Best way to delete entities

TIG

Almost all 'properly' structured models have ALL base geometry on 'Layer0'...

Is there a ruby out there that will "sanitize" you model to enforce this "rule"? It would ignore groups and comps, but any base geometry would be moced to layer0. CB.

See this: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=115749#p115749
copy/paste the code into a file called something like default_layer_geometry.rb in the Plugins folder...

artmusicstudio

[quote="thomthom"]To delete one entity: use Entity.erase!

entity = Sketchup.active_model.active_entities[0] entity.erase!

hi tig,

in my first ruby i have already managed it to copy one master-component (created with ruby at [0,0,0] and copying it, where ever i want.

after placing it in all places wanted, i would like

to DELETE this particular master-component.

i found your code:

entity = Sketchup.active_model.active_entities[0]
entity.erase!

but how can i define , which component is to be deleted? is there a name somewhere? or index, i could "memorize" while creating the master component? is the [0] maybe a place for a definition?

thanx a lot for helping!
stan

TIG

@Stan

How are you making the initial component instance?
How are you 'copying' it ?
To have done that you must have had a 'reference' to its definition - let's say it's called ' defn'...
To find that definition's first instance and then to delete it use:
defn.instances.first.erase!

artmusicstudio

hi tig,
probably i have a mistake in the component-description.

i define a master component (two tubes).

#DEF PFOSTEN MASTER COMPONENT

   model = Sketchup.active_model
   entities = model.active_entities  

   pfm1 = [0, 0, 0+thickness]
   pfm2 = [0, 0, 0+thickness+sl-((5/faktor)/100)]
   pfm3 = [0, 0, 0+thickness+sl-((5/faktor)/100)]
   pfm4 = [0, 0, 0+thickness+sl]        
   
   group = entities.add_group
   
   entities2 = group.entities
          
   new_line = entities2.add_line pfm1, pfm2
                length = new_line.length
                centerpoint = pfm1
                vector = pfm2
                vector = vector.normalize!
                 
                edges = entities2.add_circle centerpoint, vector, pradius
                kreis = entities2.add_face edges
                kreis.pushpull length
     
     
   new_line2 = entities2.add_line pfm3, pfm4
                length2 = new_line2.length 
                centerpoint2 = pfm4
   	            vector2 = pfm3
            vector2 = vector.normalize!
		                     
	    edges2 = entities2.add_circle centerpoint2, vector2, pradius/3
	    kreis2 = entities2.add_face edges2
                kreis2.pushpull -length2
                
   masterpfostenl = group.to_component

and then copy it to different places to ponits pf1,2,3:

componentinstance =
entities.add_instance(masterpfostenl.definition, pf1)
componentinstance =
entities.add_instance(masterpfostenr.definition, pf3)
componentinstance =
entities.add_instance(mittelpfostenm.definition, pf5)

after all components are placed, i will try the

defn.instances.first.erase! (have still to find out, how to point the right "instances-group"

thanx
stan

TIG

You have got it !

defn = masterpfostenl.definition

The masterpfostenl is a reference to the first 'instance' of the new 'definition'...

Then see my previous example...

BUT to delete it it use masterpfostenl.erase!
Because you already have a reference to it, which you have set up early on...

artmusicstudio

yes sir,
it works perfectly. so this deletes the master-component.
i just wonder, how then can be identified the ,daughter'-components.

per x,y,z ?

anyway, thank you very much for this solution.
stan

TIG

@stan

Assuming 'defn' is a reference to the component's definition then
defn.instances
gives you a list of all current instances, in the order of their creation.
let's say you want to find the first one [remember that arrays start at 0 NOT 1 !]
instance = defn.instances[0]
To find out where it is in its current context use
point = instance.transformation.origin
There are also other transformation properties available to get the orientation of the objetc's x/y/zaxis too...
There are also some methods available to get rotations, scaling etc from the instance.transformation search for them - here's an example... http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=411972#p411972

Al Hart

I couldn't get this to work:


model = Sketchup.active_model
entities = model.active_entities
model.active_entities.erase_entities entities

I get thi error:

Error: #<TypeError: wrong argument type (expected Sketchup::Entity)>
<main>:in `erase_entities'

But I was able to get this to work: (adding .to_a which probably serves to isolate the entities array)


model = Sketchup.active_model
entities = model.active_entities
model.active_entities.erase_entities entities.to_a

TIG

The entities.erase_entities(array)
Expects an array NOT an entities collection, so adding .to_a resolves that.
BUT entites.clear! is even easier.

Al Hart

great - that's what I was looking for anyway