Using add_3d_text

Greg · 24 Feb 2008, 23:09

Hello,

I'm using the command add_3d_text to add text to objects. How do you
change orientation of the text so that it looks like it's on the
surface of a plane? For example, I'd like the text to display at the
top and front of a rectangular cube.

Here is a code snippet:

top plane

pt1 = Geom::Point3d.new(x,y,z+h)
pt2 = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y,z+h)
pt3 = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y+l,z+h)
pt4 = Geom::Point3d.new(x,y+l,z+h)
edges[0] = entities.add_line(pt1, pt2)
edges[1] = entities.add_line(pt2, pt3)
edges[2] = entities.add_line(pt3, pt4)
edges[3] = entities.add_line(pt4, pt1)
face = entities.add_face edges
face.material = m

t=Geom::Transformation.new(pt1)
grp=entities.add_group(); grpEnts=grp.entities
grpEnts.add_3d_text("hey mon", 1, "Arial", false, false, 4.inch,
1.mm , 0, false, 0)
grp.move!(t)

front plane

pt1 = Geom::Point3d.new(x,y,z)
pt2 = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y,z)
pt3 = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y,z+h)
pt4 = Geom::Point3d.new(x,y,z+h)
edges[0] = entities.add_line(pt1, pt2)
edges[1] = entities.add_line(pt2, pt3)
edges[2] = entities.add_line(pt3, pt4)
edges[3] = entities.add_line(pt4, pt1)
face = entities.add_face edges
face.material = m

t=Geom::Transformation.new(pt4)
grp=entities.add_group(); grpEnts=grp.entities
grpEnts.add_3d_text("hey mon", 1, "Arial", false, false, 4.inch,
1.mm , 0, false, 0)
grp.move!(t)

Thank you.

Greg

todd burch · 25 Feb 2008, 02:30

Mods, please move this to the Ruby Forum.

Greg · 25 Feb 2008, 03:10

Done.

Gaieus · 25 Feb 2008, 05:17

Yeah, this is definitely ruby stuff.

BTW welcome, Greg, but what do you mean by "done"?

Greg · 25 Feb 2008, 06:05

Done means I moved the posting to this forum, Ruby Discussions, from the 'Newbie' forum. Actually, I copied this from the 'Newbie' forum to this forum, 'Ruby Discussions'. I don't know how to move a posting.

Is there a more appropriate forum then 'Ruby Discussions'?

Greg · 25 Feb 2008, 06:25

Just a follow-up to clarify my question: How do I set the (x,y,z) coordinates of the text to control it's orientation?

I am programmatically assigning 3dtext as pallet labels to the front and top of pallets in a virtual warehouse created from ruby code generated from a c# application accessing inventory data from a SQL database, 2 to 3 thousand pallets.

Right now, the text just lays flat on an x,y plane. That works for printing text on the top of pallets, but I can't orient the text upright so that it properly prints on the front of pallets.

I hope this makes sense.

Thank you.

Greg

Gaieus · 25 Feb 2008, 11:37

@greg said:

Done means I moved the posting to this forum, Ruby Discussions, from the 'Newbie' forum. Actually, I copied this from the 'Newbie' forum to this forum, 'Ruby Discussions'. I don't know how to move a posting.

Ok, I see. I also moved your topic nd then found that you copied it here so I merged the two.

@unknownuser said:

Is there a more appropriate forum then 'Ruby Discussions'?

No, this is the finest forum for this (in the World? )

TIG · 25 Feb 2008, 11:39

See my TextTag script that does this. The 3d-text is grouped, it appears at 0,0,0, it's then transformed to where you want it, snapping to faces etc as desired...

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

Greg · 25 Feb 2008, 19:25

Thanks TIG,

I actually used your code as a guide to get as far as you see here. But I don't see how to programmatically snap the 3dtext to the front and side of a cubed-shaped object (pallet) without user intervention. I need the application to snap the text to the pallet automatically.

Is this the section of your code I should reference for the 'snapto' functionality?

%(#FF0040)[compo.behavior.always_face_camera=true if @cfacing=="Yes" ### faces camera
if @asnap=="Yes"
compo.behavior.is2d=true
compo.behavior.snapto=0 ### snaps to Any surface
end#if

tag=model.place_component(compo)]

If so, I can't figure out the relationship between your compo (components) and my grpEnts (entities).

Greg

TIG · 25 Feb 2008, 20:00

After you have auto-placed the grp containing the 3d-text you need to rotate it in Z, then so it's vertical. You need to make a "rotation transformation"...

transformation=Geom::Transformation.rotation(anchor_point,vector_axis,angle_radians)

e.g. for a right-angle about Z try -

rotate=Geom::Transformation.rotation(pointN.[0,0,1],90.degrees)

e.g. for a right-angle about Y try -

rotate=Geom::Transformation.rotation(pointN.[0,1,0],90.degrees)

etc

Mess around to find which you need for which group...

Greg · 25 Feb 2008, 20:42

Thanks TIG, I'll do this.

Greg

Greg · 27 Feb 2008, 06:33

TIG,

I have tried variations of the code but I can't get it to work.

%(#FF0040)[txtPt = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y,z+(h/2))
t=Geom::Transformation.new(txtPt)
grp=entities.add_group(); grpEnts=grp.entities
grpEnts.add_3d_text("hey mon", 1, "Verdana", false, false, 4.inch, 1.mm , 0, false, 0)
grp.move!(t)

grp = Geom::Transformation.rotation(txtPt,[0,0,1],90.degrees) # these are variations
txtPt = Geom::Transformation.rotation(txtPt,[0,0,1],90.degrees) # these are variations
t = Geom::Transformation.rotation(txtPt,[0,0,1],90.degrees) # these are variations
rotate = Geom::Transformation.rotation(grp,[0,0,1],90.degrees) # these are variations]

I don't understand the relationship of 'Geom::Transformation.rotation(point,vector,angle)' to grpEnts.add_3d_text.

What am I overlooking?

Thank you.

Greg

Greg · 27 Feb 2008, 07:04

TIG,

Thanks for your help. The following code 'status = grpEnts.transform_entities t, grpEnts.collect' rotates the 3D-Text:

txtPt = Geom::Point3d.new(x+w,y,z+(h/2))
t=Geom::Transformation.new(txtPt)
grp=entities.add_group(); grpEnts=grp.entities
grpEnts.add_3d_text("hey mon", 1, "Verdana", false, false, 4.inch, 1.mm , 0, false, 0)
grp.move!(t)

t = Geom::Transformation.rotation(txtPt,[1,0,0],90.degrees)
status = grpEnts.transform_entities t, grpEnts.collect

This was copied from ldraw.rb.

Greg

TIG · 27 Feb 2008, 08:57

I'd expect this to work for the 't' rotation - note that I prefer to keep things inside parentheses () - although it will work without (usually):

grpEnts.transform_entities(t,grpEnts)

or for the group rather than it's entities

grp.transform!(t)

(it's similar to grp.move!(t) ...)

Now you just have to copy this group of 3d-text (grp2=grp.copy!) and move! it around the corner and rotate transform! it to suit.

In SketchUp Ruby here are often several ways of doing the same complex thing - like transformations -, BUT sometimes there's NOT one way of doing some simple thing !!! For example finding the active section-plane or finding if sections-cuts are currently being shown in the view (something I'm looking at currently) - even the SDK doesn't access these shortcomings in the API...

Glad you fixed it.

Greg · 27 Feb 2008, 16:50

Thanks TIG,

I'll apply your suggestions and evaluate the results.

Greg