So I have this idea for a plugin (let me explain)
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1) Lets say you create a building, and it has some rather complex facade.
I know this is not complex in any way)
2) And you want to apply a component/Group to all the facades of the building
3) You would paint the back of it the component blue and the facades where you want to apply it red. (or another specific colour).
This would tell the script what you want to apply and where.
4) Then the script would process the command and apply that comment to all the areas you had selected with red colour. Deforming/twisting/scaling the original group where nessasery.
So whats the point?
Suddenly in sketch-up you would have a feature that is available in parametric modelling. A very useful feature. Complex façades could be done in a few minutes, without sweat.
The next step would be where one could select multiple components to apply and the computer would choose at random which to apply and where.
What you guys think? Any problems that my arise?
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I've requested similar a couple of times in the past but in all reality, I think sketchup would choke to death with a tool like this..
(well, not in your example case but in situations where paneling is generally needed, SU couldn't handle it.. certainly not 'within minutes') -
So it would have to be handled through an external program somehow modifying sketchup?
Ye my example was simple for demonstration purposes.
Sketchup wouldn't probably crash with small surfaces. However with big ones then, ye. So the user would have to divide the surface up before. Most likely. If each component would be applied to quad or triangle (depending on the geometry) (e.g if its a quad then the users component must have four sides, if the panels are a triangle the user component must have 3 sides) the user would be able to limit the amounts he selects.
Perhaps it would be best to limit it to one surface at the beginning a see how it goes. from there.
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I think Components onto Faces http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17306 starts to do what you're asking for.
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@me said:
I've requested similar a couple of times in the past but in all reality, I think sketchup would choke to death with a tool like this..
(well, not in your example case but in situations where paneling is generally needed, SU couldn't handle it.. certainly not 'within minutes')oh wait, i was saying the same thing (choke) a couple of years ago
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=268846#p268846
.
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Problem is that it's very complex to work out the correct desired deformation/twisting/scaling needed. It's easy for humans to work this out - but harder for a computer program.
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@unknownuser said:
oh wait, i was saying the same thing (choke) a couple of years ago
About your choke, this don't make the trick ?
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Component on Face don't make the "scale"!
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@thomthom said:
Problem is that it's very complex to work out the correct desired deformation/twisting/scaling needed. It's easy for humans to work this out - but harder for a computer program.
right.. paneling tools (rhino) for instance started out as it's own separate app instead of just a simple plugin.. (which was eventually incorporated into the main app itself).. similar to sketchup's Dynamic Components..
point being.. once you really get into the details of this type of plugin, it's very intensive.. it could basically be viewed as dynamic components on steroids and even then, DynamicComponents.rb would need a lot of work done to it just to get to the point of basic paneling functionality..
so it's a whole lot of work to be done on top of a foundation(SU) which isn't at all geared towards this type of drawing (massive amounts of polys being created etc)
personally, if i were a ruby writer, i'd shy away from this type of venture (adventure?
) too..not that it's not possible.. i just don't see it as being practical in the sketchup environment..
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Component dropper by Thomthom is more for that
But the scale is deforming the component!
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