[Plugin] SectionCutFace

Dave R · 24 Feb 2013, 14:08

Am I able to use this .rb in SketchUp 8? From what I've learnt .rb is for version 7 and .rbz is for version 8. I've done a search on teh thread for mention of .rbz and haven't found anything. I've tried copying the file to the relevant extensions folder in the programe file (as you would for SketchUp 7) however it doesn't seem to work.

Any ideas?

Thanks

So just where did you learn this? Yesterday on another forum I ran into the same thing. That posted emphatically claimed that plugins must be in the .rbz format to work in SketchUp 8. This is absolutely wrong. I'm curious as to where you learned this so perhaps we can correct it and head off problems for other people.

As Massimo says, .rbz files are simply compressed (zipped) plugin files. They may contain more than just the .rb file. For plugins which do have the .rbz format, you can install them with Install Extensions under Preferences>Extensions. For simple .rb files, you only need to drop the file into the Plugins folder.

In your case you probably don't have full read and write permissions for the Plugins folder. Change those permissions to give you total access and reinstall this plugin by copying it into the Plugins folder. Make sure it still has the .rb file extension.

Scubadooper · 24 Feb 2013, 14:17

Thanks to both of you.

It was a problem in using the script (it's the first extension I've used), the right click advice worked a dream.

Dave R · 24 Feb 2013, 14:26

Matthew, I'm still interested as to where you learned that plugins have to be in the RBZ format to work in SU8.

Scubadooper · 24 Feb 2013, 15:09

@dave r said:

Matthew, I'm still interested as to where you learned that plugins have to be in the RBZ format to work in SU8.

Sorry I didn't answer in my other post.

I had tried to find the solution to the problem and in reading how to install plugins on the Trimble website (here: http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/download/rubyscripts.html) it wasn't clear that I was able to use the copy method as well as from an rbz. The text reads 'installing on version 7 and earlier' and 'installing on version 8', when it should read 'installing with a .rb' and 'installing on version 8 (and later?)with a .rbz'

Of note is that the Google website (here http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=38583) causes the same effect.

Dave R · 24 Feb 2013, 15:25

I see how it might be mis-interpreted if you don't read the entire page. There is this:

@unknownuser said:

Older versions of SketchUp and .rb files
If you're using an older version of SketchUp or you have a file with the .rb extension, you can install the plugin by placing the Ruby script file into the appropriate folder, and then restarting SketchUp.

Thanks for that.

TIG · 6 Jun 2013, 10:18

Here's a major update...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172583#p172583

You now have the option to 'Glue' the section-cut-face to the Section-Plane, so it changes with adjustments to the plane/model-geometry etc...
Recoded to be faster and has customizable color list etc...

Gjenio · 6 Jun 2013, 12:00

@tig said:

You now have the option to 'Glue' the section-cut-face to the Section-Plane, so it changes with adjustments to the plane/model-geometry etc...

That´s amazing. Thanks so much for adding this long awaited new feature.
That turns Skp 8 into a completly new version!

ArCAD-UK · 6 Jun 2013, 12:30

Feels a lot faster

One problem, it is creating faces for switched off layers.

srx · 6 Jun 2013, 13:36

Great update! Thanks. Is there a way to make it work in 7.1?

TIG · 6 Jun 2013, 14:18

@srx said:

Great update! Thanks. Is there a way to make it work in 7.1?

Sadly, no...

TIG · 6 Jun 2013, 14:19

@arcad-uk said:

Feels a lot faster

One problem, it is creating faces for switched off layers.

I'll look at addressing that ?
Didn't it use to ?

ArCAD-UK · 6 Jun 2013, 14:30

The previous version would only section what was visible so you could extract just parts of the model. What flagged it up for me was all my demolitions suddenly reappeared.

My workflow is similar to Sonder's e.g. background and line work except I'm using fills in LO underneath the line work, is it possible for the glue function to work without faces?

With your new version the defaults can't be edited, any chance of making it so all the Y/N options can be preset by the user as well as selecting <No Face>?

TIG · 6 Jun 2013, 14:34

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172583#p172583

This v3.1 update now ignores objects that are hidden/on hidden layers

gbing · 6 Jun 2013, 14:37

Thank you TIG for all your awesome plugins!

TIG · 7 Jun 2013, 09:07

Here's v3.2
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172583#p172583

Fixed glitch with glued cut-faces not updating in convoluted nested contexts.

The previous version would sometimes not update a cut if a 'geometry edit' had been done several contexts removed from the section-plane's context - although it dis affect what was cut by the plane itself - but now with v3.2 all glued section-planes will update whenever there's a relevant edit in any other context that might impinge on what a section-plane might cut...

ArCAD-UK · 7 Jun 2013, 10:35

Awesome update. Thanks TIG

Just a thought but if the section plane was placed on a layer other than Layer0 could SCF pick the layer name up and use it as the default whilst still offering the option to select a new or other layer?

I'd like to set the edges on can I change the default from No?

TIG · 7 Jun 2013, 11:07

@arcad-uk said:

Awesome update. Thanks TIG
Just a thought but if the section plane was placed on a layer other than Layer0 could SCF pick the layer name up and use it as the default whilst still offering the option to select a new or other layer?
I'd like to set the edges on can I change the default from No?
The Section-Plane's layer will already be available on the drop-down list, with the new unique SCUT- specific layer being the first offered. I think it's best if each SCUT- is on its own SCUT- layer - that way allows you the best flexibility for views/scenes etc... BUT if you change it each time, you just have to manage thins differently...

Once you have set some defaults in the dialog they are remembered for that session...

However, I think you want to change the initial default settings for 'Hide' TO 'No'...
If you DON'T hide edges the SCUT's edges will bleed through in views without an active section-plane and the SCUT's layer on - not much of an issue UNLESS the SCUT is on a shared layer ?

I'll issue an update that'll let you edit most of the dialog's initial default settings in the 'SectionCutFace_loader.rb' file file using a plain-text editor like Notepad...

ArCAD-UK · 7 Jun 2013, 11:40

My work flow puts the sections with edges on separate scene managed layers, this allows me hide them in elevations and to use the 2D data for quick and accurate dimensioning in LO. Many LO users will be aware of the frustration of not being able to pick up points on a 3D model for dimensioning and tracing.

The point of picking up the section plane layer is to speed up the layer selection process when updating a cut and avoid unnecessary/accidental layers being created or having to scroll and hopefully pick the right layer associated with the section plane. It just seems a logical progression with the fantastic "Glue" option you introduced with v3.

TIG · 7 Jun 2013, 11:52

Here's v3.3
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172583#p172583

The ../Plugins/SectionCutFace/SectionCutFace_loader.rb file now contains editable lists for changing default colors AND the dialog's initial default values.
Use Notepad.exe or a similar plain-text editor to set them differently as desired...

TIG · 7 Jun 2013, 12:14

@arcad-uk said:

My work flow puts the sections with edges on separate scene managed layers, this allows me hide them in elevations and to use the 2D data for quick and accurate dimensioning in LO. Many LO users will be aware of the frustration of not being able to pick up points on a 3D model for dimensioning and tracing.
The point of picking up the section plane layer is to speed up the layer selection process when updating a cut and avoid unnecessary/accidental layers being created or having to scroll and hopefully pick the right layer associated with the section plane. It just seems a logical progression with the fantastic "Glue" option you introduced with v3.
If you accept the default SCUT-12345 layer for the SCUT, then you'll still have the Section-Plane selected after the SCUT is added; you can simply use the Layer toolbar drop-down OR Entity Info to assign the Section-Plane to its matching SCUT's layer - the the two are then on the same uniquely named layer.
To find the layer of an SCUT later on you can select it and then Entity Info or the Layer toolbar drop-down will show it.
You can't change the layer of a SCUT that is Locked - BUT if it's not glued then you can un-lock, re-layer and re-lock.
You can't successfully change the layer of a SCUT that is Glued - again, it is locked, BUT even if if it were to be un-locked and re-layered - the next time it is updated by a change in the model, then it will reuse its preset layer set in the dialog when it was first created - reverting your changes!

So, if you want your Section-Plane and its SCUT to share a layer, then why no reassign the Plane to the SCUT's layer immediately after the SCUT is made?
Alternatively set the SCUT's layer to be the Plane's layer using the drop-down list of layers in the dialog...