Module for Skeletal Animation

mattscar

Hi guys,

I've written a Ruby module that creates and animate bones (essentially ComponentDefinitions) within a skeleton hierarchy. I have a dancing robot example and a PDF for documentation.

I'd be happy to release this as open-source, but I have two questions:

Where should I upload the module/example/PDF?
Has anyone else tried this? I saw SketchUp animation code a ways back, but skeletal animation is a bit more involved.

Thanks,
Matt

Chris Fullmer

Hi Matt, congrtulations. It sounds very cool!

As for releasing it....there are many options. We have a very active community here. Most developers tend to just start a new thread in the plugin forum announcing their new script. Then you can either upload your script directly into that thread, along with the pdf documentation. The benefit of doing it this way is that you get a lot of users who chime in with bugs and glitches and requests. The bad part about doing it this way is that you get a lot of users chiming in with bugs and glitches and requests J/K. Prolly the worst thing about uploading it here directly is that its hard to do any version control or true collaboration if that is what you want.

Jim has recently been using github maybe? We've used google code for a few open source collaboration projects. So far none of these open source SU projects have really taken off though.

So for hosting, put it wherever you would like. If you host it here, just make it clear that its meant to be open source and improved upon (and you might or might not get any collaborators). Or host it on a version control collaboration site, and just link to it from here. Either way, congratulations. It sounds really cool!

Chris

mattscar

Thanks Chris,

I've created a repository at http://code.google.com/p/sketchup-skel, and you can download the module, doc, and example scripts at http://code.google.com/p/sketchup-skel/downloads/list. I'm not the best Ruby programmer and I've never done anything like this before, so all comments are welcome.

Here are some frames (t = 0, 4, 8, 12 sec) of the dancing robot in SketchUp:

Thanks,
Matt

Xolotl

Hello SketchUcation Xperts.

I've been lurking here on SU Forums for a good month now, hoping to read as much as I can before I post the inevitable embarrassing noob question. I've done some personal models and tried renders and all that; only sharing with close friends, as my work stinks compared to y'all. Lots of great tips and work everyone is doing and I am Xcited about SU more than ever before. My new interest is Sketchy Physics and this Skel Anim. It seems as there is not much response, but maybe because, as in my case, I got a bug splat and PMd Matt about it.

Has anyone else tried this plugin, and if so, what were the results?

ThanX.

X (Xolotl)

Mike Lucey

This looks like an interesting development. I hope it gets to the stage that it might be used with, say, Alan's People! It would be great to see some human figure animation in SketchUp models.

driven

@xolotl said:

Hello SketchUcation Xperts.
Has anyone else tried this plugin, and if so, what were the results?

ThanX.

X (Xolotl)

yes, it works, on PC and even the Mac (if your careful), but it's not really a "plugin", but a 'proof of concept' chapter of a very good book on learning how to use ruby for SU.
"Automatic Sketchup" have look on amazon

I did a some 'Mac' example debugging when Matt was writing it and have been meaning to post a review, it is easy to follow and well worth buying... and a lot of it's downloadable from the books website...

If your interest extends to writing your own or testing for others RubyConsolePro is also worth a look, along with Martins book on ruby for sketchup...

john