[Plugin] Hole Punching Tool

Phil Rader AIA

FLABERGASTED...This is Awesome...What a time saver this will be.

TIG

TIG,
One option for Gaieus' suggestion is to add a Tools Observer, if a punching component is in the selection, the move tool is active, and the tool goes to 'copy' mode, then un-select the linked components and copy only the hole punching component... or would this mess with some other functionality with the tool??? It would be handy though.
Again, awesome plugin. I've been waiting for something like this for a looooong time.
Thanks again,
Karen

The problem I have is there is no observer for the Move Tool that differentiates whether it is in Move or Copy mode.
In the Move mode we want the 'cutting_component' and its 'hole' to be linked and thereby move 'as one' - so I'm stuck.
The simple advice is, if you want to copy a 'cutting_component' that is already 'punched' first you need to 'unpunch' it using the context_menu tool [or by erasing the inner 'hole' geometry completely by hand], then copy it as needed so it will cut holes in its face with each copy, then you simply select it and all of its copies and then use the context_menu to 'punch' them all again - that way all of the holes will punch with individual links and can be moved etc individually afterwards...

kwalkerman

TIG,

I've been using this tool and love it, however, I've come across some strange behavior when shadows are turned on...

When viewing the building from the outside, shadows show correctly:
Shadows Viewed From Outside

but when I place the camera inside the building, something strange happens with the shadows...

Shadows viewed from inside

The same window attached to a single surface correctly displays shadows from inside and outside.

I'm not sure why this is happening... It very likely has something to do with how my windows are constructed (I am using TIG's suggested method of creating a separate cutting surface than the window geometry).

Thanks,

--
Karen

TIG

Here's v1.4 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=271170#p271170
Punching-components can now be copied using Move+Ctrl or Rotate+Ctrl with xN or /N for Array copies if desired and the reveals etc remain linked to individual instances... please read the notes regarding this new ability - e.g. arraying a non-punched instance and then punching it and the copies en mass is more than three times faster than doing it to a pre-punched one, simply because of the extra operations needed to re-glue/un-punch/re-punch all of the copies... Also note that Edit>Copy>Paste can be unreliable depending on the punched-instance's geometry/origin, also undoing such an array needs two undoes etc etc...

This uses a plethora of observers and attribute linking, so whilst it has been extensively tested before issue I am sure that some of you will manage to invent unexpected ways of breaking it

Feedback please...

TIG

Here's v1.5 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=271170#p271170
It has two new options in the context-menu...
Redo Punch: which lets you easily redo a hole-punching instances punched hole - useful if you have swapped the instance's definition for another definition [or edited the actual component] so it is now a different shape to the punched hole. This will undo and redo the punching in one step for all selected hole-punching component instances.
Reglue: which 'reglues' selected instances onto the face they are currently placed on. This is useful if you have accidentally erased a face that contained instances that cut-holes, remaking the face will not remake the cut-holes. To reglue [and thereby re-cut] instances to their rightful faces you first select them and then pick 'Reglue' - they are then each glued to the appropriate face and the appropriate hole is 'cut' in it. Note that this tool will work for both standard hole-cutting components and this tool's own hole-punching cousins...

TIG

Here's v1.6 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=271170#p271170
'Reglue' now only appears in the context-menu if the current selection contains potential [re]gluable instances.
DeBabelizer/lingvo-file language translation options added for EN-US, DE, FR, ES etc. I'm sure my basic translations will make some native speakers smile ruefully... They are the first attempt - so please adjust and post better translations in your own locale languages; also other locale versions would be appreciated - e.g. Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin et al...

Happy New Year - I'll see you all in 2011...

TIG

Here's an improved ES lingvo file from Defisto [thanks!].
It will be included in any future update... but for now if you have a Spanish locale please extract the file into ../Plugins/TIGtools folder and it should be used on a restart of Sketchup...#HolePunchToolES.zip

Edson

tig,

I must have said a dozen times about your plugins: AMAZING! this is an extremely useful new tool.

thanks a lot.

TIG

Thanks

But... I fear that out of the millions of Sketchup users only ~100 have this new tool... which does what many have wished for.........

Rich O Brien

Maybe it's the name...it frightens me

TIG

@unknownuser said:

Maybe it's the name...it frightens me

What do you suggest? One of my longer tool names?
MakeYourSelectedStandardCuttingComponentFormHolesInTwoFacedSurfacesLikeWallsEtc.rb
Perhaps it does need 're-branding' - BUT it does do the holy-grail - ordinary cutting components that 'punch' through two faces... ANY advice welcome

Rich O Brien

Du you want the video?

TIG

@unknownuser said:

Du you want the video?

Yas pleeze! Ur spelchekr seemz tu b falti?

Edson

@tig said:

Thanks

But... I fear that out of the millions of Sketchup users only ~100 have this new tool... which does what many have wished for.........

I'll spread the word among my students. let's see if this number of users grows.

Gaieus

@edson said:

@tig said:

Thanks

But... I fear that out of the millions of Sketchup users only ~100 have this new tool... which does what many have wished for.........

I'll spread the word among my students. let's see if this number of users grows.

And I have already been spreading the word:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/sketchup/thread?tid=3eebfcfb1a4bd106&hl=en
Of course, I cannot do anything if the OT never comes back to check his topic and the reply out...

unclex

Help

it can not work with [ clf_shape_bender ]

after Punch loaded, run the [ clf_shape_bender ], SU Crashed!!!

Dave R

I get the same results as UncleX. Curious.

TIG

@dave r said:

I get the same results as UncleX. Curious.

It is odd as there should be no connection...
I have reproduced it too...
HolePunch does add some observers to Definitions and any new definition that is added.
Perhaps it's clashing with the way ShapeBender adds its new shape-bender component definition ?

I am investigating...

TIG

Here is an updated version http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=271170#p271170
1.7 20100121 Observers are now first removed then added to avoid duplication and rare clashes with other scripts.***

***It appears that the way ShapeBender copies/adds component-instances/definitions and also uses 'make_unique' etc fell foul of the HolePunch definitions observers: a definition could occasionally get two of the same HolePunch observers added which really messed everything up big time!

In this updated version the HolePunch definitions observer 'removes' the definition observer before 'adding' it to avoid having more than one of that observer attached to the same thing [usually it's not already there, but the .remove_observer() only returns true/false on success/failure so if it's not there to remove it doesn't cause a problem with the following code].

I've retested this with ShapeBender and now I haven't managed a glitch let alone a BugSplat [yet].

Please try it and report back...

unclex

Thank U
the bug is solved.