Array along non-linear path

Box

Multiple straight lines and repetition of blocks.
Would take very little time to populate it with seats.
If you filled it with seats it would also slow the model down.

jeff hammond

@futurepast said:

This what you want? Rotate the chair any direction and scale it to the right any length.
You don't list in your profile if you have the Pro version this is a dynamic component.

(fwiw- suFree can use dynamic components.. just can't create them unless you have the pro version)

i think it should be more like this:

DC_distribute.skp

Screen Shot 2013-09-05 at 11.02.26 PM.png
**pretty sure the spacing formula could be refined to something more simple but this is the first go

but you'll see in the .skp that the block starts and ends at exact points then the gap is populated accordingly.. it could maybe use an if/then statement to set a minimum spacing if desired..

this should&could be a distribute plugin imo.. select the component then click on the start and end points.. 1001bit almost does it with one of it's linear array options but not quite..**

Futurepast

@unknownuser said:

@futurepast said:

This what you want? Rotate the chair any direction and scale it to the right any length.
You don't list in your profile if you have the Pro version this is a dynamic component.

(fwiw- suFree can use dynamic components.. just can't create them unless you have the pro version)

i think it should be more like this:

[attachment=1:2y5hmse8]DC_distribute.skp[/attachment:2y5hmse8]

[attachment=0:2y5hmse8]Screen Shot 2013-09-05 at 11.02.26 PM.png[/attachment:2y5hmse8]
**pretty sure the spacing formula could be refined to something more simple but this is the first go

but you'll see in the .skp that the block starts and ends at exact points then the gap is populated accordingly.. it could maybe use an if/then statement to set a minimum spacing if desired..

this should&could be a distribute plugin imo.. select the component then click on the start and end points.. 1001bit almost does it with one of it's linear array options but not quite..**

Except that the spacing you have gets narrower with the greater distribution, and I thought he wanted repetition on spacing, with the row ends being the adjustment. As in, start at the center and scale out to both ends, leaving the remainder as the row ends.

jeff hammond

@futurepast said:

Except that the spacing you have gets narrower with the greater distribution, and I thought he wanted repetition on spacing, with the row ends being the adjustment. As in, start at the center and scale out to both ends, leaving the remainder as the row ends.

hmm.. yeah, maybe.. not really sure as i've never dealt with stadium seating layouts.. i just assumed the row ends formed a straight line when going up a column.

but it seems to make sense from a manufacturing point of view to have the spacing remain consistent.. your version of the DC could be updated to where it centers the array upon scaling the length.. that will save a few extra steps of moving it in place after scaling.

i guess it depends on whether or not liverpudlian wants to use a DC for this or not (though it's definitely going to be the quickest way imo)

Liverpudlian82

@unknownuser said:

@futurepast said:

Except that the spacing you have gets narrower with the greater distribution, and I thought he wanted repetition on spacing, with the row ends being the adjustment. As in, start at the center and scale out to both ends, leaving the remainder as the row ends.

but it seems to make sense from a manufacturing point of view to have the spacing remain consistent..

Erm, actually I want the spacing between seats to be varible, with the first and last seat exactly on the start and end of the row (as indicated by the image in my opening post) ... otherwise one gets ugly looking "kinks" in the stands like this:

I prefer the solution with variable spacing in each row, as this will look smoother in a stadium like this:

Futurepast

Jeff, you got it

pbacot

Will be interesting to see how this goes or if SU can handle all those seats.

Find it hard to believe people crowd into those nosebleed tiers to watch that crap. But of course they do. Everyone to his or her own. Not that I've never enjoyed being at a game myself.

jeff hammond

@pbacot said:

Will be interesting to see how this goes or if SU can handle all those seats.

hmm.. i don't think i want to be the one that finds out

here's a low-poly dynamic chair (120 faces).. i'm not sure if this is a real style design but i guess it would have to be done similarly in order to get variable seat spacing.. after doing a small sample, you might want to consider making it even more low poly..

DC_StadiumChair.skp

how to use:

Position the chairs using the raw line as reference points..

Array the chairs up the rows

use the Scale tool on each row to desired length..

in doing the example, i encountered one situation where the DC would no longer update.. i had to save the file at that point then relaunch sketchup in order to get the DCs working again..

there's a guide point in the seat which can be used as a reference to rotate the seat into an upright position..

good luck

Liverpudlian82

Wow, thx @Jeff!

pilou

Dear Jeff or other some kind soul can save this DC file in SU V 7 ?
Thanks by advance!

jeff hammond

@unknownuser said:

Dear Jeff or other some kind soul can save this DC file in SU V 7 ?
Thanks by advance!

lol.. i forgot.. here it is as v7

DC_StadiumChair_V7.skp

pilou

Many Thanks!

Components onto Faces + Random Painter both by Chris Fullmer

A new virus ?

Futurepast

Nice Jeff....Very nice

jeff hammond

@futurepast said:

Nice Jeff....Very nice

thanks.. i kinda wish i knew ruby though because it seems like it would be better and more useable that way

pilou

Dear Jeff
Does it possible to have a DC component with a "rounded" structure against a "straight" structure ?

leedsrule

@pbacot said:

Will be interesting to see how this goes or if SU can handle all those seats.

Haha, we all build models holding thousands and thousands of seats I built a fairly detailed stadium with over 100k seats a while ago (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=ab540be05531814078c5a8ac7702b7f3), and liverpudlian built a similar sized model for Argentina also. My graphics card is a NVIDIA Geforce 6150SE nForce 430. You lot probably know that is hardly the best hard drive

Anyway, I too would like to find a solution, although my current method dosent take too long. Putting seats in the corners is all part of building stadiums but if there was a quick cheat way I would use it

Me, liverpudlian and a load of others post our pictures here:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=330977&page=425