[Plugin] 3D Parametric Shapes - makes placeable components

thomthom

:thumb: Cool, and what about the famous teapot?

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=24079

johnwmcc

Added Helical Ramp with Sides shape, with parameter for slope of sides from horizontal. Changed helical parameters to ask for start and end height, instead of pitch. Minor bug fixes.

johnwmcc

Minor update (to v2.2.7) - changed module name from CommunityExtensions to JWM in all four .rb files in .rbz archive to avoid potential conflict with SketchUp Extension Warehouse version.

eozel

It gives load error msg in my pc.

Error Loading File C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes/shapes.rb
Error: cannot load such file -- C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes/parametric.rb
C:/Program Files (x86)/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/Tools/RubyStdLib/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:45:in require' C:/Program Files (x86)/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/Tools/RubyStdLib/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:45:in require'
C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes/shapes.rb:8:in <top (required)>' C:/Program Files (x86)/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/Tools/extensions.rb:197:in require'
C:/Program Files (x86)/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/Tools/extensions.rb:197:in load' C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes.rb:24:in register_extension'
C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes.rb:24:in <module:Shapes>' C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes.rb:12:in module:JWM'
C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/jwm_shapes.rb:11:in `<top (required)>'

johnwmcc

I'm afraid I don't quite know why this happens, or even definitely how to fix it, though I have a couple of suggestions to try.

It seems from the Ruby console dialogue that you included, that the plugin loader (Plugins/shapes.rb) isn't finding the file parametric.rb where it expects to, in the Plugins/jwm_shapes subfolder.

How did you install the Plugin? If through the Window/Preferences/Extensions/Install Extension button, it ought to put the files where they belong.

Please look and see what files/folders you have in your Plugins folder
"C:/Users/emre özel/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/"

You should have one file from this plugin (jwm_shapes.rb) and one folder (jwm_shapes). The folder should contain the following files:
CHANGELOG.txt
extension_info.txt
mesh_additions.rb
parametric.rb
shapes.png
shapes.rb
shapes_icon.png
(and maybe shapes 221.rb)

If those files aren't there, the installation hasn't worked properly.

If you manually unzipped the .rbz file, you may not have checked the option to preserve the folder structure.

To fix it, you might try (a) installing the plugin through the 'official' route - open SU, then go to Window/Preferences/Extensions [Install Extension] and select the downloaded jwm_shapes.rbz file to install.

or (b) change the extension of the downloaded file from .rbz to .zip, Extract the files in it (preserving the folder structure), to get the files and folder identified above, then copy the one file shapes.rb, and then the folder and contents jwm_shapes, into the Plugins folder.

I've just double checked that downloading the .rbz file from the top of this post, and using the official SU Extension installer works for me.

I don't think this a problem specifically to do with this one plugin. You could try downloading another plugin, and trying to install that.

If none of this works, try the Sketchup Extensions forum.

Best wishes

John McC

driven

most likely suspect is ö in the path...

TT posted a workaround in the dev forum, search for force_encoding...

it was along the lines of

file__ = __FILE__
file__ = file__.force_encoding("UTF-8") if defined?(Encoding)

@emre, do any plugins load? if so which ones?

john

Box

It's worth pointing out here that the version of this that is in the plugin store, simply called shapes, doesn't work with SU2014.
The RBZ above does work and it's a different version.

So Emre you linked to the plugin store one as the one you had downloaded in another thread, Is that the case? have you tried with this one? Or the newer version also in the store?

John, you might want to see about updating or removing the earlier one in the store.

Box

Edit: I see you've edited and understood while I was writing this. I'll leave it here anyway as a visual for Emre as I get a similar error message if I install the old Shapes version.

I think there is just a bit of confusion going on because of the similarity of a couple of plugins.
I think Emre has tried the one called Shape and not the one in this thread. I don't know if shape is your but the wording makes it look like it could be.

johnwmcc

The @Last version really ought to be removed from this Plugin store - the Google Sketchup team did an update of it several years ago, and mine/Trimble's was originally based on the previous SU Team version. However, with the advent of SU2014, the code was extended by me, then the code was updated to work with the new Ruby version, and Thomas Thomasson of the Trimble team helped me extensively to clean up the code. Trimble then chose to make it the first Community/Open Source SU plugin.

ntxdave

Feature Request- I would like to see a modification that would allow you to specify where the 3D shape is drawn. I currently is always drawn at 0,0,0. While the shape is added to your model as a group which allows you to easily move it, there could be times when that space is occupied and you would have trouble getting to the shape just added. It would be good if you could click the spot where you want the shape added before adding it.

This was discussed in another thread and it was suggested that I add it as a request in this thread........

johnwmcc

I have looked at doing this, but found it too difficult for me. Sorry - I did try!

I did produce some code that would read the pick point (there are other plugins that I was able to adapt this from).

But I couldn't see how to incorporate that into saving the parameters of the object, or even how to draw it at the picked point. My Ruby coding skills aren't good enough, I'm afraid.

But I'd be very happy to have someone else edit the code to do this if they know how!

Even if they can't do that, it would be very good if the parametric.rb code could be modified to save and list the object parameters IN ORDER - at the moment, they are stored as a hash, which has no intrinsic order, and doesn't list in the order of entry, or necessarily even the same order on different uses. (Again, I'm not a good enough Ruby programmer to know how to do that).

Jim

What if you used Components instead of Groups, then simply attached the Component to the mouse cursor for placement using Model#place_component()?

johnwmcc

I'll see if I can work out how to convert the Group into a Component without losing the parametric properties of the Shape. I think I tried it a while ago, but if I remember correctly, the parametric properties don't survive the conversion from Group to Component, and I couldn't (at the time, anyway) see how to fix that.

It won't be soon, though - I haven't much time spare from other non-SU projects at the moment.

Jim

@johnwmcc said:

I'll see if I can work out how to convert the Group into a Component without losing the parametric properties of the Shape. I think I tried it a while ago, but if I remember correctly, the parametric properties don't survive the conversion from Group to Component, and I couldn't (at the time, anyway) see how to fix that.

It won't be soon, though - I haven't much time spare from other non-SU projects at the moment.

You wouldn't convert the Group to a Component. You would add a ComponentDefinition then add the geometry to the definition. Then call Model.place_component with the new definition.

parametric.rb will work with the instances. All instances will be updated when edited. I made a quick example using someone's stringer-drawing code.

parametric-stringer.rb

TIG

The issue that was raised in another recent thread was that, although the jwm version and the Trimble su_ EWH version are different toolsets with different modules, methods etc, they both ill-advisedly share the same Extension name.

This means that the first RB to load 'jwm' lays claim to that Extension and loads its code - when the 'su_' version comes along it does not load as it thinks its Extension is already loaded [which it is, at least going 'by-name'].
So if both Plugins' RB files are installed only the 'jwm' version will loads and appear in the menu !

This was confusing users who expected them both to load separately.
Naming one of their Extensions slightly differently would be helpful.

In passing: the oldie @Last 'shapes.rb' version is only provided in the SCF Plugin store as legacy code [I'll add a note to its entry...]

johnwmcc

Many thanks for the guidance and example, Jim.

I'll see what I can make of it, but not quickly I'm afraid.

As to the naming, I'm happy to change the name to avoid conflict betwwen the Trimble EW hosted and SketchUcation versions.

Thought the name change might take a while to get right, but it was a quick set of internal name changes, and I've tested that the new rbz file loads in Windows 7, SU2014 and SU2015 (the latter, in the 64 bit version).

Modification now done in downloadable v2.2.8 rbz file in original post at top of this thread.

Will update the Plugin Store by this weekend.

TIG

@John

You can just change your Extension name to say 'JWM Shapes' or 'Shapes Tool [JWM]' - such names won't clash with the su_ one of 'Shapes Tool' !

You both already separate your code inside your own modules and methods, so no issues there...

I have added a note to the oldie @Last legacy version in the PluginStore, redirecting to your newer/better version...

johnwmcc

Thank you TIG. I've done pretty much what you suggest in the renaming - the module is now JWMShapes, and the .rb file name is jwm_shapes.rb, whereas before both just said Shapes or shapes.rb. The menu label now says 3D Shapes (JWM) instead of just 3D Shapes.

TIG

The version in the PluginStore is already named "jwm_shapes" [.rb & subfile]
It is unwise to rename loading RB files as any older ones will still get loaded too !
But no issues as it still has the same name ??

Your module inside the subfolder's 'shapes.rb' was named 'JWM', so it didn't need changing either, as that already separated it from other versions...

The Extension name was the only real issue as it was shared by the su_ version !
Therefore your version took precedence as it loaded in alphanumeric order before the su_ one and claimed the one available slot.

johnwmcc

Added missing validation checks in v2.2.9 to require minumum of 3 segments or sides for Tube, Pyramid and Torus.

Uploaded latest v2.2.9 to Plugin Store, and updated Basic Info version number, Quick Start, and Documentation.