[Plugin] Make Fur v.2.1.0(20140323)

Einstein

@dave r said:

@einstein said:

Any ideas?

My guess is pilot error. I just installed it and it works fine for me. We need more information about what exactly you are doing when you try to use it.

[attachment=1:37noox4j]fur.gif[/attachment:37noox4j]

What do you mean by "pilot error", what does it mean?
Now I restarted SketchUp a few times and it started working... almost correclty. I can see the preview and generate nice fur. Unless I change some of the parameters: Length, RootWidth (Main tab) and directions, forces (Detail tab) cause the script to kinda get stuck. The preview doesn't change and the geometry doesn't generate. Nothing happens when I click MAKE FUR. I can only close the window and start again with the same issues. In comparison: if I adjust e.g. Stiffness, Divide (Main tab) or things in Detail tab marked green, everything works properly. Looks like the Author wanted to say: green background means "compatibility guaranteed", white bacground means "you're doing this at your own risk". I don't know if it really matters, if the script somehow checks compatibility. Cuz the Author's menu is all green

And one more question - is it possible with this plugin to retain proxies after generation and render fur fully only in external renderer, like v-ray?

I attached the file I'm working with but certainly the problem is not about certain model.

Untitled.skp

Dave R

Pilot error=user error. I thought Einstein would know that. Sorry.

Maybe you've set the length too short?
Click the picture

As for proxies, I'm not sure that is within the scope of this extension. I think you'd need another approach for that.

Einstein

Maybe I should change my nickname...

I assume that when you click MAKE FUR, the geometry generates. So yes, this must be something with my sketchup.

The behaviour doesn't change but thank you for your attempt to help me!

TIG

What settings do you have - compared to Dave's - which work ?
Perhaps a screen-shot ?
If you try it with the Ruby Console open are there any error messages ?
Please be aware that this toolset is getting somewhat old...

Einstein

I tried to generate fur with SketchUp 8 also but the same problem exists with the same set of non-working params.

Working parameters: Density, MaxNumber, Stiffness, Divide (Main tab), all Jitters, ValidDistance (Detail tab).

Non-working parameters: Length, RootWidth (Main tab), directions and forces (Detail tab).

No matter what values I am using, errors show up. I tried similar values to Dave's but it didn't change anything.

Example error in Ruby console when adjusting non-working params:

Error: #<ArgumentError: Cannot convert "0.006" to Length>
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:2407:in to_l' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:2407:in s_to_l'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:1398:in start_fur_test' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:1340:in show_webdialog'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:2407:in `call'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/FUR_EN/main.rb:2407

Additionally, when I adjust a non-working param and after that, a working param, also that working param starts to generate Ruby errors. Only when I restart plugin, I can use some of the params again.

fur error.png

TIG

def s_to_l( tstr1 )
  if tstr1
    tstr = tstr1.to_s.gsub(/\~ /,"")
    return tstr.to_l ####### THROWS ERROR

In the error-message tstr1 is "0.0006" so if you type this in the Ruby Console it should work:
x="0.0006" x.to_l

If that works I can't see what's up !

Einstein

I should type in Ruby Console

x="0.006"
x.to_l

where "0.006" is the value I adjusted with the slider; type it right after moving the slider, right? And then Make Fur.

Sadly this still generates errors

TIG

This was not a FIX.

I wanted to see what got returned when you set a reference to a string and then used .to_l to change that into a length...
It should work in SketchUp >= 6 - particularly when tested outside of the main code.

Fortunately your code in the Ruby Console shows the error.
This should NEVER happen !

What are your Model Info > Units set to ?
A screen-shot might help.

Einstein

My units are set to metres.

TIG

Try typing in values like 0.250m - rather than the bald 0.250, without a units suffix.
See if that helps ?
This is a mystery...

Einstein

Yeah!

This is the point. Adding "m" suffix recovers the preview and makes creating fur possible. Sometimes the solution is so surprisingly simple and you wonder how you couldn't figure it out by yourself

Thank you so much, TIG!

PS I still cannot use these sliders but this it OK. Typing values by hand is also good.

malthuviusrex8

I have a bit of a problem... The plugin was working perfectly fine for a bit, but then I must've either pressed some quick key accidentally or inadvertently changed an unknown setting, because suddenly now the grass isn't showing up; no preview, no end result, nothing.

I've moved a bunch of sliders trying to get it back, to no avail. The 'show preview' option is checked. I'm pretty sure it's not making the grass at all, since, when it does my slow pc will slightly lag, (this is aside from the fact that pressing 'Make Fur' does nothing) and now it shows no difference.
What the heck is happening?! I've tried changing many of the options in the dialog box... but nothing changes.

This was working perfectly fine, and is a wonderful plugin. I really could use help.
Thank you!

jeff1harmed

Thanks. I'm mainly using the crowd maker and I have found it very useful.

I've used it to make a jungle of kelp. This was straightforward although I had to play around with the parameters to get the correct density. (see https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/5b40a061-4125-4b12-9e11-f91b9f2dbbcc/salt-water-fish-props) Then I tried it on a shoal of fish and this was slightly different. With face-me components they all swim in the same direction, no problem. However, with 3D models I had to move them forward and behind manually, but the plug-in was still a big time-saver.

Then I tried the crowd maker on vegetables packed in crates. Again I had to move components into rough grids but It still saved time. (see https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/13bc63c0-f52f-4f63-85bc-a359adf7fedc/vegetable-props ). Very interesting plug-in.

I would suggest alphabetically ordering components in your drop down list. as in its current (first-in first out) state, it takes some time to find one amongst many.

MoonDragon2009

Hi, thank you so much for this add-on.
Since I saw that there are translations in various languages, I translated the language file into Italian, if you want to include it in the next version.
Nice work!

Italian language