[Plugin] Three Line Tools (Updated March 9th, 2009)
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Thanks for checking it out folks. Thanks for normals idea Bob!
I would like to implement the toolbar in the next release, or maybe the one after that. This would be a good tool to have in a toolbar I think.
Right now I am working on making be registered with SU extensions so it can be turned on and off easier. Also I am working on the VCB input. Its going pretty good. Currently it works like this:
(Note: this is in development and is not the posted version yet).
Run the plugin for the first time (per SU session).
Prompt box asks for initial height
Then click anywhere to create lines of that height.
Type a new height (into the VCB) and hit enter
All new lines will be made according to that size. (this also resizes the last line drawn)
Keep going until a different tool is activated.Chris
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You can do it with no prompt at all, just use a default value until the user inputs anything. (Can you tell I'm not a fan of prompts?
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I thought about that option, but I couldn't decide on a starting value. I'm having some VCB display issues which are making my VCB experience rather trying. Hopefully I'll get it worked out (I feel a new newbie ruby question thread coming on shortly).
Chris
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Oops, I think that I don't have it set up to accept clicking on nothing. I think it gets confused and does whatever it feels like doing. Thanks for finding that John, look good
Chris
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Chris, keep it as a "Feature".
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Chris, I got this unexpected "cool" result.
I drew a cone-shape and turned on hidden edges.
Used the draw vertical line to Normal.
After doing a few lines I started clicking on white space and and hitting the Return Key.Since the cursor is clicking on white space its registering to elevation zero on the X-Y plane and drawing a line back to a common vertex [Edit(the end-point of the last line drawn as a "normal")[/Edit]]. See red lines.
j
Try it and see what happens.
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SCRIPT UPDATED
All right, I got the VCB integrated now, and it is soo much better! No more prompts, just click click click. When you enter a new value into the VCB and hit enter it will change the length of the previously drawn line.I also updated the video to reflect these changes (but if you're already familiar with the tool, it shouldn't be that hard to get working).
Thanks for the suggestions.
Chris
Oh yeah, there is a known bug where the undo counts every line change as a separate undo command. So if you use the vcb to change the length of a line multiple times, each change will get its own undo. Sorry, its turned out to be trickier than I thought to fix this in this script but I have some ideas to fix it if its a big problem.
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Seems quasi perfect
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Thxs a lot Chris for this plugin
Really usefull -
UPDATED (again)
Just in case you were'nt sick of updating this script, I thought I'd make yet another update to it today!This is the new Visual Graphic User Interface Edition. Or in other words, I added a toolbar.
These are (1)Vertical lines of the same length. (2)Vertical lines with the same elevation. (3)An N (for Normal) and 3 lines coming off of its normals.Also, I made it so it registers with the extension manager. (Go to Preferences>Extensions and you'll see "3 Line Tools" listed. You can uncheck it and it won't be in your Plugins menu the next time you run SketchUp.) Hope these frequent updates aren't obnoxious.
Chris
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Superb.Thanks
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Thanks so much Chris.
What a plugin !
And how fast you are in updating it in order to follow our needs and demands !
Seen this way Ruby scripting seems so easy ...
Unfortunately it's not. Or at least for me.
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Just a remark concerning the 3rd script "normal lines".
After the normal line to a surface is drawn, if you change the spacial orientation of this surface, the line don't follow this change. Seems your line don't stick to the surface, right ?Another one. I'm using Sketchup 6.0 free. I've decimal and mm selected as units.
When I start your script, the first lenght equals 2540 mm. Of course I can change it in the VCB. But is it possible and where to change it? Lets say to 100 or 1000 ? -
Really nice improvements Chris. Thanks
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Suggestion
Maybe for another script or another line inside
Does it possible to make the same but for an ordinary "curve"?
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chris,
when i think this script has been perfected to a fault you come with an upgrade to make it even better. THANKS!
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Thanks! Nice plugin , it's very handy - nice one!
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@edson said:
perfected to a fault
That is exactly how I feel about this script - all it does is draw a vertical line! A script that draws a vertical line should not be upgraded a dozen times and should certainly never need to make it up to a version 2.0! They're just sinple lines.
But then again, I also agree that each upgrade has somehow made it even better. So thanks for being patient with the upgrades. And thanks for all the compliments. I wouldn't hasve thought so many people would find this thing so useful (though the normal line mode is pretty cool I think). THanks!
Chris
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Evey time I think to myself "The best think about Sketchup is how beautifully simple it is" somebody comes along and makes it more beautiful and simpler.
Thanks for this its one of those things you didn't know you wanted until it appeared.
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