[Plugin][$] Curviloft 2.0a - 31 Mar 24 (Loft & Skinning)

fredo6 · 10 Dec 2018, 13:42

@rv1974 said:

In 99% of of lofting uses I have to straighten borders connnecting ends of segments afterwards(thanks Thom there're Edge tools so it's not manual). Could there be an optionto keep them straight when creating?
Thanks

Not too sure what you mean by 'straighten'.
Maybe an example would be helpful.

Fredo

rv1974 · 10 Dec 2018, 19:07

Edit: Only after posting I figured out 'junction by connected lines' in 'spline method' fixes this problem'

fredo6 · 10 Dec 2018, 20:58

@rv1974 said:

Edit: Only after posting I figured out 'junction by connected lines' in 'spline method' fixes this problem'

I really need to refresh the plugin with more explicit control of the different options (and maybe selecting a few ones which make sense). Currently, Curviloft rather exposes the options that come from the algorithm, up to the user to find out what is appropriate. That's why I still leave it in Beta after all these years!

Fredo

jgb · 10 Dec 2018, 22:05

I really need to refresh the plugin with more explicit control of the different options (and maybe selecting a few ones which make sense).

I wholeheartedly agree, but please also update your last 32 bit version as well.
I cannot run 64 bit apps on my old PC. I'm still running Make V.13.

pilou · 10 Dec 2018, 23:38

Loft along the path: can we modify the path after launch the plugin?

I don't see it! (the path)

fredo6 · 10 Dec 2018, 23:41

@jgb said:

I wholeheartedly agree, but please also update your last 32 bit version as well.
I cannot run 64 bit apps on my old PC. I'm still running Make V.13.

What do you mean?
Do you have issues with Curviloft on Sketchup 2013?

rv1974 · 11 Dec 2018, 06:54

I searched hard to find how to save this method as default but no luck. Is it possible at least make this tool to remember last used settings at least? If it could remember them permanently it'd be even better. Thank you.

fredo6 · 11 Dec 2018, 07:29

@rv1974 said:

I searched hard to find how to save this method as default but no luck. Is it possible at least make this tool to remember last used settings at least? If it could remember them permanently it'd be even better. Thank you.

Do you use the latest version (1.8a)? It keeps the latest settings across Sketchup sessions and I checked it works with SU2013.

rv1974 · 11 Dec 2018, 09:42

Great news! Gone refreshing ALL of yours

rv1974 · 11 Dec 2018, 10:18

I checked, v1.8.a doesn't keep my last used settings (at least junktion by connected lines method)

fredo6 · 11 Dec 2018, 10:35

@rv1974 said:

I checked, v1.8.a doesn't keep my last used settings (at least junktion by connected lines method)

I forgot to say that you need to enable the option in Default Parameters....

Fredo

jgb · 11 Dec 2018, 16:02

@fredo6 said:

@jgb said:

I wholeheartedly agree, but please also update your last 32 bit version as well.
I cannot run 64 bit apps on my old PC. I'm still running Make V.13.

What do you mean?
Do you have issues with Curviloft on Sketchup 2013?

It's not that I have issues with CL in SU-2013, just I thought the latest CL update versions were 64 bit only. I will D/L the latest later this week.

fredo6 · 11 Dec 2018, 16:32

@jgb said:

It's not that I have issues with CL in SU-2013, just I thought the latest CL update versions were 64 bit only. I will D/L the latest later this week.

In principle, Ruby script are independent from the OS details (hopefully), but sometimes dependent on the SketchUp version.

The trend is effectively that I will progressively transition my scripts toward SU2016 and above, but I'll keep usually the existing version, at least in maintenance mode, and the new version would probably include more functionality. This is what happens with RoundCorner and FredoCorner. So when you see FredoLoft published for SU2016+, you would still have access to Curviloft, even if it would likely be in maintenance mode.

jgb · 11 Dec 2018, 18:33

@fredo6 said:

@jgb said:

It's not that I have issues with CL in SU-2013, just I thought the latest CL update versions were 64 bit only. I will D/L the latest later this week.

In principle, Ruby script are independent from the OS details (hopefully), but sometimes dependent on the SketchUp version.

Thanks again. I'll now upgrade SU to 2016 (32bit) and all my plugins/extensions as well.

Einstein · 11 Jan 2019, 12:26

I made a loft and added a forced pair for each vertex of profile. Now there are some unnecessary pairs (yellow ones) between vertices and I was thinking if it's possible to remove them before applying the loft.
In this case both profiles - upper and lower - are hexagons. So intuitively, pairs should be created between vertices only. Instead, Curviloft connected each vertex of lower profile to edge midpoint of upper profile, which created a lot of unnecessary edges. So I'm thinking if I could force the tool to always match vertex-to-vertex when profiles have the same number of verts.

fredo6 · 11 Jan 2019, 12:57

@einstein said:

I made a loft and added a forced pair for each vertex of profile. Now there are some unnecessary pairs (yellow ones) between vertices and I was thinking if it's possible to remove them before applying the loft.
In this case both profiles - upper and lower - are hexagons. So intuitively, pairs should be created between vertices only. Instead, Curviloft connected each vertex of lower profile to edge midpoint of upper profile, which created a lot of unnecessary edges. So I'm thinking if I could force the tool to always match vertex-to-vertex when profiles have the same number of verts.

I think there is an option to match vertex to vertex.

Anyway, the best would be to post your model so that I have a look.

Keep in mind that for a human brain, you see indeed two similar hexagons, but for the script, these are two curves to match in different planes.

Fredo

Einstein · 12 Jan 2019, 10:46

@fredo6 said:

@einstein said:

I made a loft and added a forced pair for each vertex of profile. Now there are some unnecessary pairs (yellow ones) between vertices and I was thinking if it's possible to remove them before applying the loft.
In this case both profiles - upper and lower - are hexagons. So intuitively, pairs should be created between vertices only. Instead, Curviloft connected each vertex of lower profile to edge midpoint of upper profile, which created a lot of unnecessary edges. So I'm thinking if I could force the tool to always match vertex-to-vertex when profiles have the same number of verts.

I think there is an option to match vertex to vertex.

Anyway, the best would be to post your model so that I have a look.

Keep in mind that for a human brain, you see indeed two similar hexagons, but for the script, these are two curves to match in different planes.

Fredo

I used default method "Match vertex to vertex (when possible)" but looks like the case was interpreted as "impossible"

Here's an example:

vertex matching.skp

fredo6 · 12 Jan 2019, 18:11

I understand. There is something wrong in the vertex matching, also in the Loft by Spline tool. I'll need to have a closer look.

reza1813 · 9 Feb 2019, 18:23

Dear Fredo,
Hello, I kindly reach you to suggest some feature for the future update of Curviloft plugin.

I wonder to know why Curviloft doesn't create a surface when we have an Integrated curve. In fact, I always use the Soap Skin Bubble plugin in order to deal with this type of shape and unfortunately I have a problem to push surface properly. Would you mind any possibility to add this feature of Soap Skin Bubble plugin to the next version of Curviloft concerning to create the surface for all type of connected line and curve?
Furthermore, this is the FormZ software. I wonder to know, Is there any possibility to change the type of surface and also how it is pushed and pulled in the Curviloft with some icon in order to increase or decrease it like FormZ software? (I know that there is some option in the spline method)

Sincerely
Hamidreza

fredo6 · 10 Feb 2019, 11:14

Well, there is space for several methods.

Curviloft does not use the same approach as Soap Skin & Bubble. When you have a continuous contour, you need to tell Curviloft where to break it in 3 or 4 pieces. You can use small segments for this, that is small standalone edges which you position along the contour.

For FormZ feature, this is also a different approach, based on Nurbs. The closest I see for this type of feature is Vertex Tools by Thomthom.