[Plugin] RayTrace & RaySpray
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@honoluludesktop said:
We need a program that will simplify mesh models of small things that are drawn with great care and accuracy. But guess that is off post:-), sorry.
For many many years people have struggled with this "level-of-detail" issue. There has been some great work done by Hugues Hoppe etc but ultimately its difficult to get satisfactory results because the shapes have "meaning" to us that the computer program doing the reduction simply don't understand.
In some sense, we've got this all back to front. We should be describing our models with the minimum information and then refine that description to get more details. Certainly when you get to the point of having sub-pixel polygons, you have to question whether this is such a great representation.
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This RayTrace tool etc IS a very basic tool - typically it's for use in placing elements, like acoustic reflectors in ceiling etc, at something like the correct angle to get the reflected sound to the right places.
You'd only use it in your early volumetric designs - once the design develop I'm sure specialist acoustic design tools will be used to fine-tune the details...
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@adamb said:
In some sense, we've got this all back to front. We should be describing our models with the minimum information and then refine that description to get more details. Certainly when you get to the point of having sub-pixel polygons, you have to question whether this is such a great representation.
hmm... a plugins to analyse the model from the current viewport and highlight the ones with many sub-pixel polygons... or is there one out there already?
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OK, I can visualize it now, the TV detective pulls out his laptop, fires up Sketchup and the ray trace plugin, and determine the bullets fight path, and solves another crime, all thanks to TIG and his plugin.
Ken
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@adamb said:
But thats the point. The wavelength of visible light is so small compared to the thickness of the mirror, the interference between the bounce from the back of the mirror and front is effectively zero.
Unless you have very thin mirrors!
Sounds like I got it backwards
How about a render program that lets the user adjust select components (like keyboards in a large office) to reduce render times?
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Cool plugin TIG !
I'll surely use it to explain to my students how light bounces when hiting objects and so on
I cannot see the usual red-green-black-blue-cyan colored dots when snapping points for postionning the start and end points. Is this normal ? -
@didier bur said:
Cool plugin TIG !
I'll surely use it to explain to my students how light bounces when hitting objects and so on
I cannot see the usual red-green-black-blue-cyan colored dots when snapping points for postioning the start and end points. Is this normal ?I have probably not set 'inferencing' properly in the tool code !
I did it in a rush...
I'll look at it.......... -
I give you 1 hour to correct the problem. And please DON'T GO TO SLEEP. HEAR ME ?
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TIG
Thanks for a fun plugin. I know other will need this, and I know sometime in the future I will be able to find a good use for this plugin.
On a side note, my version just keep bouncing the ole rays until it doesn't hit anything. I was playing with it in a box. Selecting the "NO" bottom does not stop the rays.
Just passing this on. If I am the only one with this problem, I can live with it.
Again, thanks for plugin. Can't wait until I find some usual project for this plugin.
Ken
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Here's v1.2 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=235227#p235227
The bouncing now stops on 'No' - stupid typo
Inferencing improved.
[Sorry it took so long - but I do have to eat etc...
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TIG
thx
Can you make a icon for this plugin -
Holy crap - THANK YOU! I've been needing something like this for a while but don't have the time to learn enough Ruby to make it happen. You ROCK!
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I cannot find any link to this. It would be really handy to me for roughing up mirror lenses. Where is link
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@lincol said:
I cannot find any link to this. It would be really handy to me for roughing up mirror lenses. Where is link
First post on the first page of this thread.
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thanks - I didnt have proper access - something to do with new subscription
lin -
This is really interesting. I look forward to sifting through the code.
As a sound and video designer, I can say this could be very handy. It does however have some issues for practical use as it stands.
When using spray, all sources must be assumed as omnidirectional. It would great to be able to show just a 50 degree spray and specify the focus. As it stands you have to show spray as "flat", i.e. no tilt in the XYZ axes. This prevents you from, say, angling a speaker down. I do use more advanced sound software like EASE for this normally, but I think Sketchup could work better for showing raytracing to a client than EASE.
In trace mode, it would be cool to be able to just show source and direction and the first reflection angle is calculated when it encounters a face. I have coverage angles I use in Sketchup and used them to illustrate. Right now, if I click on the origin, then the end of the coverage line, it calculates the reflection off the end of the line, not off the face it's aimed at.
Just some thoughts if you keep modifying the script. Thanks for the awesome work.
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raytrace test.skprayspray test.skpThis is really interesting. I look forward to sifting through the code.
As a sound and video designer, I can say this could be very handy. It does however have some issues for practical use as it stands.
When using spray, all sources must be assumed as omnidirectional. It would great to be able to show just a 50 degree spray and specify the focus. As it stands you have to show spray as "flat", i.e. no tilt in the XYZ axes. This prevents you from, say, angling a speaker down. I do use more advanced sound software like EASE for this normally, but I think Sketchup could work better for showing raytracing to a client than EASE.
In trace mode, it would be cool to be able to just show source and direction and the first reflection angle is calculated when it encounters a face. I have coverage angles I use in Sketchup and used them to illustrate. Right now, if I click on the origin, then the end of the coverage line, it calculates the reflection off the end of the line, not off the face it's aimed at.
Just some thoughts if you keep modifying the script. Thanks for the awesome work.
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Hi TIG,
I got back to playing with the rayspray last night and was using it for a noise study at my apartment. (We have a Kragen parking lot next to the patio.)
Anyway, I tried using the spray and deleting coverage that wasn't helpful. Then I realized it was much easier to just put a dome over the spray and adjust that to coverage that I cared about. i.e., I'm not looking at the noise flying up into the sky. Worked pretty well, an example is attached. It's a great tool, thanks. Though if you ever figure out how to aim a controlled spray or, say, 2 rays with a specific degree spread between them, this would be even more powerful for sound and light coverage.Thanks again
Joe
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Thanks Tig,
Will be useful to me i am sure.
Regards
Sam
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In v8 the 'raytest' method is flaky and it is used by these tools... BUT a fix is promised for MR1...
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