[Plugin] Hatchfaces (v1.8 beta) UPDATED 15-Dec-2012

jolran

Trying something. Comments are VERY welcomed. Have selected the face and 1 edge.

Can retrieve the edge like this.

@h_edge=ss if ss.class==Sketchup;;Edge

And if using the edges points to make a vector, I've tried @h_edge.line. Did not work. This does not work either.

pt=@h_edge.start
p1=@h_edge.end
ve=pt.vector_to(p1)

Main goal is to make a condition: If an edge+face is selected run this code. If only face is selected run the axis code.
Of course only 1 edge can be selected.
Bad idea?

TIG

The problem with the idea is that currently it processes all of the faces in a selection, if you have one edge selected it won't necessarily lie on the plane every face processed ?

My way uses the x-axis [usually] to determine the start vector [projected onto the face's plane] from which you angle off the hatching edges...

jolran

Ahh, you mean multiple face selection? Yes I see, that will not work of course.
I don't see it as a big limitation that only 1 face could be processed at each time?
Or faces on the same plane, wich is probably the most common case?

Edges get drawn a bit irregular atm.

jolran

If selecting face and edge I can only get an array, not the edge as an individual edge selection?
Even if doing a ==Sketchup::Edge thingy..
Must I use a selection observer for this?
Would be fun if I could even try this method out, but stuck on basic things..

TIG

No complications like observers needed.
To pick one face and one edge from the selection use
ss=model.selection face=nil edge=nil faces=[] edges=[] ss.each{|e| if e.class==Sketchup::Face faces << e end if e.class==Sketchup::Edge edges << e end } face=faces[0]if faces edge=edges[0]if edges
This takes the first face and first edge it comes across in the selection and ignores all others [if there are any].
You then need a trap if there's no face selected
if not face UI.messagebox("Select a Face you dolt!") return nil end
and
` if not edge

choose 'edge' by other means or error message again

endYou now process 'face' just the once and not 'each face in faces'... If you want to be thorough report the user has picked more than one face or edge if faces[1]
UI.messagebox("Select ONE Face - only the 1st selected Face was processed - Twit!")
return nil
end
if edges[1]
UI.messagebox("Select either NO or ONE Edge - only the 1st selected Edge was used - Fool!")
return nil
end`
etc etc...

jolran

Ahhh Excellent! That certainly make more sence then the shi£$y stuff I was working on.

I will try this tomorrow, avec plaisire.

Thank you TIG.

jolran

I think I will alter the "Tourette Syndrome style" prompts in the inputbox you recommended.

TIG

They were intended as a 'joke'

jolran

No worries!

jolran

Well, it seams to be working a little better now. No promises though..

TIG's selection code works like a charm.
Just had to change pt and pt1 to pt=@edge.start.position, p1=@edge.end.position. And use ve=pt.vector_to(p1) as usual.
So now the hatching gets aligned to the selected edge..

Maybe it would be a good idea to have the plugin run as usual(axis mode) if NO edge is selected? Some if statements when edge is NOT selected or so..

That way one still would have the possibility to alter several faces should one wish so.
Anyway if no objections I might do the update on this?

for ver1.5.jpg

jolran

eekk, don't know what I'm talking about It does multiple faces as long 1 edge is selected and the face is
connected to that edge.

sergey2402

Could you upload version 1.5 to test it?

jolran

Yep. This evening.

I was planning on adding the crosshathcing as well. But it's not working yet.
Anyway I will upload ver 1.5 anyway, with or without crosshatching.

jolran

1.5 beta uploaded!

You might as well play with it. An Edge and a Face must be selected. The hatches will be created clockwise according to the edge. Hopefully

I will continue with the crosshatching...

jolran

Ooops!! The "Hatchfaces" menu item in Draw menu isent finished yet. Will fix that later...
Should not affect usage with icons..

jolran

Ok. ver 1.6 beta added.

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=38637&p=341461#p341461

Crosshatching should be working. It creates the hatches in 2 groups inside a parentgroup, should you wish crosshatching.

Had to rewrite parts into methods. TIG's been "directing" me more and finding problems than "giving" me code in this version. So I had to suffer and learn a little bit more Besides the script is getting longer so it takes more time to debug from his part...

That said! Beware that this script could surely be optimized, and I'll gladely take tips about how to.
I do feel it's a bit ugly script with all the methodcalling at the end.
Just remember that the temp face(face_clone) method must be separate. So it can be used if there are possibilities to
do other types of hatchpattern, and implement them on the face_clone.

Thanks to TIG, again for tutoring

TIG

Great it's getting there...
The dialog's values aren't getting remembered.
Make variables like angle/spacing/cross_alt into @ types so they get remembered for next time... Otherwise you need to fill in the dialog each time.
Use this too
angle2=@cross_angle angle2=-@angle if not angle2
This way the dialogs value is then the same as last time OR -@angle
similar for spacing etc
Also the menu item can reuse the cmd0 command rather that make another!
Then it uses the same name as the Toolbar command...

jolran

Thanks for the feedback TIG!

I will try to fix those things.

You don't think there are any problems calling all those methods at the end? I mean it works, but feels strange.

kyyu

jolran, some feedback:

Your undo doesn't undo in a single step, most notable you leave behind an empty group & layer.
You have your methods inside the main method?
I consider this to be not a beginner's plugin, especailly if you will continue to add new features. If you are still at the block level and just moving unchanging blocks of code around, you will have lots of problems. You have to understand it from the line level and change it at will. Condense lines, delete lines and rename variables so they are consistant and have personal meaning.
Your indenting of the code is atrocious, unless it's my setting in notepad++?

An quick example of how I would rewrite it. I tweak everything I could, like if it was my own plugin. I went back to the old way without having to select a line and changed other stuff. Doesn't matter. The goal is to simplify and compartimentalize. Make it consistant, and easy to follow. Then its easy to modify, later. I include a screen grab. The idea is for you, to do your own version. Also, you can see the indents. The image is too tall to post, so here it is in a zip file:
hatchfaces_rewrite_png.zip

jolran

Hi Kyyu.

yes, thanks. I noticed that. However removing layer is not so good if doing the 2nd+ hatch?
? The cmd is calling the self.hatchfaces method, not the module? Ok I will have a look.
So you mean I should stop developing it until I have matured?
insulting word, but maybe true.
Is the code example you provided tested?

Like I've said before you have to realize that this plugin is not aimed at linehatches only, and it's still beta.
Everyone knows what beta means......If the plugin is not good enough for publishing I can remove it and post when I "feel" ready? Feel's like I have broken some unwritten rule here..

IF implementing other MODULES, with ex patterns of insulation etc AS modules the code structure can of course not remain like this. And you have provided intersection not inside a method, wich can be troublesome if I will have to reuse it for the other modules. Orders matters no?

I'm experimenting right now with possibilities for other patterns. I see no reson to rewrite the whole code structure until I know where this plugin's heading. Might fix TIG's bugspots and your group and layer undo issues.

I appreciate you effort and will take your advice into consideration.

edited: Hmm no, intersection is inside a method. OK thats better. Difficult to see without having the code in Notepad.
But I still need intersection independent of the linehatching.
Also. Remember, each group.entities sent to hatching will need a face for intersection! So in order to keep intersection apart from hatchingmethod there is a need for a face_clone method.
However I do like the way you call the methods. That I will work on.