[Plugin] QuadFaceTools

zooen · 8 Dec 2018, 18:18

Thank you Oxer for your answer. I edited the file "core.rb" and translated with Notepade ++ for windows. I used google translation to translate so I will have to rework the texts in French.

AlegoZ · 12 Dec 2018, 09:42

Hey there genious, im just wondering if u know why i cant get a "floating" menu i tried all i know and i can only use quad Tools from the main menu "Tools"

Einstein · 5 Jan 2019, 14:34

Hi!
Recently I discovered Connect tool to be very useful. However, if I set number of Segments to 1 and "Pinch" to any value, position of connecting segment doesn't change - it sticks to the middle, regardless. I thought about a little improvement for this plugin so that Pinch would also apply to single connecting segment, altering its position along edges. This would help a looot! And push SketchUp more towards poly-modelling which I personally miss soo much.

An illustration of the case:

Einstein · 12 Jan 2019, 13:25

What about kind of "collapse edge" feature? There's a nice sub-tool "remove loops" but as stated, is removes entire loop (screenshot on the left, original quad-mesh on the right). The mesh in the middle shows how I imagine "collapse edge" would work. Only the selected edges are removed and ends are connected to surrouding quad corners.

uwesketch · 18 Feb 2019, 23:32

When using "Remove Triangulation" on the below selected quads, then the triangulating edges are removed not only from planar quads, but also from non-planar quads.

Selected Quads:

After executing the "Remove Triangulation" command - it looks like a Swiss cheese

Is there are way to avoid this?

optimaforever · 20 Feb 2019, 14:51

@uwesketch said:

When using "Remove Triangulation" on the below selected quads, then the triangulating edges are removed not only from planar quads, but also from non-planar quads.

Selected Quads:
[attachment=1:ylc5a5am]QudFaceTool_RemoveTriangulation_Before.png[/attachment:ylc5a5am]

After executing the "Remove Triangulation" command - it looks like a Swiss cheese

[attachment=0:ylc5a5am]QudFaceTool_RemoveTriangulation_After.png[/attachment:ylc5a5am]

Is there are way to avoid this?

You just want to remove triangulations on planar quads? use Fixit101 script.

optimaforever · 20 Feb 2019, 14:58

Hello Thomthom!
Perhaps has it already been discussed, but I often misclick on the Live mesh analysis button instead of connect edges tool button. Not a big deal, you'll say, but as Livemesh doesn't work with Undo, I usually need several clicks to undo it manually.
I quasi never use Live mesh analysis because I model cleanly most of the time. But I guess some people use it.
Now my question is; is it possible to remove it from the toolbar? or make it unclickable or invisible? Alla Fredo6, make a customizable QFT toolbar? Some functions would still be accessible from the menus... I realize I never use the UV mapping tools, nor build corners/ends. and they eat some real estate on my screen.

uwesketch · 20 Feb 2019, 18:23

@unknownuser said:

optimaforever wrote:
You just want to remove triangulations on planar quads? use Fixit101 script.

Also the "Merge Faces" from "TT cleanup3" does the trick. - which seems the same in FixIt101.
But it would be nice if the function in QFT would work as well.

optimaforever · 21 Feb 2019, 07:40

@uwesketch said:

@unknownuser said:

optimaforever wrote:
You just want to remove triangulations on planar quads? use Fixit101 script.

Also the "Merge Faces" from "TT cleanup3" does the trick. - which seems the same in FixIt101.
But it would be nice if the function in QFT would work as well.

I guess QFT remove triangulation’s use is different... If you want to regenerate the missing planes, you could use « make surfaces » script.

uwesketch · 23 Feb 2019, 19:28

I am not looking for a work around. The intent of the post is to report a misbehaviour of the QFT function "Remove Triangulation".

To reproduce the issue I have attached a sketchup file.

The below animated gif shows how to reproduce it.
![How to reproduce holes created by the QFT function "Remove Triangualtion"](/uploads/imported_attachments/a7Pe_QFT_Remove_Triangulation_Issue.gif "How to reproduce holes created by the QFT function "Remove Triangualtion"")

Example sketchup model to reproduce QFT "Remove Triangulation" issue

tecnomijas · 9 Sept 2019, 21:33

Aprende a pronunciar
I would appreciate your help since when I install the quadface tools plugin the plugin toolbar does not appear. I have installed it in sketchup 2018 and 2019

optimaforever · 18 Sept 2019, 12:48

@tecnomijas said:

Aprende a pronunciar
I would appreciate your help since when I install the quadface tools plugin the plugin toolbar does not appear. I have installed it in sketchup 2018 and 2019

Right-click an icon on the toolbar zone and check if the QuadFace Tools is checked on.

optimaforever · 26 Jan 2020, 14:12

Thomas, is there a "drape" a quad mesh on a "target" triangulated mesh (in another group, serving as a reference) along Z axis?
I'm fond of your "Flatten selection" command in Architect Tools, but I'm looking for a tool that basically "drops" all the vertices of a quad group on a target triangulated mesh group, while keeping the first group as quads.

panixia · 26 Jan 2020, 18:51

@optimaforever said:

"drape" a quad mesh on a "target" triangulated mesh (in another group, serving as a reference) along Z axis?

Is something like this what you are after?

optimaforever · 26 Jan 2020, 19:17

Impressive modeling video!
Not exactly what I'm looking for but impressive nonetheless!

Let's say I have a simplified 3d mesh from a topographic survey (drawn from isohypse lines and meshed with toposhaper for instance). Very complex and heavy, and full tris so impossible to edit quickly.

Then I have a site in quad topology modeled in 2D from CAD plans with correct projections of roads, buildings rivers, and so on.

Right now, I move manually each vertice of my quad site to fit the correct height of the topographic mesh, beginning by the roads, then outlines of buildings, etc.
Of course, I use separated groups to keep the quads from merging with the tris, and I regularly test if SubD works without generating errors) and save a lot.

For complex sites, it takes hours. I enjoy the zen attitude when modeling sites but sometimes I realize that it's very repetitive and boring.

So, what I'd like is a script that 'drapes' the vertices of my quad mesh on the topographic mesh with one click, just like the sandbox's drape tool but that keeps the quads, so I can keep subDing afterwards, and of course further editing because the project always evolves...

panixia · 26 Jan 2020, 21:08

Oh I see. +1 one for this tool request! Sort of "conform quad mesh to target mesh" that would be really useful.
maybe there is some workaround using tons of plugins..

panixia · 26 Jan 2020, 23:02

Maybe this tecnique could be a workaround for your case?

(drape c-points + TIG triangulate points + QFT convert triangulated mesh to quad + VT make planar on Z + flowify without cut)

panixia · 27 Jan 2020, 12:23

@optimaforever said:

This method should work in most simple cases indeed.

I totally disagree about this. If you use a similar approach by modular patches you can manage to project rather complex quad models on pretty large terrain

optimaforever · 27 Jan 2020, 12:32

Ah sorry for the misunderstanding. I agree that Flowify is robust.
I'm meaning, I'd work with small patches at a time because SubD becomes unstable and slow to edit with huge meshes, not to mention the errors and the time it needs to pinpoint the culprit vertices.

PS I'm not used to see fast replies on this thread

By the way, I was looking for some workaround with

C-points at vertex (TiG) of the quad mesh
Drop C-points on the target mesh with Raytracer (Thomthom)
trying triangulate points (TIG) but ended in a mess, so I was looking for a script to recreate a quad mesh from the dropped Cpoints...

optimaforever · 27 Jan 2020, 12:46

Thanks Marcello for the long didactic video ! Very clever, you're a genius!
This method should work in most simple cases indeed. Flowify rules! The thing is, not to forget to use Flowify WITHOUT CUT, and to keep things simple.
In the past, I used Instant Road but it produces messy meshes, impossible to edit anymore and you need to keep track of each iteration of the terrain, just in case you need to change road position, height, crossings, etc.