sketchucation logo sketchucation
    • Login
    Oops, your profile's looking a bit empty! To help us tailor your experience, please fill in key details like your SketchUp version, skill level, operating system, and more. Update and save your info on your profile page today!
    ⚠️ Important | Libfredo 15.6b introduces important bugfixes for Fredo's Extensions Update

    PolygonMesh behavior

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Developers' Forum
    34 Posts 7 Posters 2.2k Views 7 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • thomthomT Offline
      thomthom
      last edited by

      @mitcorb said:

      Pardon my eavesdropping, but exactly how would I visualize a vertex normal? I can visualize a face normal, even an edge normal under some conditions. Or is it sort of like a tesseract?

      I did that for Vertex Tools, I take the average normal of the faces connected to the vertex.

      Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
      List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • AdamBA Offline
        AdamB
        last edited by

        @thomthom said:

        I did that for Vertex Tools, I take the average normal of the faces connected to the vertex.

        You're missing a step with your averaging there. You need to weight by the contribution each face connected to the vertex makes - ie weight by the interior angle otherwise a cube constructed of triangles will end up with vertex normals not all pointing out exactly at 45 degrees.

        Developer of LightUp Click for website

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • S Offline
          soldatino
          last edited by

          I am sorry but I use this topic because it seems to be about my question.
          I make a solid using the help example for smooth surfaces (6 sides), then I push for the elevation, then I select all the object, then I apply Soften edges angle 79,0 degrees, and the edge appear soft.
          But if I get the normals at each point I read always (0, 0, 0), that is not a valid vector.
          Sorry, where I am wrong?

           
          for np in 1..numpol do
            vertices=mesh.polygon_at np
            numvrtx=vertices.length - 1
            for eachvrtx in 0..numvrtx do
              x = mesh.point_at((vertices[eachvrtx]).abs).x*RatioPov
              y = mesh.point_at((vertices[eachvrtx]).abs).y*RatioPov
              z = mesh.point_at((vertices[eachvrtx]).abs).z*RatioPov
          
          
              nx = mesh.normal_at (eachvrtx+1) #index is base 1
              UI.messagebox(nx.to_s)
          

          r3nDer tools

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • thomthomT Offline
            thomthom
            last edited by

            @soldatino said:

            I make a solid using the help example for smooth surfaces (6 sides

            Which example?

            @soldatino said:

            But if I get the normals at each point

            I think that .normal_at( index ) refer to the normal of a polygon - not point...

            Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
            List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • S Offline
              soldatino
              last edited by

              Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

              favicon

              (code.google.com)

              but this is about points "particular index in the mesh."
              Or it is for each face? In this case I have to calculate each angle between vertexes of adjacent faces?
              Anyway the vector that I get is 0,0,0, but the faces have smooting in SU.
              http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=it&answer=114941
              the procedure is explained in the yellow window..

              r3nDer tools

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • thomthomT Offline
                thomthom
                last edited by

                I think "particular index in the mesh." refer to the index of polygons.

                @soldatino said:

                Anyway the vector that I get is 0,0,0, but the faces have smooting in SU.

                Normals in SketchUp does not relate the smoothing. Normals are always perpendicular to the face/polygon.

                To find out of the mesh has smooth edges use PolygonMesh.polygon_at http://code.google.com/intl/it/apis/sketchup/docs/ourdoc/polygonmesh.html#polygon_at or PolygonMesh.polygons http://code.google.com/intl/it/apis/sketchup/docs/ourdoc/polygonmesh.html#polygons

                Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • S Offline
                  soldatino
                  last edited by

                  yes, thanks, pointing at the face I get the float values of the vector.
                  Now if it is a offset valid for all the points of each face, I have to find the common points of adjacent faces, and interpolate their offsets to get the vector for the points. A lot of work... do yo think it is right?

                  r3nDer tools

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • thomthomT Offline
                    thomthom
                    last edited by

                    Think so - SU doesn't provide vertex normals.
                    When I wrote Vertex Tools I have to work them out manually from the connected faces.

                    Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                    List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • TIGT Offline
                      TIG Moderator
                      last edited by

                      Look at a vertex.
                      Get its faces.
                      Get the normals of the faces [lets say there are 3 of them].
                      Combine the faces' normals [vectors] using v = v1 + v2 + v3
                      Now 'v' should be the combined-vector at that vertex [the vertex-normal?]...
                      Test it using entities.add_line(vertex.position,v.to_a)
                      which should draw a line at the vertex along the direction of the combined-vector 'v'...

                      TIG

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • S Offline
                        soldatino
                        last edited by

                        thomthom, TIG, thanks. I will attempt to write this in Ruby, even if I dont know much of this language, to do it with a post editor would be very easy, storing the array of all the normals of every face as comments within the ouput of the points ...

                        note: Vertex.used_by? in a loop of all connected faces ? waiting for the eternity...

                        r3nDer tools

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • thomthomT Offline
                          thomthom
                          last edited by

                          @soldatino said:

                          note: Vertex.used_by? in a loop of all connected faces ? waiting for the eternity...

                          ❓

                          Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                          List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • S Offline
                            soldatino
                            last edited by

                            @thomthom said:

                            @soldatino said:

                            note: Vertex.used_by? in a loop of all connected faces ? waiting for the eternity...

                            ❓

                            I am worried because I think that with large model the time required will be huge.
                            Addictionally I would not repeat the calculation for the same point when the loop scans the already involved faces, but if I do not want to repeat I have to save an array for all the entities, containing normals already calculated, and to scan it also, which could be worse...

                            r3nDer tools

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • thomthomT Offline
                              thomthom
                              last edited by

                              What are you doing? An exporter?

                              Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                              List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • thomthomT Offline
                                thomthom
                                last edited by

                                <span class="syntaxdefault"><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">for&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx&nbsp;in&nbsp;0.</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">numvrtx&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">do<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">x&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">mesh</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">point_at</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">((</span><span class="syntaxdefault">vertices</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">[</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">]).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">abs</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">x</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;y&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">mesh</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">point_at</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">((</span><span class="syntaxdefault">vertices</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">[</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">]).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">abs</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">y</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;z&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">mesh</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">point_at</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">((</span><span class="syntaxdefault">vertices</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">[</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">]).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">abs</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">z</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br /></span>
                                

                                Change into this

                                <span class="syntaxdefault"><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">for&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx&nbsp;in&nbsp;0.</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">numvrtx&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">do<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">pt&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">mesh</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">point_at</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">((</span><span class="syntaxdefault">vertices</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">[</span><span class="syntaxdefault">eachvrtx</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">]).</span><span class="syntaxdefault">abs</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">)<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">x&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">pt</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">x</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;y&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">pt</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">y</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;z&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">=&nbsp;</span><span class="syntaxdefault">pt</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">.</span><span class="syntaxdefault">z</span><span class="syntaxkeyword">*</span><span class="syntaxdefault">RatioPov<br /></span>
                                

                                Should be a little bit faster.

                                Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                                List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • S Offline
                                  soldatino
                                  last edited by

                                  This is a part of my exporter to POV-Ray. Yes, now I apply your suggestion !

                                  r3nDer tools

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • S Offline
                                    soldatino
                                    last edited by

                                    SenzaTitoloSTa.jpg

                                    17/11/2010 10:03:00
                                    //Ending at 17/11/2010 10:03:18

                                    17/11/2010 10:09:00
                                    //Ending at 17/11/2010 10:09:18

                                    28935 faces
                                    Later I will check on largest files...

                                    r3nDer tools

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • T Offline
                                      tomasz
                                      last edited by

                                      @thomthom said:

                                      Think so - SU doesn't provide vertex normals.

                                      You are wrong Thomas!
                                      Check this :
                                      polygonmesh.normal_at(vertex_index)

                                      Soldatino, your exporter will work faster now 😄
                                      I think that is what you have been looking for, unless you want to do vertex welding.

                                      Author of [Thea Render for SketchUp](http://www.thearender.com/sketchup)

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • thomthomT Offline
                                        thomthom
                                        last edited by

                                        @unknownuser said:

                                        @thomthom said:

                                        Think so - SU doesn't provide vertex normals.

                                        You are wrong Thomas!
                                        Check this :
                                        polygonmesh.normal_at(vertex_index)

                                        ?

                                        From the docs I see nothing that indicate vertex index. http://code.google.com/apis/sketchup/docs/ourdoc/polygonmesh.html#normal_at
                                        Saying that - it doesn't even say if it's polygon index.

                                        Tomaz: you got a working example?

                                        Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                                        List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • T Offline
                                          tomasz
                                          last edited by

                                          @thomthom said:

                                          Toma**s**z: you got a working example?

                                          Yep. SU2TH 😄

                                          You have to extract a triangle indexes using
                                          tri_indexes=polygonmesh.polygon_at(mesh_index)
                                          and then
                                          normal0=tri.normal_at(tri_indexes[0]) normal1=tri.normal_at(tri_indexes[1]) normal2=tri.normal_at(tri_indexes[2])

                                          The docs are .... terribly bad, you know that you can't rely on them 😄

                                          Now you know how to use it and speed-up your plugins.

                                          EDITED. I was terribly wrong 😄 It is correct now.

                                          Author of [Thea Render for SketchUp](http://www.thearender.com/sketchup)

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • thomthomT Offline
                                            thomthom
                                            last edited by

                                            I can't get it working...
                                            PolygonMeshNormals.png

                                            Thomas Thomassen — SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
                                            List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 2 / 2
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Buy SketchPlus
                                            Buy SUbD
                                            Buy WrapR
                                            Buy eBook
                                            Buy Modelur
                                            Buy Vertex Tools
                                            Buy SketchCuisine
                                            Buy FormFonts

                                            Advertisement