[Plugin] Dimension management tools

[slbaumgartner]

The two tools in this file facilitate the workflow recommended by many SketchUp experts: Begin by drawing the complete model without dimensions or annotations. Place all primitive entities on Layer0 and move Groups and Components to other layers when necessary to control visibility. When the model is complete, create scenes/pages with the model oriented so that critical features can be dimensioned visibly and draw dimensions, text, and angular dimensions again all on Layer0. Finally,move the dimension entities to a layer specific to the scene(s) on which they can be displayed legibly and without being clutter.

The first tool, "Select all Dimensions" activates the Select tool, clears it, and adds all currently visible linear dimensions, Texts, and Groups with names matching "Angular Dimension" to the selection. This prepares you to manipulate all the dimensions in bulk, e.g. to assign a font or layer.

The second tool, "Dimensions to Layer", prompts the user to select an existing layer or create a new layer. If a new layer is requested, it is made hidden on all scenes except the current one. All currently visible linear dimensions, Texts, and Groups with names matching "Angular Dimension" are moved to the selected layer.

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dimension_utilities.rb

[boilingsnow]

@slbaumgartner said:

The two tools in this file facilitate the workflow recommended by many SketchUp experts: Begin by drawing the complete model without dimensions or annotations. Place all primitive entities on Layer0 and move Groups and Components to other layers when necessary to control visibility. When the model is complete, create scenes/pages with the model oriented so that critical features can be dimensioned visibly and draw dimensions, text, and angular dimensions again all on Layer0. Finally,move the dimension entities to a layer specific to the scene(s) on which they can be displayed legibly and without being clutter.

The first tool, "Select all Dimensions" activates the Select tool, clears it, and adds all currently visible linear dimensions, Texts, and Groups with names matching "Angular Dimension" to the selection. This prepares you to manipulate all the dimensions in bulk, e.g. to assign a font or layer.

The second tool, "Dimensions to Layer", prompts the user to select an existing layer or create a new layer. If a new layer is requested, it is made hidden on all scenes except the current one. All currently visible linear dimensions, Texts, and Groups with names matching "Angular Dimension" are moved to the selected layer.

Thank you.
It's a good timesaver when someone works with a lot of dimensions in the model.

[chri]

magnificent work
for the workflow in LAYOUT

If we add the the next plugins, it's became wonderful to allow a very quick update views of all scenes in openoffice

Add Named Scene / mirale999
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41787
SceneExporter / rick wilson
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11173

Chri

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[chri]

hi

Please take a look on the next picture to make a manual update in openoffice .

bye
Chri

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[irwanwr]

Thank you very very much

[Fromatron]

Thought that this would also alter the geometery (doesn't...right?). However, I am extremely glad that I stumbled upon this, it's insanely useful. Never thought i would need it until I got it.

I have to confess that I've never actually understood the layers bit in SU. Thanks to this plugin I do now; way cool!

[gnlmrc60b22f205v]

Very useful plugin, would be perfect if the tool "Dimensions to Layer", creating a new layer, write on the "Name for the New Layer" window a default name, for example "DIM-TEXT", so, if I wont I can change it, but I don't have to write it every time.
Please, can you take me the rb file text modification to obtain this?

Thank you very much anyway for the plugin.

[slbaumgartner]

@gnlmrc60b22f205v said:

Very useful plugin, would be perfect if the tool "Dimensions to Layer", creating a new layer, write on the "Name for the New Layer" window a default name, for example "DIM-TEXT", so, if I wont I can change it, but I don't have to write it every time.
Please, can you take me the rb file text modification to obtain this?

Thank you very much anyway for the plugin.

You are welcome!

To make the change you describe, you need to modify line 147 of the Ruby to be

      new_layer_name_arr = UI.inputbox ["Name for New Layer"], ["DIM-TEXT"]

That is, add the part ',["DIM-TEXT"]' to the end of the existing line. That makes "DIM_TEXT" the default value for the input.

Steve

[rombout]

It doesnt seem to work properly if you use dimensions within groups and components. I selects only the dimension in the 'main' model. What workflow should i use to make dimensions inside groups and components

[slbaumgartner]

As written, the plugin does not search for dimensions inside groups or components.

The main justification is that when a dimension is nested inside a group or component it, like other nested geometry, should be left on layer0. Putting nested entities onto other layers can lead to confusing conflicts between the visibility of the layer of the nested entity and the visibility of the layer of the container. So, my plugin isn't really suited or necessary in a workflow that nests dimensions inside groups or components. Make the group or component's layer not visible, and its contents will disappear with it.

But, in addition, it is not necessary to nest dimensions inside a group or component to make them work. SketchUp dimensions will associate with entities inside a group or component without themselves being in that group or component. Used that way, my plugin lets you put all the dimensions of a particular scene onto their own layer, which is hidden on all except that scene. You can make the dimensions of multiple entities not visible without having to put all those entities onto the same layer themselves.

All that aside, if there is enough demand to support a different workflow I would consider reworking the plugin.

[JClements]

Sometimes, workflow could involve modeling different parts as separate models then inserting them or copying-and-pasting them into a new file. In this situation if the separate models have dimensions then the dimensions would become nested. I would think this not to be an uncommon practice, particularly when more than one person is contributing geometry to a project.

I think a checkbox option to act on all nested dimensions inside a component or group or, if not in a nested element, the entire model would be a good thing.

[slbaumgartner]

John,

I see your point. Let me ponder a while how best to deal with it!

Thanks
Steve

[slbaumgartner]

Some followup questions about the desired functionality:

Since the dimensions are nested inside a component as a side-effect of importing the submodel, should they be exported back to the model context as well as placed on a layer? Couldn't you just explode the new component since it wasn't really that way in the submodel (or was it)? I'm worrying about the classic confusion over nested contents on layers other than layer0.

[JClements]

My first impulse is to manage the dimensions just via layer manager that way if you export the component or cut and paste, the layer goes with it.

Placing the dimension outside of their context could result in all sort of unwanted issues.

[slbaumgartner]

Please give the attached a try and see if (a) it does what you need, and (b) there are bugs.

Thanks
Steve

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dimension_utilities.rbz

[chrisik]

Thank you very much for this plugin, I use it very often.
Is it possible to set the current scene name automatically as the default layer name when you create a new layser? Which modifications to the rb file have to be made?

[chrisik]

Sorry but i can't install the plugin. After i select "install extension..." in the system preferences menu and select the plugin, a window pops up: "Unable to install this Extension. Sketchup was unable to install the Extension you have chosen for some unknown reason. Consult your Extension's documentation for additional help." ?

[TIG]

@chrisik said:

Sorry but i can't install the plugin. After i select "install extension..." in the system preferences menu and select the plugin, a window pops up: "Unable to install this Extension. Sketchup was unable to install the Extension you have chosen for some unknown reason. Consult your Extension's documentation for additional help." ?
Which version of the RBZ are you trying to install ?
The one one post ago ??
Or another ???

For me that RBZ downloads fine, and installs, and it works...

[slbaumgartner]

I may have botched the zip! Will look into it and get back shortly. Sorry about that...

[slbaumgartner]

Not sure what I did wrong before, but this new one works on my system:

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dimension_utilities.rbz