[REQ] Edge 2 Groove
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A clever solution... IF grooves are wanted on all faces [but it could even be adapted with coding a custom offset on selected edges only]...
IF the object is a solid group then you could simply made a sacrificial over-sized block group that is the groove thickness wide and aligned on the edges' plane, and then in pro use the solid tools to subtract it from the original form, leaving the full slot; then we'd apply the offset around the newly through cut face and pushpull it by the groove width [no mid-line is needed] to fill the gap - erasing the extra inner face left behind to maintain 'solidity' for the next groove set to work...
BUT again this only works if the selected edges are all coplanar; 'skewed' grooves will not work.
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If it is a "Solid" object, the offset seems like an unnecessary step. Could you just isolate the edge itself and take a box the size of the desired groove and "follow me" it around the edge to create the cutting (Subtracting) component, thus only taking away what was necessary for the groove? Similar to Jeff's technique in this thread - http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=41095&p=365238&hilit=groove#p364287
I would be okay if the tool only worked on solid objects.
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Thanks Sam. DL'd. Can't wait to see how it works! Peter
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Woops. Crashes SU on my Mac. Peter. No messages to report.
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Works great on the example I provided which are created via "curves" where some of the edges are supporting non planar faces.
However, it curiously fails on edges which support planar or perpendicular surfaces. Also fails on the shape I provided when the bottom is added to make it solid.Thanks for the work so far. I wonder can the tool be further tweaked to work on a variety of different situations where grooves would be needed? (i.e. single face grooves, grooves to define cabinet drawers, grooves for concrete building facades, etc.) Thus being more useful for a variety of different users. Also, can the width and depth be defined separately?
Thanks again Sam for solving the first part of the riddle. What was the logic you ended up using for the code? I tried to decipher it, but it's a little over my head.
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@unknownuser said:
this only works if the selected edges are all coplanar; 'skewed' grooves will not work.
Have you an example of that ?
I will try the new SAM plug
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Hi,
I have tested the groove tool. The results are unusual. I do not know why.
Charly
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Using the Edge 2 Groove model supplied, I have been able to create a plugin for this unique situation.
[flash=800,600:14uqb6r8]http://www.youtube.com/v/JvROg-dN2YA[/flash:14uqb6r8]
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Charly, Please see my last post. I knew it was a mistake to post the alpha version because people always think that, no matter what bazaar situation they can create, the plugin should be able to handle it.
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Yes I'm sure much more can be done but, as I stated in the post, the plugin attached was developed and tested on that one example alone.
I just looked at it as a sidewalk, with at flat top and curved sides. I examined each edge to see if it was between coplanar faces, normals parallel, to indicate it was on top and calculated the boundary points of the three faces that I could pushpull to create the top and side grooves. In addition to the normals parallel, I need to require the the normal.z is pointing up or down. This will allow sides to be straight as well.
Adding grooves to a four sided column poses the additional problem of trying to determine "which" way is up".
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@sdmitch said:
Adding grooves to a four sided column poses the additional problem of trying to determine "which" way is up".
This makes sense. Thanks for posting the Alpha version. It is a very promising start. I definitely understand it was adapted to a specific situation. Hopefully it will continue to evolve into a more universal solution!
Thanks again. -
@earthmover said:
single face grooves, grooves to define cabinet drawers, grooves for concrete building facades.
Please provide an example of each.
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@ Charly : for the moment you must don't take solides volumes, only open surfaces as the first example shown
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I certainly will Sam. I have a bunch of billable work to finish up with at them moment, but will get you some test models as soon as I'm done. Unless someone else has time.
C'mon people.....get your grooooove on!
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@sdmitch:
Regarding the column and up/down question, could you relate the action to a centroidal axis about which the grooving happens? Just throwing out ideas. It might work for any linear form. Define the line, series of segments, curve as the axis, precursor to the process?
Vaguely related to Lines2Tubes or Tube Along Path. -
mit, That is a certainly a possibility and using followme instead of pushpull. The problem will always be sorting out which edges should be followed unless the paths are selected one at a time.
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uploading a cabinet example. Grooves are very small. Thanks! P
(I for one have NO billable time today
)
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Hi, sdmitch:
I didn't necessarily mean you would use a followme function. More like the centroidal path being continuous through the core of the linear construction, but used as a reference axis at the interfaces of the units from which a groove offset is determined for each brick, tile, stone, whatever, and then some kind of process that shrinks the offset. Alternatively a Dynamic Component is developed with abilities to skew faces, tegularize, or rebate edges? -
Hey Sam, here are a bunch of different groove scenarios, which all fail with the current plugin, some causing crashes. Thanks again.
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I'm not surprised that the plugin fails and/or splats on these examples. It is going to be very tough if not impossible to come up with a general solution.
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