instantes groups. thus you can then resize a lock segmented (divided) line group. - nice -
action: group, lock, group and scale

@unknownuser said:

Being able to set the rotation point for a group. When grouping, Sketchup already sets two rotation points per plane upon the selected group bounding box, but these need to be user defined rotation points... or have some kind of other grouping tool that will allow the user to set rotation points.

Answer 2:

I can set this rotation points using -plugin- scaleGroupFloat_dj.rb -
using this tool drawboxpoint_dj, I can put a small group boxPoint, any place, on the line. Also while still selecting the boxpoint I then set rotation deg to box with cumulativeScaller_dj and enter ok x many times,(box now look like a gear cog)
Then I drag the group line in between other boxpoint found the listed of outliner. Like magic the line fans out into a custer of lines then I regroup it, now you can use any scale tool to finish the scaling job.

@unknownuser said:

For mechanical design this is an absolute must, but for figure design, particularly when doing varieties of poses, this would also be immensely helpful and time saving.

How to scale and rotate a (divided)line segments in PC windows.

mitcorb

I am not sure if what you are asking is the same thing as one of my wishes from long ago, or if what Dukejazz has provided could be the solution, but:
It would be neat if you could move and or rotate a group or component on a surface like shoving and tugging a sofa. Invoke the Shove On Surface Plugin(i don't think it exists): click a point anywhere on the group where you want to shove/tug/nudge. Automatically a diametrically opposed, or otherwise specified distant pivot point is established around which the object will rotate when you move it.
Yeah, I know it's a pipedream. Why would anyone want a program to mimic reality? There is an analogous tool for this called protractor.

xiombarg

I probably wasn't clear enough in my explanation, but it was late when I posted...

What I meant by setting the rotation point: Think of being able to attach a permanent hinge pivot axis to a group. There should be a way to specify a coordinate and a plane for setting a rotation axis within a group which will then lock where that object rotates from everytime you rotate without having to keep going through the same operations over and over.

If that's not clear, here's a basic visual: Just think of a standard two piece hinge. That hinge is always going to pivot on the same axis... so being able to specify this "permanent" axis makes it so that you don't have to keep going into the group, finding the center and rotation plane, etc.

In most animation programs setting a locked pivot point is a standard action becasuse skeletons, joints, gears, hinges... all rotate or swivel at a permanently set location. Hopefully this makes more sense.

Krisidious

Does this help?

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17948

dukejazz

@unknownuser said:

In most animation programs setting a locked pivot point is a standard action becasuse skeletons, joints, gears, hinges... all rotate or swivel at a permanently set location. Hopefully this makes more sense.
xiombarg

So you saying you what a hinge joints that anchor a point to a localize placement witch hold a group.lock dynamically meshes object, that can be fasion in 4 state of demenions.
1d to anchor scale on a line with the end points to move it.
2d to anchor rotation and pulled on a plane, edges or points to scale or move it.
3d to anchor rotation or push-pulled on a surface points move.
4d to anchor rotation and pulling on a surface action giving spin, a growing bubble point or collision reation animation

Well what a order.

I think is could be done here.

By whom and when is the question.

Some of the SU plugins has bits and pieces of you order.

There is two anchor in SU (sun and billboard)

but one simple plugin not yet.

3d max can do this now.

but not simple and easy to learn either and not free.

xiombarg

Most of the bigger modellers can do these two operations. You can't really do animation without having "anchored hinges".

As for scaling, I know in Maya you can select a line and as I attempted to describe, it anchors the end points to the "bottom" of the bounding box plane you are scaling, then arcs, with the center of the selection being the center of fall off.

Trogluddite

Yes, I could find the same thing very useful too - for mockup's of articulated mechanical parts etc. I also find it often frustrating that the 'quick tools' always lock to the bounding box centre, as it rarely has any practical 'meaning' except for the simplest symmetrical parts.

I tried using SketchyPhysics, which handles jointed geometry in a very nice way - but it's much more complicated than I need, and is buggy as hell, so I gave up on it after waiting for an age to see if an update was coming. (it causes other plugins to mis-behave, so is not something I would really recommend - big shame, as it has so much potential).

It seems to me that the geometric points/axes we need may already be there - every component/group already has its own local origin and axes, which for components, can be changed by the user at any time.
If the little rotate protractors and scale 'centre' could be made to use those as a reference, that might be sufficient for most cases - and they are easy to get at via Ruby, so such a plugin certainly seems possible.

dukejazz

I check in sketchup help video page and found this

sketchup Pro people have anchoring
SketchUp Techniques: Dynamic Components (8:51)

An introduction to adding attributes to components.

http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/training/videos/familiar_with_gsu.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsBpIPnF31A&feature=player_embedded

xiombarg

I've tried making multi-hinge chained objects with dynamic tools but they don't work correctly when trying to connect them in a hierarchy, like an arm. At least I haven't found a way to make them work. I thought by doing successive grouping would isolate each section of the chain as it grows, but for some reason that didn't work as you would expect.