[Plugin] Pen Tool +

eyein12

Is your Template or Style setting part of the problem? Or is your precision set too high? Or are you modeling some really tiny items? I don't know, just trying to shake some ideas.

Just drawing a simple shape to try out the tool. nothing more.

vojo

Still pretty new to sketchup, but

I really dont understand the intent of this tool

softpen appears to do nothing
I see what some of the other pens do...I guess there must be a need for their functions

Can you give me specific scenario/sequence on doing something with softpen
(I was hoping that it would "round" line corners and such).

Gaieus

Turn hidden geometry on (View menu) and you will see the soft edges the tool draws. Certainly one could live without it: draw traditional edges and soften them afterwards. Sometimes it is a pain in the butt though if you need to draw a lot. This is best to add edges to (or heal missing faces of) already soft meshes, most of the times curved surfaces.

jgb

This is something I wanted for a long time, and in fact I d/l'd it last year, put it in my "2B installed" directory (off the "plugin" dir), and then.....
promptly forgot about it. An all to common occurrence with me.

So today, I got this thread notice, d/l'd it and got the XP warning about overwriting a file.

So, I installed it.

Rich, is there any way to set the toolbar in a vertical format?
I have no horizontal space top or bottom screen for more toolbars, but I have space on the left, 2 icons wide.
Can I edit the script (with your instructions) until you hopefully furnish an update?

Rich O Brien

Resize it like you would any other toolbar

or windows window for that matter. All toolbars can be resized horizontally or vertically

jgb

@unknownuser said:

Resize it like you would any other toolbar

or windows window for that matter. All toolbars can be resized horizontally or vertically

Thank you for the excellent guidance...

For some reason it did not work for me at first.
I reloaded SU and it is resizing as expected.

Lobster

Just found this, as usual way behind the plug-in bleeding edge.

Its Freaking Great.

Thanks Rich

simon le bon

Hi Rich,

Your Pen set is very nice and I'm glad to use it as a basic SU tools.
I would like to bring your attention on the fact that Pen tools invalidates Jim's Construction Line Tool (opening your Construction Points Pen in place of)
Jim's Construction Line Tool have the very useful option to let the choice to put or not construction points at the construction line extremities.

Do you think it would be possible to add this option to your pen tool ( and may be to fix interference with Jim's tool ?)

Cheers,
Simon

TIG

Simon

Edit the PenTool's .rb file with Notepad or Notepad++.
Use Find+Replace [respecting the 'case'] for the 4 occurrences of CLineTool and replace with C**P**LineTool, there's also a lowercase 'def clinetool' - make that 'def cplinetool' too; then it won't clash with Jim's 'CLineTool' at all...

Rich O Brien

Can you try the latest version I uploaded?

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=329548#p329548

I added TIG's suggestions.

simon le bon

Hi Rich and TIG,

What a reactivity Jim's tool in now back!
Thank you to both of you ++

It would be nice to make this option available with your "Guide Draw" because:

Then people will have the choice to use the simple Jim's tool or you complete set

simon

Rich O Brien

I'll look at Jim's code to see if I can do it.

ken

@unknownuser said:

I'll look at Jim's code to see if I can do it.

Note, also Jim's tool will allow you to make an infinite guide line. Which I find very useful, as I can draw between two points and have a infinite guideline reference.

Thanks for you plugins

Ken

EarthMover

Rich, ever think about adding a "Group Draw"? Standard line tool that that creates a group upon initial click and draws all lines in that group? Would be useful for me quite often.

Rich O Brien

That's a great suggestion Adam. But i fear way beyond my skill level.

And I think TIG will break my legs if I pester him anymore about this.

brookefox

Not to play the rat here, but wouldn't that be best implemented as a 'begin (within) new group model now' thing, rather than something limited to line creation?

Michaelv

Simon,

Just in case I made a tool that converts any cline to normal line and vice versa, also changes the stipple and color as needed. That may solve some of your inference needs. (I still love and use this tool also though)

See here:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=44311

EarthMover

@brookefox said:

Not to play the rat here, but wouldn't that be best implemented as a 'begin (within) new group model now' thing, rather than something limited to line creation?

Most of the Tools on Surface from Fredo come with an option to create within a new group. I use that one quite a bit, but those tools don't always work as expected when not drawing on a surface. It's easy enough to just draw two lines, group them, open the group, then delete the lines and you're in a group where any native tools apply. I just figured most modeling starts with the line tool, so if that initiated the group, you could continue with any other tools from within it and be ahead of the game. I use this most often when tracing perimeters for contours or use with instant site grader plugin.

rumcajs

I did draw many soft edges, while I corrected rounded corners on object. Later suddenly the tool stopped working and it draws only hard edges, anywhere. I'd stress a lot with it, but nothing helped.

http://i46.tinypic.com/288wq5e.png

When I draw hard edges to triangle, the connected lines do not create a face.

pbacot

@rumcajs said:

I did draw many soft edges, while I corrected rounded corners on object. Later suddenly the tool stopped working and it draws only hard edges, anywhere. I'd stress a lot with it, but nothing helped.

http://i46.tinypic.com/288wq5e.png

When I draw hard edges to triangle, the connected lines do not create a face.

IDK about your first question, but on the Second: Note that the "Edge" tool "E" is designed NOT to form faces to provide that option. The "LINE" tool "L" will form faces.

In regards to the Soft Draw tool I do find that it will only draw soft lines (hidden geometry ON) when connecting across a face. For me it will not draw soft edges in open space as shown in the video.