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    [Plugin] Helix along curve

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    • G Offline
      glasstronomic
      last edited by

      Hi 3dalbertsoft,

      Thank you very much for this great plugin!

      On a related issue, I am desperately trying to find a way to model, in SU, a conical helix where the helix maintains a constant and specific pitch angle to the conical surface. It is also known as a conical log spiral. Can anyone help me?

      The helix I am describing would have the coils get closer together as they approach the apex of the cone. Here is an example:

      http://www.satimo.com/sites/www.satimo.com/files/imagecache/product_view/Conical spiral_0.jpg

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      • J Offline
        james_mcl
        last edited by

        @unknownuser said:

        Yes! Look Minute 5.04 ! 😉

        Thanks Pilou and Gilles for the information posted. it was very helpful.

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        • 3 Offline
          3dalbertsoft
          last edited by

          glasstronomic these options will be added in upcoming updates, for now the closest it say Pilou the min 5

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          • C Offline
            Cerboney
            last edited by

            Hi all,

            Please could somebody tell me how to install that plugin step by step ? Because it doesn't work for me. I install it but there is an error message when I open Sketchup. I use Google Sketchup 8 in French on Windows 8.

            Thank you guys

            Cerboney

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            • Dave RD Offline
              Dave R
              last edited by

              What's the error message? 😒

              Etaoin Shrdlu

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              • TIGT Offline
                TIG Moderator
                last edited by

                How have you 'installed it' ? 😕
                What are the errors?
                I suspect they relate to missing files ??
                This plugin's archive [ZIP file] looks like the attached image.
                Copy those two items into the Plugins folder, keeping the contents in the same relationship.
                That is one .rb file and the plugins's subfolder [containing other code files, images etc].
                You need FULL read/write security permissions to the main Plugins folder...
                ['Compatibility Files' issues and the 'VirtualStore' beckon otherwise 😒 ]
                Also set SketchUp.exe to 'Always Runs as Administrator'...
                There are may posts covering these aspects in great detail...


                Capture.PNG

                TIG

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                • C Offline
                  Cerboney
                  last edited by

                  Hi thank you TIG for your help, it works thanks to your explanations. I think I copied only the .rb file in the folder "Plugins" of Sketchup.

                  Bye

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                  • D Offline
                    dacastror
                    last edited by

                    playing
                    play1.png

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                    • D Offline
                      dacastror
                      last edited by

                      the helix is closed properly!

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                      • F Offline
                        fcohen
                        last edited by

                        Thank you for this plug-in. Very useful! I am looking to hire a contractor to take my hand-drawn sketches of a mens watch project (details at http://www.votsh.com) and create SketchUp files. Please email me fcohen at votsh.com for details on the contract. Thanks! -Frank

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                        • 3 Offline
                          3dalbertsoft
                          last edited by

                          I have verified that helix along curve works in sketchup 2014, you can install and use without problems

                          😉

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                          • H Offline
                            Harry K
                            last edited by

                            I don't seem to be able to get it to install properly. Running OSX 10.8.5. Am placing files in Library/Application Support/Sketchup 2014/Sketchup/Plugins.

                            Any ideas?

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                            • Dave RD Offline
                              Dave R
                              last edited by

                              @harry k said:

                              Am placing files in Library/Application Support/Sketchup 2014/Sketchup/Plugins

                              What does this mean specifically? Did you just drop the downloaded ZIP file into the Plugins folder? If so, that won't work indeed because you didn't actually install the plugin.

                              If you did that, move the zip file back out of the Plugins folder to somewhere else. Maybe Downloads. Then right click on the zip file and choose Get Info. There change the extension from .zip to .rbz. In SketchUp click on the SketchUp menu and choose Preference>Extensions. Click on Install Extension. Navigate to the file and click Open. Click Yes and OK as they show. The plugin should now be installed correctly.

                              If you did anything else, go to the Plugins folder and delete any and all related files before making the .rbz file and installing it.

                              Most plugins are available through the Sketchucation Plugin Store--link at the top of the page or the Extension Warehouse. You don't have to do all these gymnastics to install plugins with them but you should at least install the SCF Plugin Store.

                              Etaoin Shrdlu

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                              • H Offline
                                Harry K
                                last edited by

                                @dave r said:

                                @harry k said:

                                Am placing files in Library/Application Support/Sketchup 2014/Sketchup/Plugins

                                What does this mean specifically? Did you just drop the downloaded ZIP file into the Plugins folder? If so, that won't work indeed because you didn't actually install the plugin.

                                If you did that, move the zip file back out of the Plugins folder to somewhere else. Maybe Downloads. Then right click on the zip file and choose Get Info. There change the extension from .zip to .rbz. In SketchUp click on the SketchUp menu and choose Preference>Extensions. Click on Install Extension. Navigate to the file and click Open. Click Yes and OK as they show. The plugin should now be installed correctly.

                                If you did anything else, go to the Plugins folder and delete any and all related files before making the .rbz file and installing it.

                                Most plugins are available through the Sketchucation Plugin Store--link at the top of the page or the Extension Warehouse. You don't have to do all these gymnastics to install plugins with them but you should at least install the SCF Plugin Store.

                                Mac OSX automatically unzips, but the extension was wrong (tbs, rb), so I added the "z" AND the system also hides the library so you can't navigate to it via preferences > extensions.... But I found a way to "unhide" the Library. I was then able to choose the extension...only to be greeted with "unable to open..."

                                Is there a Plan B?

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                                • Dave RD Offline
                                  Dave R
                                  last edited by

                                  You don't need a plan B. You need to follow plan A.

                                  AGAIN:
                                  -Remove the files you inserted into the Plugins folder because you've done it wrong.
                                  -Make sure you have permissions set to Read and Write for the Plugins folder.
                                  -Find the ZIP file and rename it from .zip to .rbz. DO NOT OPEN THE ZIP FILE. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING INSIDE IT.
                                  -Open SketchUp.
                                  -Go to the SketchUp menu--left of File and click on Preferences.
                                  -Select Extensions from the list in the Preferences window.
                                  -Click on Install Extension.
                                  -Navigate to where you downloaded and saved the zip file (which is now a .rbz file).
                                  -Select it.
                                  -Click Open
                                  -Click Yes and OK as they present themselves.
                                  -Close the Preferences box.

                                  The plugin should now be installed.

                                  Etaoin Shrdlu

                                  %

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                                  • H Offline
                                    Harry K
                                    last edited by

                                    Ahhh. My browser was auto-unzipping the download. Changed that and it worked like a charm.

                                    Many thanks for your patience.

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                                    • H Offline
                                      hgdn
                                      last edited by

                                      Oh, what a fun/amazing plugin ever, works and so much creative outcomes with quick changes, thanks so much to 3dalbertsoft!!!!

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                                      • G Offline
                                        GregorS
                                        last edited by

                                        My suggestions for the English text describing the plugin options:


                                        These are the Helix along curve plugin options:
                                        You can set a value for the radius of the helix start and another for the end (these values can be positive or negative)
                                        You can set the number of turns of the helix (this value can be a positive integer or a positive decimal)
                                        Specify the number of line segments that make up each turn of the helix (this value can be a positive integer decimal)
                                        Modify the start angle of the helix (the angle value should be given in degrees as an integer or decimal)
                                        Set the level of "noise" (the value entered must be between 0 and 1), this will add a different random value to each turn radius of the helix. This random noise will be greater when the input value is closer to 1
                                        You can choose from five different options for a parameter called "adherence to the curve", which defines whether the helical curve will strictly or smoothly. (smooth is recommended for best results).
                                        The "Calculation mode" simply summarizes multiple internal parameters that would not be easily understood by users. Sometimes very steep curves can cause unwanted results, in these cases smoother curves or slightly different tests can be performed by varying the "calculation method" to find out which will give the best results for that particular curve. If you are not having problems, it is advisable to leave this value in recommended mode (C)
                                        You can set the direction of rotation of the helix, i.e. rotation in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction
                                        Helicoid will create with a curve or a circular tube.
                                        If you choose to create a tube, you can set your ratio (the value entered must be a positive integer or a positive decimal).
                                        You can specify the number of sides of the tube (which can be a minimum of 3 sides, this value must be a positive integer).


                                        Now I will try to design a lamp with the plugin! If I can install it! there were no installation instructions so I do not know where to put the files extracted from the .zip...

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                                        • Dave RD Offline
                                          Dave R
                                          last edited by

                                          @gregors said:

                                          Now I will try to design a lamp with the plugin! If I can install it! there were no installation instructions so I do not know where to put the files extracted from the .zip...

                                          Knock, knock. http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=51770%26amp;p=555970#p534207

                                          Etaoin Shrdlu

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                                          • 3 Offline
                                            3dalbertsoft
                                            last edited by

                                            GregorS thank you very much 😄, I updated the description of plugin options using your suggestions.

                                            Dave Thanks for responding to the subject of the installation

                                            (google translator)

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