Always face center-line/ Magnetic tool

Flippie123 · 9 Dec 2014, 09:51

Is there something like a magnetic tool for sketchup2015pro which can make components face towards a center-line or center-point? Similar to 'always face camera' but I'm looking for 'always face center-line'

This is what I want:

**Image01:**One red cube in the center has a center-line. Red Cube is surrounded by white (component) cubes.

**Image02:**All the white cubes turn and face towards the center-line of the red cube. I can move the red cube around and the white cubes will still always face the red cubes center-line, similar to the 'always face camera' option in the component screen.

Image03: Shows an iron-ore powder and magnet Physics experiment. I hope I can make these kinds of patterns with a Sketchup magnetic tool in the future. This will allow me to make organic patterns which I can use for architecture and urban planning.

Flippie123 · 10 Dec 2014, 03:14

Is there anyone out there who can help me with this?

Flippie123 · 10 Dec 2014, 03:29

I attached an image of an urban plan which illustrates what I want to make. It would also be nice if this thing works in 3D.

jeff hammond · 10 Dec 2014, 04:21

@flippie123 said:

I attached an image of an urban plan which illustrates what I want to make. It would also be nice if this thing works in 3D.

seems it's doing something more like this (perp to curve) instead of going towards an attractor point
?

[edit]
i guess it's like the magnet image you posted.. thing with the magnet though is the bits at the outer edges are not all pointing towards the same spot.
also, it makes those curves (purple) on the ends first..
green shows the design's approximate boundary

Flippie123 · 10 Dec 2014, 08:07

I agree, with the magnet there are 2 center-points that attract all the iron dust. All the edges are not all pointing towards the same spot, but every objects center-point is pointing towards the object next to it. Please look at attached image01 and image02 to explain in words...

Image01: shows a Magnetic needle board with a standard magnet.

Image02: shows a Magnetic needle board with a U-shaped magnet.

**Image03:**shows the plotting lines of force using a magnetic compass.

Image04: shows how it works in 3D.

Image06: shows a single point

Image07: shows a magnet surrounded by many compasses

Image08: shows 2 magnets interacting

I find it really hard to draw these kinds of pattern in Sketchup without a tool.

Flippie123 · 10 Dec 2014, 08:18

I also added some cool architecture pics

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 09:07

Interesting!

I'm working on a parametric modeler that could hopefully(one day ) do this sort of things.

I can say from my own test-experiences you would REALLY want some kind of real-time preview setting these things up. Having a 1-shot plugin doing this is akward.

It does look more like d~~istance based~~ rotation/alignment on the first picture. Rather than some sort of magnetic 2 flow-direction.
edit: Looking again it does look like all the cubes are pointing at the point regardless of distance

The magnetic version is interesting though!

But that would be a totally different and more complex algorithm based on curve fitting. More in the way Jeff demonstrates.

Feel free to PM me ideas and suggestions. Looks like you have a few.

Flippie123 · 10 Dec 2014, 10:17

I did some experimenting with the pathcopy tool and some curved lines. I used 2 magnetic points here. But it will become really interesting if I can add 3,4 or 5 magnetic points.

I'm just a user...not a developer, but I can assure everyone that we are using sketchup to make the most awesome architecture here in our office.

driven · 10 Dec 2014, 11:05

Thinking out loud...
It may be possible for a plugin to take advantage of work done for scientific illustration...
Using a webdialog inside SU you would adjust the patterns...
the generated data could be use a insertion points for proxy component...
[web 100%,600:1ex6wll4]http://www.vizitsolutions.com/portfolio/efield/[/web:1ex6wll4]

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 11:27

You mean generating the data from Javascript ? I'd imagine that would be rather slow..

My theory is to let HTML/Js do the Gui part and do the heavy calculations on Ruby and or C++ side..
That's just my opinion, but I'll stick to it.

I use d3.js as JS library and it's used quite often for scientific illustration.
It has Voronoi, projections etc. But to slow to use with Sketchup.

These kind of parametric geometries tend to get dense pretty quickly, so fast code is quite essential. But that library has some interesting code that's for sure.

driven · 10 Dec 2014, 12:20

@jolran said:

You mean generating the data from Javascript ?...

use js as a visual menu, with some sliders...
then send the 'formula' to ruby or C to generate geometry positions...
i.e. the live interaction is in js, the 'result' is forwarded...
john

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 12:48

@unknownuser said:

use js as a visual menu, with some sliders...

You mean like a node-editor ?

Box · 10 Dec 2014, 12:55

On a side note, there is always Sketchy Physics for using Magnetism. But I can't imagine how that could be translated into fixed positions not to mention the time it takes to set things up. Perhaps the inner workings of SUPhy can lend something to another plugin.
But it's a magnetic thread so I had to do something.

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 13:46

Rotate by distance looks a bit funky. Maybe if used normalized values...

The vectors are all setup, so I guess one could easily go for an angular approach instead...

jeff hammond · 10 Dec 2014, 15:58

@flippie123 said:

I did some experimenting with the pathcopy tool and some curved lines. I used 2 magnetic points here. But it will become really interesting if I can add 3,4 or 5 magnetic points.

I'm just a user...not a developer, but I can assure everyone that we are using sketchup to make the most awesome architecture here in our office.

don't you guys have a copy of rhino in your office?
i'm pretty sure zaha used paneling tools to create this.. possibly in conjunction with a custom script..
it's super powerful for various types of attractors etc..

@box said:

On a side note, there is always Sketchy Physics for using Magnetism.[...]
But it's a magnetic thread so I had to do something.

heh.. neat

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 16:26

Jeff hammond. Why do you often direct to Rhino as a solution to problems when modeling in Sketchup?

Don't you want Sketchup to evolve ?

jeff hammond · 10 Dec 2014, 16:33

@jolran said:

Jeff hammond. Why do you often direct to Rhino as a solution to problems when modeling in Sketchup?

Don't you want Sketchup to evolve ?

well, when someone is trying to copy something, it seems the best way to do it would be to use the same tools that were used in the first place.

do i want sketchup to evolve? yes, of course.. i wanted it to evolve 10years ago.. then 4-5 years ago, i realized it wasn't going to evolve so there you have it..
sketchup is what it is 10 years ago and it will always be that way.. [edit]-- i mean, we stilldon't have arcs or circles in sketchup.. much less curves..

jolran · 10 Dec 2014, 16:36

Heh, well put.

I'll accept your answer.

Although to give cred to the Guys at Trimble I do think they have made great changes recently that will permit further enhancements of Sketchup.

Regarding arcs and circles. They will come
Knotvector-based, nonuniformed rational ones...

driven · 10 Dec 2014, 16:47

@jolran said:

Regarding arcs and circles. They will come ...

they are already there, SU just fails to use them with it's own tools...
but exports them to AutoCad, go figure...

john

jeff hammond · 10 Dec 2014, 16:49

@jolran said:

Although to give cred to the Guys at Trimble I do think they have made great changes recently that will permit further enhancements of Sketchup.

oh.. i'm not trying to rag on those guys or anything like that.. and really, it looks to me like the trimble acquisition is going to be good for sketchup.. 2013 was sort of a dud but once the team got situated in the company, things are looking to be picking up well.. 2014 and now 2015 are both good releases imo..

my _____ are nothing to do with the developer's abilities etc.. it's more to do with their vision and how it relates to my desires.. they want something and i want something else.. nobody is to fault in a situation like that.. if sketchup was what i want it to be, lots of people would probably hate it and start seeking out solutions which are more sketchup like

but, when people start posting these designs they find on the web and saying 'how do you do this in sketchup?', often times, the answer is 'you don't'..

..in the same way if someone posted this model on a rhino forum asking "how do you do this in rhino?" ..the answer is "you don't.. try zbrush or smthng"

anyway-- back to magnetics.. it seems a rigid point attractor would create a space more akin to washington d.c.