[Plugin] Layers Panel 1.2.1
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Whow, sounds great. I'll take a look at that when I have time. Thanks a lot
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Do you use GitHub / BitBucket?
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Nope, but I guess I can start.
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@jiminy-billy-bob said:
@xkalvisx said:
We would like to keep the size of the panel as it was before it was shut down.
Sorry, but that's a limitation of the API. Sketchup saves the dialog's size/position between sessions, but not during a session... Dumb, I know, but there's not much I can do.
Actually, there is a workaround. It's done and will be in next version.
(And I fixed the too-many-layers issue) -
JBB; Very nice job........
The way SU does Layers have been a big bitch of mine since day 1. I use layers a lot as akin to a work breakdown structure. ALL of my layers are numbered with a name
(ie: 01.00 Main Assembly) then major parts are sub tiered (nested) with the name indented
(ie: 01.10______Sub Assy XX) and so on. (Note: Underscore here, spaces in SU)
Because SU layers cannot indent/nest, this drives me into some weird naming conventions. And some models are long on layers, usually in the 50+ range.So when I saw you did indenting/nesting, I loaded the Ruby in a flash. I realize it is in an early developmental stage, so these are not critiques, but first use observations.
I have used this Ruby for a total of 3 minutes prior to this note, so I am NOT familiar with all its' nuances.
1) When I first loaded a model with 42 layers, SU's layers panel took about 3/4 screen height, and did not need a vertical scroll bar.
Your panel was longer due to your using a higher row height, and it had a vertical scroll bar. That is not a problem.
The problem was the vertical scroll bar does not work (greyed out), nor does mouse wheel scrolling, so I cannot see the last 7 layers in the list.2) Since ALL my layers are numbered, in SU they sort properly, either ascending or descending when I click on the header.
They were in seemingly random order in your layer panel, neither numeric nor alphabetic. I had to move them into the numeric order I wanted.
The layer sort order should initially match the SU Layer sort order.3) I simulate indenting/nesting by variable spacing the name of the layer after the number.
You delete multiple spaces in the name.4) I noticed that to create a nest of layers, you have to define a new group, then move the layers to be nested under that new group, and rename the group layer.
In my case, this creates a redundant top level layer, and since I have a bunch of components inside that layer, it can't be eliminated.
You should consider the ability to elevate any existing layer to a group header status.5) I also noticed that when you create a new group, it cannot be renamed until some other layer is nested under it. And, if some other group or layer is highlighted, the new group is placed under it, not at the end of all the layers. Disconcerting if that highlighted group is collapsed. The new group effectively disappears.
More later as I play with it more, but it is a very useful plug-in for me.
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JBB
Played some more.
I noticed 2 major things.
1) I was trying to "un-nest" a layer in a group by pulling it left. Didn't work. I had to move the lay up or down out of the group. That is not the issue. On a few occasions, and it is not always repeatable, if my cursor was dragged too far left and onto the model space, the model started panning right and could only be stopped hitting ESC. Then the model was way off in space to the left. Zoom Extents brought it back.
2) I often open a second SU session to clipboard copy reusable components from a different model. When I loaded the 2nd model, your layer panel stayed as the first model. It should have switched to the second model.
I had to close the layer panel in the first session, switch to the 2nd session, open the layer panel, which opened correctly, then switch back to the 1st session, and reopen its layer panel. After that when I switched sessions, the panels switched accordingly.
This can be an issue when I load 2 different versions of the same model and the layers are the same or very similar.
3) This one may be impossible to fix. After I rearranged all the layers under several groups in a more natural order without a lot of number prefixes, I needed to assign a layer to a new component. But the layer list in Entity Info is in the SU order (alphabetical), making it tough to find the correct layer to assign (because I got used to the new groupings in your layer list).
Your layers still beat SU's layers.
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@jgb said:
1) When I first loaded a model with 42 layers, SU's layers panel took about 3/4 screen height, and did not need a vertical scroll bar.
Your panel was longer due to your using a higher row height, and it had a vertical scroll bar. That is not a problem.
The problem was the vertical scroll bar does not work (greyed out), nor does mouse wheel scrolling, so I cannot see the last 7 layers in the list.2) I often open a second SU session to clipboard copy reusable components from a different model. When I loaded the 2nd model, your layer panel stayed as the first model. It should have switched to the second model.
Are you using Mac OSX ? Layers Panel does not support OSX for now.
If not, what are your windows version, Internet Explorer version, and Sketchup version ?@jgb said:
2) Since ALL my layers are numbered, in SU they sort properly, either ascending or descending when I click on the header.
They were in seemingly random order in your layer panel, neither numeric nor alphabetic. I had to move them into the numeric order I wanted.
The layer sort order should initially match the SU Layer sort order.The default order in SU layer is by creation order. The API doesn't allow to get how the user is sorting layers in the layers window.
@jgb said:
3) I simulate indenting/nesting by variable spacing the name of the layer after the number.
You delete multiple spaces in the name.I'll look at that.
@jgb said:
4) I noticed that to create a nest of layers, you have to define a new group, then move the layers to be nested under that new group, and rename the group layer.
In my case, this creates a redundant top level layer, and since I have a bunch of components inside that layer, it can't be eliminated.
You should consider the ability to elevate any existing layer to a group header status.I wondered about that and decided not to do it. Read this old thread : http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=472428
Remember that Layers Panel has a whole different logic that SU's layers window.
@jgb said:
1) I was trying to "un-nest" a layer in a group by pulling it left. Didn't work. I had to move the lay up or down out of the group. That is not the issue. On a few occasions, and it is not always repeatable, if my cursor was dragged too far left and onto the model space, the model started panning right and could only be stopped hitting ESC. Then the model was way off in space to the left. Zoom Extents brought it back.
Can you do a small video ? I don't really understand what's happening.
@jgb said:
3) This one may be impossible to fix. After I rearranged all the layers under several groups in a more natural order without a lot of number prefixes, I needed to assign a layer to a new component. But the layer list in Entity Info is in the SU order (alphabetical), making it tough to find the correct layer to assign (because I got used to the new groupings in your layer list).
Yeah, it's impossible to correct. I'll add a way to assign geometry to a layer directly from the plugin, though.
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My oops.
Win XP Pro
SU 8 Free
FirefoxAs far s a video for the wild panning, A) I don't know how to do it, and B) not sure I could capture the problem as it is not always repeatable when I try on purpose.
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Sketchup's webdialog use Internet Explorer, even if your default browser is firefox. Which version do you have ?
I don't have WinXP, can't test on it. Anybody else have the scrolling issue ?
For the video, Screenr is pretty easy. In case you're able to reproduce it one day.
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Ok, I can reproduce the scrolling problem with IE6 and 7. If you do use one of these, please mind updating to IE8 (Or better : Windows 7 and IE10 !)
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@jiminy-billy-bob said:
Ok, I can reproduce the scrolling problem with IE6 and 7. If you do use one of these, please mind updating to IE8 (Or better : Windows 7 and IE10 !)
I am relieved you saw this too.
I know SU uses the IE interface. My IE is Ver 8.6.
I do very much dislike IE for several reasons, so I don't use it unless I have no choice. My Firefox is the latest (Ver 23.0.1) and I have IE Tab installed that sets up an IE session in an FF tab. Works well about 95% of the time. There are still some IE centric developers and many pages out there that use sneaky API calls that FF or other browsers cannot handle, especially around password handling and that dreadful CAPTCHA crap foisted on us.
I will not upgrade Windows to 7 or 8 or whatever, even under threat of no support soon. There never really was from MS, so no loss there. Too many issues with 7 on a few other apps on my system, aside from its own deficiencies.
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IE 8.6 ? Are you sure ? The latest release is "8.0.7601.17514".
Can you screenshot http://whatsmyua.com/ when opened with IE ? Thanks -
@jiminy-billy-bob said:
IE 8.6 ? Are you sure ? The latest release is "8.0.7601.17514".
Can you screenshot http://whatsmyua.com/ when opened with IE ? ThanksOops (again)
My IE is V 8.0.6001.18702
Do you still need the screenshot?
I have dual hi-res widescreen monitors, so I need to edit the screenshot down in size and a bit in res to send it up the pipe.
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No it's ok.
The fact you have this issue in IE8 is really weird. I can't reproduce it.I'm sorry but I won't support outdated versions of this crappy browser. I know you can't have a higher version of IE on XP, but we're talking about a 12 years old OS...
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Hey guys, how about choosing what layers to render ?
Got it working with at least Vray, Kerkythea, and Maxwell suite. -
@jiminy-billy-bob said:
Hey guys, how about choosing what layers to render ?
Got it working with at least Vray, Kerkythea, and Maxwell suite.That is a very interesting concept.
It means you could using to hide walls etc
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It means the plugin will hide/unhide chosen layers when you hit the render button, without actually hidding/showing them. So you could have heavy vegetation layers sent to the renderer, but never activated in SU's viewport.
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Oh? Now that sounds mighty interesting.
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Yeah, and that's pretty simple :
- Start operation with UI disabled
- Hide/unhide chosen layers (But UI is disabled, so their visibility is not actually changed)
- Trigger render (like "VRayForSketchUp.launch_vray_render")
- Revert back layers visibility
- Commit operation
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Totally outstanding plugin
Would it be possible to add the ability to delete a layer into the current layer?Example:
I have layer 5 chosen as the current default layer.
I want to put all the stuff in layer 8 into layer 5
I need the option to select 1. delete completely, 2. delete to layer 0, and 3. delete to current layer.
The first two exist (the red garbage can and the green garbage can)
Now I'd like a "blue" garbage can "delete to current layer"
Once again: Outstanding Plugin
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