[Plugin] 2D Tools

theark

Many thanks.

watkins

Dear dedmin,

Are you able to import SU files into SpaceClaim easily? What process steps do you use?

I have been thinking of switching to SpaceClaim from Inventor.

Regards,
Bob

dedmin

SpaceClaim opens SketchUP's files directly and also exports in .skp format. Amazing program - SketchUP on steroids! Inventor is more powerful, but to bloated, heavy,slow and $$$$! There is a demo You can download and try and a lot of video tutorials - http://www2.spaceclaim.com/forum/files/9/default.aspx. Watch them first to see how different is this software! See this video for SketchUP integration:

http://www2.spaceclaim.com/learnmorenow/product_videos.aspx?v=2009_plus_sketchup.flv

watkins

Dear dedmin,

Thanks for the quick reply. I work at a university in the UK, and so I am entitled to an academic copy, which should make the transition cost effective. Are you UK based?

Kind regards,
Bob

dedmin

No - Bulgaria. You can join here - http://www.spaceclaiming.com/forum

dedmin

@watkins said:

Dear dedmin,

Thanks for the quick reply. I work at a university in the UK, and so I am entitled to an academic copy, which should make the transition cost effective. Are you UK based?

Kind regards,
Bob

Yes - very cost effective - http://www.novedge.com/products/3148
Be warned that this piece is like SketchUP - You always come back to it!

Michaelv

@tig said:

@oxer said:

Hello!!
The first Thanks! for your marvelous plugin. I'm Spanish user of SUp, i have seen that the last version include Spanish translation, my problem is that if i push on the help icon into SUp, no it appears the help, i don't know why, i work in Mac, in the 2Dtools folder there is a file with this name "~$toolsHelp.htm" its contents is: "TIGTIG The Grants$(^±¤ï˜|ì*,%"
Can be the problem this? is a problem in the characters codification in Mac?
Waiting your answer, advanced Thanks!!

Somehow a 'rogue' htm temporary file has got left in the zip file [unnoticed] - however, it's not needed at all and its existence shouldn't cause a problem. There should also be a file called 2DToolsHelpES.htm and a matching folder of images etc, this is the Spanish help file that should load for you on clicking the help-button or picking the equivalent menu item. I've reattached it all of them in a zip file, to see if it helps.
Put everything [htm and folder] into the ../Plugins/2DTools/ folder
Can you open the Spanish htm file 'manually' - double-click on it - when outside of SketchUp ?
If you cannot then there is something that is not working properly in the 'help' file lookup.
Can you also copy/paste this line of text into the Ruby Console and report back what the result is...
Sketchup.get_locale.upcase
It will be fixable...

[attachment=0:1g18rgvi]PutInto2DToolsFolder.zip[/attachment:1g18rgvi]

Hello TIG Thanks very much for all your stuff it's awesome. I've been using the 2D for a while no major issues.
SIncidently though I have the same problem with the help file on Mac, Did the extraction many times, tools work mostly (except toggles, more below) but help doesn't.
File (2Dtoolshelp.htm)can be opened separately (the one in the plugins, I use the EN one)
Pluging your command into the ruby console gives me EN-US

More troubleshooting info: clicking the help button doesn't do anything, no info in the help console. The button highlights but doesn't turn grey and any other button (tool) remains active.

Now another very minor issue I have is that the CTRL toggle doesn't work (it's a MAC that's why). For example for the arc tool: I can't get anything to change but select 1st pt, 2nd pt and then circle circumference. Command and option (alt equivalent) do nothing as expected, and control doesn't toggle.
Control does this: If you start with an arc (no other object) and keep it pressed it prevents you from clicking point until you release it, then it does nothing. As toggle it doesn't work either.
If you have already an object (a line for example) and clicking on it, it brings up a contextual menu (the entity info menu, same as right click)
Alt toggle works fine on other tools.
The undo button does weird things too on entities. It erases the first one or few and then either it adds points or it just stop erasing.

Also incidentally, no menu access, only the tool bar. ( I don't know if there is supposed to be a menu access, just in case I mention it)
All these are minor issues, as I"m really happy with everything as it is, so it's just for feedback.

TIG

I know why the MAC Help doesn't open.

If you put this attached file into the ../Plugins/2Dtools/ folder in place of the earlier one it should open Help on a Mac... 2D#loader.rb I've also temporarily added this updated file to the first item in this thread...

2D Tools sub-menu is to be found under the Draw menu...

Michaelv

@tig said:

I know why the MAC Help doesn't open.

If you put this attached file into the ../Plugins/2Dtools/ folder in place of the earlier one it should open Help on a Mac... [attachment=0:36uy3x3m]2D#loader.rb[/attachment:36uy3x3m] I've also temporarily added this updated file to the first item in this thread...

2D Tools sub-menu is to be found under the Draw menu...

It works like a charm, thank you Sir! Sorry for the submenu, I can't believe I didn't find it before, I always used he toolbar so never looked for it, it's only until you mentionned whether help could be accessed from the submenu that I tried to find it.

Michaelv

OK I've solved the problem of the control key on Macs. Into the ruby programs that correspond to tools that have a ctrl modifier, I changed all tests for VK_CONTROL into VK_COMMAND, I changed the display to cmd too.
I don't have stuff to zip but I'll gladly send you the modified files through email or whatever you'd like.
Thanks TIG

TIG

So are you saying id I change the '..==VK_CONTROL' tests to '..==VK_CONTROL or ..==VK_COMMAND' it'll work on both PC AND MAC?
Please post or PM the files
I need to prepare an update...

thomthom

TIG:
Use none of them. Use the constants listed in the Tool class' description.
http://code.google.com/apis/sketchup/docs/ourdoc/tool.html

@unknownuser said:

CONSTRAIN_MODIFIER_KEY = Shift Key
CONSTRAIN_MODIFIER_MASK = Shift Key
COPY_MODIFIER_KEY = Menu on Mac, Ctrl on PC
COPY_MODIFIER_MASK = Alt on Mac, Ctrl on PC
ALT_MODIFIER_KEY = Command on Mac, Menu on PC
ALT_MODIFIER_MASK = Command on Mac, Alt on PC

Michaelv

@tig said:

So are you saying id I change the '..==VK_CONTROL' tests to '..==VK_CONTROL or ..==VK_COMMAND' it'll work on both PC AND MAC?
Please post or PM the files
I need to prepare an update...

Well here is the thing, the control command on MAC should work but it didn't and I don't know why, sometimes it is said and written that the control function on PC is the command function on MAC, it didn't work in this case either.
So I just substituted the Command key to the control key and left the ALT alone (which is option on MAC).
I'm not sure what the VK_COMMAND corresponding key is on PC if any (maybe the window icon key).
For the sake of information here is some I found: http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2007/08/11/how-apple-keyboards-lost-a-logo-and-windows-pcs-gained-one/
So the "or" line may work but may introduce a second key on PC which may not be desirable.

As for the generic commands that Thomthom listed they will work but beware. I thought about using those too, but in my particular case I work on a laptop and I don't have a "menu" key AFAIK, so again it's not as universal as they'd like.
Copy_modifier_mask and Alt_modifier_mask would work fine here it seems but they reverse the use (ctrl and alt)
As you saw from the story above the control key is really the command key on mac keyboard so I found it just simpler and more intuitive to modify all (text and variables), where option/alt remains such and command becomes the more global modifier. Much more logical and clean as the text match too.

Files coming later tonight.

On the 2D line, alt could be a 3 way toggle too but that's more work.

The link that Thomthom posted has all the variables mentioned (VK_COMMAND, etc..) lower in the text. They claim it to be universal Mac/PC but I'm not sure. VK-ALT for sure (Option/Alt key on my keyboard)

TIG

I can set a test for a PC or Mac OS and then use the appropiate VK_...

thomthom

@michaelv said:

As for the generic commands that Thomthom listed they will work but beware. I thought about using those too, but in my particular case I work on a laptop and I don't have a "menu" key AFAIK, so again it's not as universal as they'd like.

"Menu" is the "Alt" key - I don't know why the manual says "Menu".
I have that small wireless keyboard for my Mac, and I have all the keys required. And I expect you have an Alt key available.

Those generic keys are the least work as they avoid having to test for Windows or Mac.

TIG

But since Alt and Ctrl are effectively swapped over from PC to Mac using this method you'd need to test to change prompts and Help files, as Alt on the Mac is not Alt on the PC.

PC Ctrl = Mac Cmd - = VK_CONTROL or = VK_COMMAND for PC/Mac respectively.
PC Alt = Mac Opt - both = VK_ALT
PC Shift = Mac Shift - both = VK_SHIFT

In 2Dtools it's a simple fix to test for both key presses ? If a PC user presses 'command' [whatever that is?] then it's the same as pressing 'ctrl' anyway, as the 'command' key is not used otherwise on PC and there's no 'ctrl' key on a Mac to muddle us? The 2Dlinetool uses TAB to set Z value option, but it looks for two possible key press codes because TAB varies on the PC and Mac... if key == 9 or key == 15 ### 9 for PC and 15 for MAC...

thomthom

No, this is exactly why COPY_MODIFIER_MASK is for "Alt on Mac, Ctrl on PC"

The *_MODIFIER_KEY and *_MODIFIER_MASK let you check for the various modifiers in a cross platform method.

TIG

The PC user presses Alt - a Mac user usually thinks of Mac's Opt == PC's Alt - so a Mac user should press Opt......... As I see it this suggested method is contra-logical......

thomthom

Yea - names are confusing, mainly the ALT_* constants, but using these constants will match up the modifier key behaviour of native SketchUp. And I guess it matches common behaviour of the platform?

Since OSX has 4 modifier keys and Windows has 3 - things aren't mapped 1 to 1.

grim

tig

is it posible to get these 2d tools working in the layout portion of sketchup?

they would be a great help when preparing documentation drawings

regards

grim