AI-Created Extension for SketchUp – Issues with CTRL Modifier Functionality

[robertWan]

Hi everyone,

I’m having trouble with a custom SketchUp tool that was created by AI. The tool correctly highlights a selected plane and applies materials to it when clicked. Additionally, this code works for closed groups and components. However, the CTRL modifier functionality is not working as expected. Here’s a summary of the issues I’m facing:

Plane Highlighting: The tool highlights the plane correctly when hovered over and works on closed groups and components.
Material Application: Materials are correctly applied to the selected plane or to closed groups and components when clicked.
CTRL Modifier: The CTRL key should trigger the application of the material to the entire object (group or component) rather than just the selected plane. This should work for both closed groups and components, but this functionality is not working.
Here is the relevant code:

module CustomSelectionTool

  class SelectPlaneTool

    def initialize
      @ip = Sketchup::InputPoint.new
      @view = Sketchup.active_model.active_view
      @last_face = nil
      @model = Sketchup.active_model
      @selection = @model.selection
      @materials = @model.materials
    end

    def onMouseMove(flags, x, y, view)
      @ip.pick(view, x, y)
      face = @ip.face

      if face && face.is_a?(Sketchup::Face)
        if face != @last_face
          # Clear previous selection
          @selection.clear

          # Select the new face
          @selection.add(face)
          @last_face = face
          view.invalidate
        end
      else
        if @last_face
          # Clear selection when there is no face
          @selection.clear
          @last_face = nil
          view.invalidate
        end
      end

      view.tooltip = @last_face ? "Face selected" : "No face selected"
    end

    def onLButtonDown(flags, x, y, view)
      if @last_face
        if (flags & MK_CONTROL) == MK_CONTROL
          # Apply material to the entire object (group or component)
          apply_material_to_object(@last_face.parent)
        else
          # Apply material to the selected face
          apply_material(@last_face)
        end
        @last_face = nil
        view.invalidate
      end
    end

    def apply_material(face)
      material = @model.materials.current
      if material
        face.material = material
      else
        puts "No material to apply"
      end
    end

    def apply_material_to_object(entity)
      material = @model.materials.current
      if material
        if entity.is_a?(Sketchup::Group) || entity.is_a?(Sketchup::ComponentInstance)
          entity.entities.grep(Sketchup::Face).each { |f| f.material = material }
        elsif entity.is_a?(Sketchup::Face)
          entity.material = material
        else
          puts "Cannot apply material to this type of object"
        end
      else
        puts "No material to apply"
      end
    end

  end

  def self.activate_select_plane_tool
    Sketchup.active_model.select_tool(SelectPlaneTool.new)
  end

end

if !file_loaded?(__FILE__)
  UI.menu('Plugins').add_item('Select Plane Tool') {
    CustomSelectionTool.activate_select_plane_tool
  }
  file_loaded(__FILE__)
end

What I’ve Tried:

Using Sketchup::InputModifier::CTRL to check if the CTRL key is pressed.
Ensuring the current material is selected before applying it.
Any suggestions or insights on why the CTRL key functionality is not applying the material to the entire object (including closed groups and components) as intended would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

The code is written in Ruby 1.8, which is compatible with SketchUp 8.

Robert

[TIG]

Class: Sketchup::Tool

Tool is the interface that you implement to create a SketchUp tool.

SketchUp Ruby API Documentation (ruby.sketchup.com)

The arguments passed to the button press method are wrong, they start with key and you test if CTRL was pressed using the right VK_ constant. Also the if test needs rewriting to suit. I'm not near a computer to do more till next week...

[Dan Rathbun]

@robertWan said in AI-Created Extension for SketchUp – Issues with CTRL Modifier Functionality:

Using Sketchup::InputModifier::CTRL to check if the CTRL key is pressed.

Where did you get Sketchup::InputModifier::CTRL from? This is NOT a constant defined by SketchUp's Ruby API. Nor is there an InputModifier submodule. Be careful as the AIs have been known to just "invent" coding objects or functions to satisfy themselves in providing "solutions" (which are not guaranteed to work.)

FYI, the toplevel constants defined by SketchUp's Ruby API are listed at: Top Level Namespace

---

In the tool's onLButtonDown callback method, I think you should be using COPY_MODIFIER_KEY or COPY_MODIFIER_MASK instead of MK_CONTROL to test the flags passed in by the SketchUp engine. See the Sketchup::Tool abstract class overview.

---

Also, your extension submodule should be wrapped within a unique top-level namespace module. Ie:

module RobertWan # top-level namespace
  module CustomSelectionTool # extension submodule

    class SelectPlaneTool
      # ... the tool code ...
    end

    def self.activate_select_plane_tool
      Sketchup.active_model.select_tool(SelectPlaneTool.new)
    end

    if !file_loaded?(__FILE__)
      UI.menu('Plugins').add_item('Select Plane Tool') {
        CustomSelectionTool.activate_select_plane_tool
      }
      file_loaded(__FILE__)
    end

  end # extension submodule
end # top-level namespace

[Dan Rathbun]

If it does not work using onLButtonDown then try renaming the callback to onLButtonUp. I recall back in the v8 days there were some quirks with one or the other callback method (I think on Mac platform mostly.)