New section plugin?

kaas

just saw a basecamp twitter message about a new plugin called http://www.skalp4sketchup.com
I'm not sure if it's using textures or real hatches but I'm very curious about the upcoming youtube video...crossing fingers.

edit: I see Rich O'Brien already spotted this news on twitter several hours ago. If it turns out to be a real line hatch plugin I will follow him in #takemymoney

Krisidious

Have you seen this Kaas?

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=55072

kaas

@krisidious said:

Have you seen this Kaas?
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=55072

Hi Kristoff,

Yes, I tried it some time ago. It didn't work for me because it uses textures and it created several scenes during the process which I would like to avoid.

I'm really looking for a plugin that uses line hatches instead of textures. Much better quality with printing, can be exported to people who still use cad programs etc. Jolran started making such a plugin some time ago but he hasn't released an update for a while now. Maybe it's him at the Basecamp?

Krisidious

I agree... I long for vector hatching too.

jolran

Hi. No it's not me Thanks for remembering though.

I'm working on another project so this one is on hold.

You can use 2dboolean to hatch faces if you have premade edgepatterns-components, you know.
However there is one issue that bothers me, and it is the workflow with Layout.
I recently did a building permit for a house with edge-patterns as roof-tiles.
In SU all was fine and snappy, but updatetime in Layout was unworkable.

I'm sure there are workarounds, but I have my doubts...

I'm still on SU8, so this could be a totally different matter in 2014.

This Skalp-plugin is breaking gravity if it delivers what promised. I wonder how it communicates with Layout ? Is this a Trimble production or individual development ?

Rich O Brien

Skalp for SketchUp is the most awesome section tool I've seen.

I'm not gonna spoil the surprise of what it does bit anyone who has AutoCad patterns that they want to use in SU and have them converted into seamless textures in SketchUp will be happy.

$69 or €49 is really a nice price.

Krisidious

O.O

kaas

@rich o brien said:

Skalp for SketchUp is the most awesome section tool I've seen.

I'm not gonna spoil the surprise of what it does bit anyone who has AutoCad patterns that they want to use in SU and have them converted into seamless textures in SketchUp will be happy.

Textures was not what I was hoping for but lets wait until we see the plugin in action. A bit strange because on the website it states 'Export to DXF includes real CAD hatch patterns'. I was under the impression dxf only support lines and not textures.

kaas

@jolran said:

...You can use 2dboolean to hatch faces if you have premade edgepatterns-components, you know.

This is exactly what I do at the moment. It involves some repetitive manual work which would be nice if it could be avoided.

@jolran said:

However there is one issue that bothers me, and it is the workflow with Layout. I recently did a building permit for a house with edge-patterns as roof-tiles. In SU all was fine and snappy, but updatetime in Layout was unworkable. I'm sure there are workarounds, but I have my doubts... I'm still on SU8, so this could be a totally different matter in 2014.

Not sure what's the problem here. Multiple pages? What mode are you using (vector)? Medium or high quality during editing? I'm quite happy with the speed. Maybe try opening the layout drawing in a trail version of SU2013 or SU2014? In SU 2014, according to the release notes, speed in layout was improved in vector mode.

I put my hatches (together with dimensions and electrical symbols etcetera) on a seperate layer in layout (all get the the same pen-size) so if layout would get slow, it's easy to lower the amount of linework temporary.

jolran

Kaas.

I'm still on ver 8 to poor at the moment. Maybe that's the problem.

@unknownuser said:

It involves some repetitive manual work which would be nice if it could be avoided.

Yeah, I know. Especially if one have to redo it again..

This Skalp plugin looks truly amazing though. Being able to load in CAD patterns will be a killer.

Krisidious

2013 does add hatch patterns for layout and faster layout response in vector.

though you'll still have section problems.

layout only recognizes hatch patterns or materials from sketchup when in graphic mode, not vector
you'll have to either copy paste sections slices in and convert them to filled hatches or you'll have to trace your plan with the layout hatch lines.
this defeats the model updating feature of the sketchup/layout system.

using Tig's newer section cutface you'll have an autoupdating slice but still...

I want vector section hatching that I can configure in both layout and sketchup that i don't have to explode to use.

Skalp

@kaas said:

@rich o brien said:

Skalp for SketchUp is the most awesome section tool I've seen.

I'm not gonna spoil the surprise of what it does bit anyone who has AutoCad patterns that they want to use in SU and have them converted into seamless textures in SketchUp will be happy.

Textures was not what I was hoping for but lets wait until we see the plugin in action. A bit strange because on the website it states 'Export to DXF includes real CAD hatch patterns'. I was under the impression dxf only support lines and not textures.

Here's the Skalp workflow: You import whichever autocad .pat -> Use Skalp Pattern Designer to dynamically create tileable real sharp textures. It supports line widths, colors and transparency for use in SketchUp and Layout. However, on your question: Skalp definitely has an export to DXF from SketchUp that includes the original hatches, based of the original .pat definition. Please feel free to follow us through our site, twitter or Facebook: http://www.skalp4sketchup.com

Best Regards,
The Skalp Team

kaas

@skalp said:

... However, on your question: Skalp definitely has an export to DXF from SketchUp that includes the original hatches, based of the original .pat definition. Please feel free to follow us through our site, twitter or Facebook: http://www.skalp4sketchup.com

Hello Skalp Team, thanks for the additional info. Will definitely give it a go once it comes available.

Krisidious

@skalp said:

Best Regards,
The Skalp Team

Got any sneak peak videos for us Skalp Team?

JQL

It's a shame layout hasn't got ruby... I understand that with skalp texture paterns created from cad hatches can be exported back as hatches. I bet we can't do it from LO though.

Krisidious

@jql said:

It's a shame layout hasn't got ruby...

Oh how I dream... I can only imagine how fantastic things would be.

Why can't ruby do documentation in sketchup?

pbacot

@jql said:

It's a shame layout hasn't got ruby... I understand that with skalp texture paterns created from cad hatches can be exported back as hatches. I bet we can't do it from LO though.

But they just said this "It supports line widths, colors and transparency for use in SketchUp and Layout." Can't wait to see what it means.

Dave R

Y'all should have been at Basecamp.

JQL

@pbacot said:

But they just said this "It supports line widths, colors and transparency for use in SketchUp and Layout." Can't wait to see what it means.

The plugin should manage styles too... Create a scene for section and another for view use a style for section another for view...

That's what I waste my time doing all the time at least, will it happen automatically?

Skalp

You can see a part of the presentation of Skalp for SketchUp at 3DBasecamp on our youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/skalp4sketchup