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    [Plugin][EVAL] TIG-CutNfill

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    • C Offline
      cisycao Newcomers
      last edited by

      Hello,

      I am trying to work on the cut and fill tool but it shows fill not solid?

      All the group are identify solid then.

      How to solve this?


      Cut and fill question.PNG

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      • C Offline
        cisycao Newcomers
        last edited by

        Hi TIG,

        I used the cut and fill tool and also use the solid inspector to make sure it is solid but it still shows fill not solid? How to solve this issue?

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        • TIGT Offline
          TIG Moderator
          last edited by

          To do any cut and fill operation - either with this tool or manually using the solid tools - the two solids which are to be used can be contrived in such a manner that when one is subtracted from the other the resultant form fails to be a solid.
          To be a solid an object needs to have only faces and edges, and every edge must have exactly two faces - no more no less.
          SketchUp has a tolerance of 1/1000" built-in and unchangeable.
          If two points are within that tolerance SketchUp assumes they are coincident and merges them.
          This can result in the tiny edge that they defined not being made, and as a consequence the related face is not supported either. With that face missing the form is no longer a solid and reports 0 volume.

          To avoid this I suggest that you make sure that any proposed and existing surfaces are clearly different in their surface's heights/planes, almost coincident point or facets can lead to tiny edges and the related failures to report a volume other than 0.

          Another way involves some scaling and editing of the reported forms' text...

          This method involves making a group containing the proposed and existing solid forms.
          Scale group that up by say 10 [or more - see below] from a diagonal corner.
          Edit that group and run CutNfill on its contents.
          Because the once tiny edges created might now be big enough to survive the solid-tools operations, a real volume might be made and reported as text [although it'll be reported as 10x10x10 too big!]
          Exit the group-edit mode.
          Re-scale the containing group down by 1/10 [0.1].
          Explode the containing group unless you want to keep it...
          It should keep the two solid forms, even though there are now some tiny edges - such tiny edges can exist but can be created !
          Now edit the text part and adjust the reported volumes by the appropriate factor of 1/1000 [0.001]
          Entity Info might also be used to give these volumes and avoid calculators.
          If the 10 scaling up still fails try scaling up the containing group by 100 etc and 1/1000000 [0.000001] for the text reported volumes... etc...

          TIG

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          • T Offline
            trickster
            last edited by

            I got the same problem: Cut = 0 Fill = 0 Cut not solid, fill not solid. It generates the cut / fill solids, but states they are not solid and 0 volumes.

            Have tried scaling it up 1,000 times but still no joy.

            In reality this is not practical as you state below:
            "make sure that any proposed and existing surfaces are clearly different in their surface's heights/planes,"

            Most people need to compare two contour terrain models, you can't change the contours just to make the volume plugin work as the design is set...

            So for me I have paid $20 and can't get any useful results from it with using contour created terrain mesh solids

            cheers

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            • TIGT Offline
              TIG Moderator
              last edited by

              If you try to do this manually using the native solid-tools you will get the same result.
              If your surfaces are within 1/1000" vertically then SketchUp assumes they are coincident and so edges/faces get omitted and 'solidity' is lost.
              So then no proper volume is formed.
              So, by any means available you cannot get a volume by subtraction if the two objects are not reasonably different...
              Sorry, but it's a simple SketchUp limitation - and it's not this tool's fault...

              TIG

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              • S Offline
                Stuart65
                last edited by

                I'm doing everything correct but the plugin fails to calculate the two solid groups.
                I've attached the model, if anyone can please help.


                Untitled02.skp

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                • TIGT Offline
                  TIG Moderator
                  last edited by

                  You have NOT named the two groups as explained in the usage guidance...
                  You have given the two groups separate Tags, but they are both named 'Group' !

                  I renamed them EXTG and PROP [although the second name is unimportant]
                  I ran the tool and in 3 seconds here's the result !

                  Cut: 31965.8
                  Fill: 15770.7


                  Total: -16195.1 cu.m

                  Try doing what I just explained and try again...

                  TIG

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                  • N Offline
                    naumikahejib
                    last edited by

                    I have been following the guides for the cutNFill instructions on the Sketchup Forum as well as Sketucation. I am facing the same issue as @podanyc (Cut N Fill Plugin - Mesh / Solid Errors & Best Practices)
                    I tried scaling the group and using the plugin. However I could not achieve the result and it still shows 0.00 cu.ft.

                    I understand that the mesh needs to be simplified.
                    Hoping you would be able to take a quick look at the file attached and give any guidance on how to avoid these issues.


                    2024.01.16_CutNFill.skp

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                    • TIGT Offline
                      TIG Moderator
                      last edited by

                      Unfortunately your EXTG and PROP groups are very very complex, and have many faces and edges that are almost coincident.
                      The native Solids Subtract tool will let you take one from the other, BUT the results are made non-solid, with 0.0 volume.
                      Because CutNfill relies on these tools, that is why you can't get meaningful results.

                      SketchUp's built-in tolerance is 1/1000" and any edges that would be shorter that that are ignored, as if their end/start points are coincidental, but the tiny gap is not 'healed'. Consequently, any faces relying on such missing tiny edges will fail to form, and the result is a non-solid group with 0.0 volume.

                      So you need to make your modeling much simpler and ensure that this tiny geometry issue is sidestepped.
                      In real life cut and fill is not an exact science on site, so any approximation does not need to be perfect.

                      TIG

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