[Plugin] WireTool (Catenary) (1.4.1) – updated 06.03.2013

Aerilius

This Plugin allows to draw physically accurate wires and ropes (catenary curves) between two points with only two clicks.

[floatr:t2flpn38][/floatr:t2flpn38]
Installation: Open Window → Preferences → Extensions → Install Extension and select this file; alternatively use an unzip program to extract the contents into the SketchUp/Plugins folder. [previous downloads: 778]
Version: 1.4.1

Date: 06.03.2013

Usage:
(Menu) Plugins → Draw Wires

Type a number + %(#000000)[s] to change the number of curve segments:
%(#000000)[24s]
Type a number + %(#000000)[%] to set an arc length (relative to the distance between source and target point):
%(#000000)[120%]
Type a length to set a fixed arc length:
%(#000000)[72.5m]
%(#000000)[30.66"]

History:
version 1.4.1: 06.03.2013

added Spanish translation
fixed non-convergent numerical approximation for curve lengths near 100% of distance
version 1.4.0: 01.03.2013
converted into a SketchUp Extension
image and cursor added
version 1.3: 03.06.2012
fixed wrong segment length (only noticeable with big sag like 200%)
changed segments to have equal angles (visually best result, but not all segments have the same length)
added optional parameter @@segment_distribution_mode in the script to toggle back to equal length segments (edit the ruby file)
version 1.2: 30.05.2012
now all segments have equal arc length (no more equal x length)
error with translation in activate didn't properly activate the tool
@state=0 fixed
version 1.1: 27.05.2012
translations
better precision (changed threshold for numerical calculations)
version 1.0: 27.05.2012

Krisidious

sweet thanks.

Bob James

I can really use this! Thank you.

thomthom

@aerilius said:

Type a length to set a fixed arc length:

!!! I tried on this a couple of years ago! Never worked out how to do a fixed length curve. I need to snoop around in your code. I wanted to make a tool that would anchor the end point to other geometry so when you moved of the the object it was attached it the curve would update.

iichiversii

Now this is a great plugin, thanks

gullfo

very cool! this is one of the more useful shapes in acoustics!

thomthom

@gullfo said:

very cool! this is one of the more useful shapes in acoustics!

That I wasn't aware of. Guess I need to read up on it again.

mitcorb

Another good tool concept. By the way, Remus Knowles has another version in the Plugins Index.

iichiversii

@mitcorb said:

Another good tool concept. By the way, Remus Knowles has another version in the Plugins Index.

Any idea what his version is called?

Aerilius

Remus' plugin is the Simple Catenary Curve. It "just" calculates the curve for a given set of 17 points but it put me on the right path to look on Wikipedia after I had a paper full of integrals that didn't want get further simplified.

urgen

HA!...cool idea.thanks Aerilius

nektares

I always did this with splines, this is a much better and precise way to do it, Thank you!

sdmitch

When I tried the plugin, I kept getting a canatnary drawn from the origin to my first pick point. Adding a @state = 0 to the def initialize method fixed this problem.

Aerilius

Hi Sam,
thanks for the tip. I wonder why this happens, although the initialize method does not have @state=0, this should be set when the activate method calls reset.
Is someone else having this problem?

massimo

@unknownuser said:

Is someone else having this problem?

Yes the same here. Thanks for the plugin btw.

thomthom

create_geometry and draw_geometry can be refactored into one method that returns an array of point3d objects - the only difference between these methods are the final statement. DRY

Dave R

I didn't experience the same thing that Sam reported.

gullfo

i added the @state=0 and it made a difference in terms of being able to select the first point. very nice tool!

Dave R

So why don't I have this same problem? I didn't modify the script and it works fine for me.

wind-borne

@dave r said:

So why don't I have this same problem? I didn't modify the script and it works fine for me.

Which version are you using?
initial version works fine for me, updated version moves to origin.