[Code] Printing color range as grid for preprint checking

[unearthed]

Hi

I'm not into rendering yet, just simple output, but when I choose colors in the model I want to see how they'll look before I print - (I usually have a printed test card for this (see example). In the example included (from vectorworks) it can be useful to have a color name or number or RGB etc. Is there a way in Sketchup to at least print out a current color grid, with an option for color info would be great. I've searched hi and low for this and found zilch.

SU version:8.0.4811
OS win 7

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[TIG]

Not entirely clear...
This is what I think you mean... you want a tool that makes a grid of squares, each with one of the SKP's materials added and some text showing it's details shown [Name, description, RGBA, texture].
I suppose ideally this would be a group that's on it's own layer that is also only shown on its own scene-tab that is excluded from animations etc, and the view set to 'plan'...
Correct me if I'm wrong...

[TIG]

Copy+paste this code into a file called colorswatch.rb in the Plugins folder.
Restart Skecthup and type TIG.colorswatch into the Ruby Console... to make a colorswatch group/scene/layer etc.

module TIG
 def self.colorswatch()
  model=Sketchup.active_model
  ss=model.selection
  defs=model.definitions
  ents=model.entities
  layers=model.layers
  pages=model.pages
  mats=model.materials
  names=[]
  mats.each{|mat|names << mat.name}
  names.sort!
  num=names.length
  return nil if num==0
  ###
  model.start_operation("colorswatch")
  ### erase previous ones
  gps=[]
  defs.each{|d|gps << d.instances if d.group?}
  gps.flatten!
  gps.each{|g|g.erase! if g.valid? and g.name=="colorswatch"}
  ### make new one
  gp=ents.add_group()
  gp.name="colorswatch"
  gents=gp.entities
  ### make tile
  tile=gents.add_group()
  tents=tile.entities
  face=tents.add_face([0,0,0],[200,0,0],[200,200,0],[0,200,0])
  face.reverse!
  trx=Geom;;Transformation.translation([400,0,0])
  try=Geom;;Transformation.translation([0,-400,0])
  dim=Math.sqrt(num).round
  step=dim
  (num).times{|i|
    mat=mats[names[i]]
	tile.material=mat
	txt=names[i]
	rgb="RGB = "+mat.color.red.to_s+", "+mat.color.green.to_s+", "+mat.color.blue.to_s+"\nAlpha = "+mat.alpha.to_s
	txt=txt+"\n"+rgb
	if tex=mat.texture
	  txt=txt+"\n"+"Texture = "+tex.filename
	end#if
	###
	gents.add_text(txt, tile.bounds.min.offset([0,-20,0]))
	tile=tile.copy
	tile.transform!(trx)
	if i==dim-1
	  tile.transform!(try)
      step.times{tile.transform!(trx.inverse)}
	  dim=dim*2
    end#if
	if i==num-1
	  txt="[<Default>]"
	  gents.add_text(txt, tile.bounds.min.offset([0,-20,0]))
	end#if
  }
  ### put on layer
  layer=layers.add("colorswatch")
  layer.page_behavior=LAYER_IS_HIDDEN_ON_NEW_PAGES
  pages.each{|p|p.set_visibility(layer,false)}
  gp.layer=layer
  ### make scene-tab
  pnames=[]
  pages.each{|p|pnames << p.name}
  if not pnames.include?("colorswatch")
    pages.add("colorswatch")
  end#if
  page=nil
  pages.each{|p|page=p if p.name=="colorswatch"}
  pages.selected_page=page
  layers.to_a[1..-1].each{|la|page.set_visibility(la,false)}
  pages.selected_page.set_visibility(layer,true)
  ### zoom extents
  eye=gp.bounds.center.clone
  eye.z=eye.z+1
  tar=gp.bounds.center.clone
  up=[0,1,0]
  model.active_view.camera.perspective=false
  model.active_view.camera.set(eye,tar,up)
  Sketchup.send_action("viewTop;")
  model.active_view.zoom_extents
  Sketchup.send_action("viewZoomExtents;")
  ###
  page.update(127)
  ###
  model.commit_operation
 end
end

It's not perfect as I threw it together quickly from other code... but will form the basis of what it is I think you want...

[sergey2402]

Dear TIG. I beg your permission to use your script as a plugin colorswatch.rb

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colorswatch.rb

[unearthed]

Hi TIG, that's great, was very surprised you actually coded an answer.
I had to meddle with the arrangement to print it but it's really useful.

I hadn't thought as far as having it on its own scene tab, in a group etc, but
yes that works well. I'll try and meddle with the text part now to select
just the material name or RGB etc.

cheers
Nigel

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[thomthom]

This should be marked with [code] - or better yet - made into a new thread with the .rb file for download.

[TIG]

Moved to 'developers' and [code] added...

[Krisidious]

AWESOME!

[atelierpaar]

Hello Tig,
thanks for your "colorswatch" script.
I checked it out and it does pretty much what I had in mind.
Unfortunately the script seem to grab just the colors that are already in the Model.
It would be of great help, if one could choose a specific library / Folder like for Instance "Colors" or "named colors" or what ever Library there might be.
Do you think this would be possible ?

Uli

[TIG]

Unfortunately there is scant access to SKM files through the API...
Although my SKM-Tools do add some functions which could allow this...
It could get convoluted, since it would have to load all of the external SKM materials into the current model to be able to display them anyway

[atelierpaar]

Hello Tig,
thanks for looking into it.
Just the SU Material file "colors" contains 310 Colors.
Each Color has to be selected and applied to some surface in order to get the color into the model.
It`s the tedious manual work that discouraged to make a color guide.
Is there perhaps a another way of mass-loading materials into a model ?
Uli