[Plugin] Coords Text Tag from Datum

Blastfurnace

I have to put finished grade and finished floor elevations on my drawings... could this deliver only Z height in a text tag?

I don't profess to be an instructor of any kind but in the settings you can set XY to "none" and it will just display just Z (or Z with any extra prefix you had specified), OR maybe go look at this...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193238#p193238 [Plugin] Add Height from Datum v1.3

I stumbled on that in my search. There's a nice video there for ya to watch. It's a plugin that adds a Z tag. (height)

Krisidious

@blastfurnace said:

@krisidious said:

I have to put finished grade and finished floor elevations on my drawings... could this deliver only Z height in a text tag?

I don't profess to be an instructor of any kind but in the settings you can set XY to "none" and it will just display just Z (or Z with any extra prefix you had specified), OR maybe go look at this...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193238#p193238 [Plugin] Add Height from Datum v1.3

I stumbled on that in my search. There's a nice video there for ya to watch. It's a plugin that adds a Z tag. (height)

Awesome... Thanks BlastFurnace.

jgb

Tig

I think this was asked before, but last week it became a real problem for me.

Is there any way (or could there be a way) to add/edit the tag while initially selecting the coord point in the model? (Rather than after the fact)

I had a bunch of closely spaced coords in my model that I was selecting in a specific order. Got interrupted and got lost. The order was paramount as my Excel sheet did a calculation based on the order of the points and merged with position (coord point) names in the Excel sheet. I was out one point and boy did I get a weird result.

I had to redo all the point selections again (42 points).

IF, I had the ability to name (tag) each point when actually selecting it, then the selection order would not have mattered, as Excel would have sorted them properly.

And I would need to do this over again a few times as I tweak the design.

It doesn't have to be a dialog box, just a simple "click"; type a tag (to the VCB); next click.

TIG

'Add Coords-Tag by Dialog'
This opens a dialog into which you can type the X/Y/Z values for a new
'Coords-Tag': you can also choose to add a Cpoint at that point Yes/No,
and an optional 'Prefix', e.g. #001 - this is added on to the Tag as #001= .
The values of the X/Y/Z should match the current 'Coords-Tag Settings'.
The tile-bar will shows these as say XY=km,Z=m
Remember - Latitude/Longitude +ve is North/East and -ve is South/West.

'Import Coords-Tags from CSV'
This imports all of the 'Coords-Tags' in the Model from a CSV file in
to format X,Y,Z or LAT,LONG,Z - the values must be comma separated and
consist of numerals only with '.' as the decimal separator, one point
per line.
A dialog then requests the 'units' used in the CSV file for XY and Z,
and if you want to add Cpoints [defaults are 'm' and 'Yes'].
If the CSV file has a 'header' line etc it is ignored.
If a 4th 'column' contains 'text' it is used as a prefix, e.g.
the line 1.2,3.4,5.6,#001 becomes the Tag #001=x1.2, 3.4, 5.6

See below...

'Export Coords-Tags to CSV'
This exports all of the 'Coords-Tags' in the Model into a CSV file in
to format [#]***, X[units],Y[units],Z[units] or LAT,LONG,Z[units]
The 'units' in the CSV file are those current in the settings/dp etc.
***Note that he '#' is any 'prefix like '#001=', or it's not added...
###Note how you need to swap columns [moving the '#' entries into the fourth column] if going to be importing a manually changed file...

So what else is needed

jgb

What else is needed.....

I need to label or prefix each selected coord point with a different name, every time I create the tag. In this model things move and change shape as I tweak the design, so an existing tag (most times) cannot be reused after a tweak. Yes, the points coord will adjust, but I need to change the label every time, so the Excel sheet will sort them properly.

'Add Coords-Tag by Dialog' only puts a named tag at the input coords, NOT a point selection.
I cannot select a point in the model and label it specifically, unless I am missing something.

I have no problem (so far) with exporting the CSV file and its format.

What I am asking for is this....

When I select "add coord tag" I can sequentially add tags by simply clicking on points.

I cannot change the tag label except by going back and editing the tag. But I need to know the specific order I selected each point, and for some, this order changes with each tweak.

So if I could simply click on a point and then just type to the VCB a label before selecting the next point, problem solved.

TIG

So you want an option like the 'Add' tool BUT that asks for a prefix/reference.
So if the 'Settings' had an option 'Prefix Prompt:' Yes|No then if it were Yes you get asked for the Prefix... inputbox + enter; if '' or cancel then or there's no prefix ?? The VCB is too tricky as any letters can be taken as Shortcuts and skip off to another tool!
BUT that way you do have to hit Enter/Esc or click OK between each click...

If this is what you want it's doable...
Let me know if you want something else

jgb

I did not realize the VCB entry would act that way.

So, understanding what you said, here is what I would suggest.......

Select from your main menu, "Add Coord-Tag with Prefix" or something like that.

Use the same (similar) dialog box on screen as with "Add Coord-Tag by Dialog".

I would then click on a point. The XYZ coords would display in the dialog box and wait for a manual prefix entry followed by <enter> (or next click on another point).

Tag with manual prefix displays in model.

Dialog box stays on screen for next point selection, until tool change or <esc>.

As long as I do not have to call up the Dbox each time I tag a point, I can very happily live with that.

Two other options, if I may.
1 - If a manual prefix is entered, can you dispose of the "XYZ=" prefix? Or at least put the manual prefix in its own column in the CSV file?

2 - Option to add a sequential numerical prefix instead of a manual prefix input.
You would need a "start seq. at ###" Dbox entry with it. (not important, just an after thought)

TIG

Here's v2.4 http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284829#p284829

Available from the SCF PluginStore...

Please reread the main Notes...
The main changes are:
New option to 'Prefix Prompt?' in Settings, then under 'Add' you get a dialog with each added Tag into which you can type or accept an auto-incrementing Prefix [#001, #002 etc], or ESC to skip Prefixing...
The imported AND exported CSV files now both use the last [fourth] column as the # Prefix/Reference - X,Y,Z,#...

jgb

That was fast

I'll check it out over the w/e as I am pressed for time today.

Many thanks, in advance...

jgb

Perfect, (almost)

When I type a label ie: "first point" <enter> then select the next point,
the label in the dialog reads "first poinu".
The last letter is incremented with the next alpha letter.
Happens all the time, any label.
When it reaches "xxxz" it cycles back to "xxya".

You need to turn off the incrementing with alpha labels, or make alpha incrementing an option, for those who may find it useful.

Otherwise, again..

TIG

I had rather assumed that you would use numeric endings to your point references !
The string.next! function in Ruby simply increments the last character[s].
So if your initial reference was 'Point 001' you then get 'Point 002', 'Point 003' etc up to 'Point 999'.
That's why the built-in starting default is '#001'

It could be trapped so it only uses 'next!' if the final character of the prefix is 0-9.
Then 'First Point' or similar text stays as that in the next prompt ??

It's a simple fix... Watch out for an update...

TIG

Here's v2.5 http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284829#p284829

Available from the SCF PluginStore...

Please reread the main Notes...
The main changes are:
#Prefix dialog now has Auto-Increment?: Yes|No option.
default is Yes, but if you switch it off with No then the Prefix is unchanged for the next prompt - requiring a manual change.
Auto-incrementing Prefixes work with all characters: 099 > 100 > 101 etc AND A > B > C etc...

jgb

I iz a-waiting

Wow, that was fast.

shannonnovus

Hi TIG,

First of all, thanks for all your great plugins! I use this one all the time.

I'm having some problems with it recently though, and I updated to the current release (2.5 20130811), but that didn't help. Here's the situation:

Before recently, I was using the coords to label both XY and Z coords. Most of the time, though, I only actually need the Z coord. I recently figured out that it was possible to label with only Z by changing the units of XY to none. So, in a new model, I labelled all my building roofs with Z only. While having the model open and doing this the first time through, everything works perfectly. Problems arise when I reopen the model. It seems to be a problem with updating of the coords when the model is reopened. I don't know enough about the code to understand what's going on, but I've included a snippet (below) of what the Ruby Console is showing me. It keeps doing this over and over and over. Technically everything else in the model still works, but it grinds it to a halt, and doesn't allow any "undo" because the last items to undo are always a million "Undo Coords Tag Update".

So, again, this has only ever happened to me when I am using only the Z with XY units set to "none", when I close and reopen. But it does happen EVERY time I try this. I have tried in two different models, and tried deleting all the coords tags and redoing them. As usual, all worked fine till I closed and reopened the model.

Thank you for any help in fixing this. I really like the ability to label only the heights. And again, I really appreciate this plugin in the first place. It's extremely useful.

Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float>
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in *' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in update'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:672:in each' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:672:in update'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:1368
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in call' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729 Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float> C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in *'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in update' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:672:in each'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:672:in update' C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:1368 C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729:in call'
C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/#coordstexttagtoolfromdatum.rb:729

Sincerely,
Shannon

TIG

There is my separate tool to label just Z-height from a datum, so you use the two in tandem...

However, I'll look at your reported issue which has never appeared before...

TIG

Here's v2.6 http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284829#p284829
It resolves an issue with Z-only setting, where on reopening a SKP its co-ord tags sometimes returned an error.

jgb

Tig....

An hour and 23 minutes......

What took so long??

TIG

@jgb said:

Tig....

An hour and 23 minutes......

What took so long??
No one had noticed that a certain combo of settings caused an issue !
When it's reported it's fixed !
Ruby is pretty good throwing up error messages, when you get used to it it quick to find the typo or coding error and fix it...

jgb

Just tugging your chain.

I did enough s/w testing in my days to know, ya can't test for everything.

I would routinely put "out of range" values into input fields or do something "not expected or allowed" because people WILL do that using the s/w. That alone found a plethora of errors that were not caught on condition. I would look at all the "IF" statements to see if I could screw some up with out of bounds parameters. This would often crash the system.

Since I was working on various banking and before that some military systems my methods were encouraged, but the programmers sorta did not appreciate me. boo hoo.

When I was working at SPAR where we made the robotic arm for the space shuttle (Canadarm) I was a senior member of the project management team. During down time, I would play with the 3D simulator capturing satellites and putting them in orbit or back into the shuttle bay. I got fairly good at this too. It ain't easy by any stretch.

This simulator was built around the old IMSAI 8080 because the systems architecture was based on the computers in the shuttle. The 4 video displays used some radar processors and produced a vector line diagram on the 4 screens that mimicked the 4 windows on the aft shuttle cabin, much like the old ATARI Tank game. Very realistic video game. This setup was used primarily for engineering test and development. NASA had a similar system in Houston which was more realistic to the shuttles interior for training.

Anyway, one day I decided to do an end to end scenario, take the arm out of locks, take a sat out of the bay, put it in orbit, then park the arm for departure.

Well, lo and behold, I could NOT park the arm without setting off singularity alarms in the last inch or so. A singularity is the term used to warn of joint limitations.

It would auto-park, but not manually. NOBODY ever tried this before. The chief engineer tore a strip off me, but never checked. A week later we got a call from NASA with a problem..... Yep, couldn't manually park.

It is not good when the client finds a problem that you didn't. Took about 3 days to fix and validate the problem in the code. The program manager gave me an "attaboy"; the chief eng. never said a word about it.

TIG

Here's an update http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284829#p284829
Some minor typos fixed, units always show in exported CSV even when set to be hidden in 'on-screen'...