sketchucation logo sketchucation
    • Login
    ℹ️ Licensed Extensions | FredoBatch, ElevationProfile, FredoSketch, LayOps, MatSim and Pic2Shape will require license from Sept 1st More Info

    Pipe-along-path

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Newbie Forum
    sketchup
    64 Posts 9 Posters 3.8k Views 9 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • Dave RD Offline
      Dave R
      last edited by

      Interesting. I see the issue but it did work for me. I wonder how the path got drawn with those very small errors.

      Etaoin Shrdlu

      %

      (THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE)

      G28 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0

      M30

      %

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • TIGT Offline
        TIG Moderator
        last edited by

        It works for me too, at say 4" or 6" diamter, but when I go up to ~40" if freezes as the coded-followme gets stuck in an unbreakable loop, trying to decide how to proceed around the slight twist!!
        The native-FollowMe succeeds using the same geometry... BUT one might reasonably supposed that both of the methods used very similar algorithms!
        Unfortunately there is no 'direct access': in code it's simply face.followme(edges) - which works 99/9% of the time, until someone contrives a combo of very slightly skewed paths that trips it up...

        Sometimes pipes do need a slight fall to 'drain' etc.
        But this is <0.375 degrees - aka 'flat'.
        So if I force it 'flat' in parts as I've indicated, then it works...
        BUT I don't want to make the pipe's path subtly different from the user's selected edges, unless I really need to...

        TIG

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • C Offline
          CRASHWORTHY1
          last edited by

          Please do not fret about the rare freezes. Kindly work on the default input box stuff mentioned above - if you so feel inclined. Speaking of 'inclined' - yes this particular pipe run is sloped for drainage. Even with such runs the plugin rarely freezes and Mr.TIG deserves accolades.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • P Offline
            pipingguy
            last edited by

            Construction points are appearing when I explode a pipe-along-path group. This only seems to be happening recently - maybe after I updated to the latest version? If it was engineered into the script, I am interested to know the purpose. I can't delete them by "edit>delete guides" because guides that I have set up permanently in my model will disappear - regardless of being in a locked group. And selecting and erasing each guide point is time consuming.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • cottyC Offline
              cotty
              last edited by

              @pipingguy said:

              I can't delete them by "edit>delete guides" because guides that I have set up permanently in my model will disappear - regardless of being in a locked group. And selecting and erasing each guide point is time consuming.

              You can use Thomthoms selection tools to select all guide points in a group and delete them in one step.

              my SketchUp gallery

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Dave RD Offline
                Dave R
                last edited by

                Why not just opt for no C points when you make the pipe?

                Screenshot - 3_2_2014 , 5_46_17 AM.png

                I can see that some folks could use those C points as data points for locating the pipe in space. You could export their coordinates to a spreadsheet, for example, and manipulate them.

                Why are you using guidelines as "permanent" features in your model? They weren't intended for that.

                Etaoin Shrdlu

                %

                (THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE)

                G28 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0

                M30

                %

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • TIGT Offline
                  TIG Moderator
                  last edited by

                  The Cpoints are optional.
                  Answer 'No' to stop them being added during that session.
                  Their function is to allow snapping at nodes etc.
                  If you want to edit the script with Notepad++, so the default is 'No' find the line reading:
                  @cpoints = "Yes"
                  and change it to
                  @cpoints = "No"
                  You can also change other defaults - for example if you always want 12 segments...

                  TIG

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • P Offline
                    pipingguy
                    last edited by

                    I thought I had the latest version which I downloaded from the rhin.crai.archi site. (if said site is obsolete, why does it still exist?) Then I accessed TIG via the the author pull-down menu in sketchucation's plugin store and did not see 'pipe-along-path' listed. (I was not provided with the option to scroll to a next page). Then I used the plugin store's search feature and found it. So now that I am up to date, I would suggest giving the users a way to change the input box default to suit their typical work habits. With me, it's always inches and the inside diameter is always zero.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • Dave RD Offline
                      Dave R
                      last edited by

                      You didn't read TIG's last post? He gave you a way to change the default settings.

                      If you're always going to want a zero inside diameter and no C points, you could use Tube Along Path instead.

                      Etaoin Shrdlu

                      %

                      (THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE)

                      G28 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0

                      M30

                      %

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • BoxB Offline
                        Box
                        last edited by

                        Or Didier's Lines2Tubes which is available from the plugin store.
                        http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=88592#p88592

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • cottyC Offline
                          cotty
                          last edited by

                          @pipingguy said:

                          Then I accessed TIG via the the author pull-down menu in sketchucation's plugin store and did not see 'pipe-along-path' listed. (I was not provided with the option to scroll to a next page).

                          You have to change from "recent" to "full list" to see all the plugins from one author...

                          my SketchUp gallery

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • P Offline
                            pipingguy
                            last edited by

                            column lines - xlines - guides.skp
                            As to Dave R's question, "Why are you using guidelines as "permanent" features in your model? They weren't intended for that." In AutoCAD I create XLINEs and place them in a locked and faded layer and assign them a specific color. This now establishes a secure column line grid upon which the rest of the model is measured and coordinated from. I suppose I could create a grid using intersecting lines in sketchup, erase the resulting faces, and put them in a locked group. But they would blend into the remaining myriad of lines. At least with construction lines, they are dashed so they don't stand out to much, yet are quickly recognizable. (see attached SU partial model) Perhaps you can tell me of a popular plugin that generates dashed lines? BTW - what does 'place inline' mean in the reply editor regarding the attachment of a file?

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • P Offline
                              pipingguy
                              last edited by

                              Sorry. OK - I will look at the script with notepad. But I literally have not dealt with any kind of of computer code since an introductory course into Fortran or whatever it was back in the early seventies. something about flowcharts / if yes, then / if false then....blah blah. And then we put the code into an IBM punchcard machine. (junior high school) LOL!!!!

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • P Offline
                                pipingguy
                                last edited by

                                so after two hours purging malware/bloatware/spyware and every other ware that came along for the ride when I downloaded the fusion installer required to install notepad++, I think I will stay away from fiddling with codes and the like.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • TIGT Offline
                                  TIG Moderator
                                  last edited by

                                  Notepad++ is a respectable product and if installed from their site it should not have other hidden baddies... http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v6.5.4.html
                                  I'll be reissuing PipeAlongPath shortly [edited entirely in Notepad++ !]
                                  I will be adding some optimistation tools...

                                  TIG

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • P Offline
                                    pipingguy
                                    last edited by

                                    yeah - that's where I got the infection from (http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v6.5.4.html) 😞

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Dave RD Offline
                                      Dave R
                                      last edited by

                                      So I guess my suggestion of Tube Along Path didn't work for you?

                                      Etaoin Shrdlu

                                      %

                                      (THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE)

                                      G28 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0

                                      M30

                                      %

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • TIGT Offline
                                        TIG Moderator
                                        last edited by

                                        I use the latest version of Notepad++ everyday.
                                        I have never had problems with it.
                                        All downloaded files are auto-virus-checked.
                                        My whole system is regularly virus-checked/scanned.
                                        Very rarely is anything found untoward - out of millions of files...

                                        To double-check your assertion, I just re-downloaded the latest exe installer version [6.5.4].

                                        I virus-scanned it...
                                        Nothing was found.

                                        I reinstalled it...
                                        Nothing was found.

                                        It works fine.

                                        Strange... πŸ˜•

                                        What is this 'fusion installer' you speak of ?
                                        The downloaded .exe received direct from Notepad++ is in its own installer - just run it as an admin...
                                        Why did you think that you need another application to install it ?
                                        You seem to be making the proverbial rod for your own back πŸ˜’

                                        TIG

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • P Offline
                                          pipingguy
                                          last edited by

                                          I THINK I clicked the incorrect download button on the attached printscreen. And so, I probably did not look at the fineprint to opt out of certain choices in the fusion installer because I was in a hurry to try out the notepad++. I would like to re-trace those steps - but obviously I'm too spooked. So even though Norton allowed it,I ended up with trash like perk prize, security protect, password box, optimizer pro, movie mode, my pc backup, enhance tronic and conduit search. Full scans with Norton and Kaspersky fail to remove the last one which plants itself into the search box when I launch Firefox. And I'm sure there are other fragments of un-purgeable garbage I have yet to discover. But that's my problem. I would like to examine the properties of the installer, but I shift-deleted it. [attachment=0]notepad++ site.


                                          notepad++  site.JPG

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • TIGT Offline
                                            TIG Moderator
                                            last edited by

                                            You should click on the download button for Notepad++... NOT the download button for one of its site's advertisers !
                                            So you downloaded a quite unnecessary unconnected third-party application, which the Notepad++ author derives some income from through them advertising...
                                            So that's where all of the guff came from...
                                            Nothing to do with Notepad++...
                                            All to do with you installing something else πŸ˜’

                                            TIG

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 3
                                            • 4
                                            • 2 / 4
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Buy SketchPlus
                                            Buy SUbD
                                            Buy WrapR
                                            Buy eBook
                                            Buy Modelur
                                            Buy Vertex Tools
                                            Buy SketchCuisine
                                            Buy FormFonts

                                            Advertisement