[Plugin] Free Rotate 4.4

TIG

TIG

Darn, TIG, I just can't get the second TAB to work consistently. There are times it works sometimes, that I get exactly what I want, other times I just can not figure out what I am doing wrong. Note, by the time it works, I have pressed so many keys, I not sure just what made it work.

I press the down arrow, it resets, and stops.

I press the TAB, and I can set the pivot point, by moving my cursor the location and clicking the left mouse button.

I press the TAB again, and here is where I get lost. How do I select the next point, or axis?

Ken, confused.

3... Press TAB and then Pick a point on the axis - it should be on a line from the pivot to where you pick [I'll add a guide-line in the next update it might assist...]
4, After you pick it waits for you to press Down_Arrow or Ctrl to restart the Free-Rotate OR you can Tab again to set anew Pivot & Axis point...

TIG

Here's v2.3 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=266561#p266561
It now draws a DarkOrange guide-line from the Pivot-Point [picked at Tab-1] to the moving cursor before you pick the Axis-Point [Tab-2] - This might help clarify what the axis-line will be when you click that second point. This is 'axis' is the orientation that the object will use and 'point' to the moving cursor, as it rotates freely anchored at the pivot....

mitcorb

Thank you, TIG:
I am going to download and experiment with it.

ken

TIG

Well I see my problem. When I picked the pivot point, it has a sticky attribute, however, the New_Axis Point did not have this characteristic. It doesn't become sticky until you press TAB again or the down arrow. This is shown in the video, after selection the pivot point, I press TAB and now try to pick the New_Axis point. Note, I see the change to the selection point is made by the circle color, however, I am still allowed to move this point until I press the TAB or the down arrow.

And to the second anomaly. If I correctly pick a pivot point and New_Axis point, and just move the cursor around and around the globe and come back to the starting point on the globe, the selection is not at the original position. I would think that it should be at the same positioning before and after rotation, if I don't make the final selection.

Again thanks.

Ken

FreeRotate2.wmv

TIG

Ken

I'll watch it and absorb...

ken

@unknownuser said:

Ken, you need a second monitor for all your tool bars!

Well, I was hoping no one would notice. But I get so frustrated with the tool bars alignment exercise, I just load every thing up I think I need. I did manage to get a larger monitor just for Sketchup.

Which, brings me to another frustration. Some tool bars have one or two icon (plugins) in the 12 (typical) icon selections that I wish to use. So I have all these tool bar enabled but only use about 1/4 of the available icons. Wish someone would make a generic tool bar plugin, allowing me to load the icon (plugins) I need. And also, categorize the plugins by function. Well so much for dreaming.

Not sure if you can see any details, but some plugins that have icons and small tool bars and are not encrypted, I have rewrote the script to have the icon (plugins) to show up in other tool bars. I have discovered that I can make a icon show up even in a tool bar scrip that is encrypted, so I have combined some tool bars.

Ken

TIG

Here's v3.0 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=266561#p266561

There is a new 'Up-Arrow' option to rotate constrained around Axis.

This overcomes one of the limitations of using 'Free Rotate' - where the Selection can spin around its Axis as you rotate it.
Remember that you can already use 'Tab' to reset the Pivot and Axis as desired.
Now once you have got the Selection free-rotated to the required 'rake' you can press 'Ctrl' to freeze it temporarily.
Then you press the 'Up-Arrow' to enter the constrained rotation option...
The Selection's rotation - constrained around the Axis - can now be adjusted as required, either picking two points or picking one point and Typing an Angle into the VCB...

Please read the Notes...

halroach

It's a nice idea, but I think for it to be useful it needs to be a lot simpler!

When I first run the plugin it selects the center of the component as the axis point. In most cases, I believe, the center of the component is quite a meaningless point.

I think the initial pivot point should be one of two:

If the idea is to 'select geometry' => run plugin => pivot point and direction automatically selected - it should use the original component's axis point along with the blue orientation. The components axis point is a point that can be changed without the plugin running, and without the object swiveling all over the place before I even know what it's doing.
If the idea is similar to most of the original sketchup tools, like the "rotate tool" where you 'select geometry' => run plugin => 'select pivot point' => 'select second poingt' => 'select direction point'. then that's the way it should be! let there be an option to first select the pivot point before anything happens.

Just my opinion...

TIG

Hal, thanks for the feedback...

It is a tool-idea that's 'under development' - a 'proof of concept', if you will...
So all feedback is welcome.

I had previously toyed with the idea of using a component's insertion point BUT the whole ideas is to let you 'free-rotate' anything selected - rather like the built-in rotate tool.
It is probably a valid idea to start without any movement, and with you first picking a pivot-point and then an axis-point. You could then have a special modifier key set to swap to the selection's center [as it's often 'inside' things!].
Then there could then be a modifier key toggle between 'free-rotate' and 'axial-rotate' - around the axis as it has been transformed by any earlier 'free' rotations...
You then 'confirm' [L-click or <enter>] OR Cancel. If you want to free-rotate action you'd re-run the tool...

I'll digest this and come back with v4

EarthMover

I'm diggin the update. I like the new up arrow feature to flatten the rotate sphere. I would consider adding a red, green, blue axis restriction with a similar flattened sphere, perhaps with the left, right, down arrow keys. I know the concept is to "Free" rotate, but I like your construction point grid idea a little better than the native rotate tool and could see it totally replacing it altogether as one tool to "freely" precision rotate objects.

TeKnoel

Wow!

I've wanted something like this since I started using sketchup. it's already amazing and i think your ideas for version four are on the right track to turn it into a very streamlined and intuitive plugin. thanks!

TIG

Well........... v4 is all but ready AND I think it's much better too...........

TIG

Here's v4.0 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=266561#p266561
There has been a radical overhaul of how the tool operates - see the notes...
It is now much simpler and similar to built-in tools...
Also a FreeRotate Toolbar has been added.
It now comes in a Zip file with a FreeRotate folder containing the button's png files.

Feedback please...

jason_maranto

Works great so far -- very intuitive.

Best,
Jason.

EarthMover

Nice work. Loving the concept of the rebuild. It's very slow to load and release for me, especially in the axial mode. (8 seconds before the circle grid appears and 8 seconds to release after I press Esc.) Free mode takes 3 seconds to load and release.

jeff hammond

the tab key isn't working properly on mac (unless of course, i'm doing something wrong)

i've tried to switch to axial mode at various stages in the selection process (before picking a pivot, before an axis, after both, etc..)

when i push tab, the vcb highlights then if i hold the tab key down, the vcb 'bounces' as if i'm giving an improper input.

i'm pretty sure i remember another script in the past that had problems with the tab key on mac and you knew the solution.. (one of chris' scripts maybe?)

TIG

@unknownuser said:

the tab key isn't working properly on mac (unless of course, i'm doing something wrong)
i've tried to switch to axial mode at various stages in the selection process (before picking a pivot, before an axis, after both, etc..)
when i push tab, the vcb highlights then if i hold the tab key down, the vcb 'bounces' as if i'm giving an improper input.
i'm pretty sure i remember another script in the past that had problems with the tab key on mac and you knew the solution.. (one of chris' scripts maybe?)

I thought I had the Tab key sorted - it's taken as #9 on PC and #15 on MAC...
You can toggle between Free & Axial at ANY point so it's bust on your MAC!
Once I understand the exact problem it's an easy fix...
Any advice from anyone ?

Meanwhile could you try to make an edit of the FreeRotate.rb file with a plain-text editor
Around line #524
if key == 9 or key == 15 ### TAB =9 for PC, =15 for MAC
can you change it to read
if key == 9 or key == 23 ### TAB =9 for PC, =23 for MAC
save and see if that helps...

jeff hammond

nada.. same thing

TIG

@unknownuser said:

nada.. same thing

Thanks any way - I'm doing some digging to find how to trap the TAB key on the MAC it's #9 on the PC...
I think it's 0x30...
Could you perhaps try '24' and '48' ?

thomthom

Does tab work in Solid Inspector, Jeff? http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=30504