Alternative or Equivalent Plugins
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I am trying to follow some exercises in a book on Sketchup which requires that one install a number of plugins. They are as follows:
Randor Smustard $3
Drop Smustard Free
Intersect Overlapping Lines Smustard $20
Extend Close Opens Smustard $20
Delete Short Lines Smustard $10
Close Open Line Segments Smustard $20
Make Faces Smustard Free
Surface Tools SketchUcation Free
Joint Push Pull SketchUcation Free
Soap Skin Bubble http://www.tensile-structures.de/ Free Trial
Simplify Contours SketchUp Free
PathCopy Smustard FreeAre there any alternatives or equivalents to the above list and in particular the ones that are not free? I know of there being clf_scale_rotate_multiple.rb for Randor.
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Intersect Overlapping Lines is probably not needed because SketchUp automatically does that. It didn't do it when the plugin was written but that was changed later.
You might look at ThomThom's CleanUp plugin set to see if they'll suffice as substitutes for
Extend Close Opens and Delete Short Lines. The things those plugins do can be done manually if needed. You can either work with the native tools or you might have to bite the bullet and buy some plugins. -
I am unclear as to what exctly can already be done manually. Would you specify, as you have for Intersect Overlapping Lines, what else can be done manually?
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First, I would suggest that you learn how to use SketchUp without plugins so you can find out what you can do with the native tools. If the author of the book from which you are learning SketchUp is telling you that you must have these plugins and doesn't show you how these things can be handled with native tools, they are doing you a huge disservice. What is this book?
You can close open gaps between edges by drawing a line segment to fill it or by moving the end point of one of the lines. The Extend Close Opens plugin was designed to help clean up imported CAD files. If you are drawing directly in SketchUp, you probably won't need to close opens. The function of Close Open Line Segments is done the same way.
Delete Short Lines is again primarily intended for dealing with imported CAD files. You can manually delete the short lines that run past the neighboring lines by clicking on them with the Eraser tool.
The free plugins you've listed should be no big deal. Some of them will make things much easier like creating complex surfaces.
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Author: Daniel Tal
Book Title: Google
SketchUp for Site Design: A Guide for Modeling Site Plans, Terrain, and ArchitectureThe book uses Sketchup 7 as the version.
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Daniel is very good and truly an authority on using SketchUp. I don't think he is telling you that you must have those plugins. Most of the commercial plugins you list are primarily intended for dealing with imported CAD files which, if you have the free version of SU8 isn't an included import file type.
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He does write: "SketchUp Process Modeling utilizes scripts for better modeling performance. In particular, Parts 3 and 4 of this book supplement SketchUp functions
using specific Ruby Scripts. You are strongly encouraged to download all the described
Rubies." For some of the exercises he does require the utilization of those aforementioned scripts. -
But he is teaching advanced techniques, you need to have a good grounding in how to use any software or tool in it's most basic form before progressing.
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@box said:
But he is teaching advanced techniques, you need to have a good grounding in how to use any software or tool in it's most basic form before progressing.
You beat me to it. thank you.
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