Adding group to existing entities

vimleshpatel · 7 May 2015, 11:30

I tried to create a box and add it to the cabinet like:


entities = []
entities<< create_left_panel
entities<< create_right_panel
entities<< create_front_panel
entities<< create_back_panel
entities<< create_bottom_panel

group = Sketchup.active_model.entities.add_group(entities) # here entities is array of entity(back, front side etc)
box = group.to_component

comp = cabinet.definition.entities.add_instance box.definition, transform
#cabinet is an ComponentInstance object.
box.erase! #If I'm not deleting this entity then 3 copies will be there.

But here I'm getting two copies for every entity in the group.
1. as a group of component inside a instance i.e box as ComponentInstance.[/list]
2. as all separate ComponentInstance object for every entity in group.[/list]

@unknownuser said:

So, while moving any of the ungrouped entities the entity inside the box object is also moving. and if I tried to delete the ungrouped entity then Sketchup itself crashed.

@unknownuser said:

I need some short of code that can add a group of entities into another entities [ComponentInstance.definition] group, without making another copy of it or the other copy should be deleted without crashing the Sketchup.

sdmitch · 7 May 2015, 13:40

I think the problem is that you create the various panels in a method, probably as a group then you copy them into another group thus duplicating them.

TIG · 7 May 2015, 20:45

You only give us half of the story !
Presumably each of your methods ' create...' returns a valid ' entity'.
These must be in the model.active_entities context for the add_group(...) to work...
You somehow magic a ' transform' - in the add_instance(...) what is that ?

In principle the limited code you show us ought to work...
But of course you can easy screw it up in the parts you haven't shewn...

vimleshpatel · 8 May 2015, 05:50

Here I'm copying the related method I used to create panel's


#This method will return a panel as ComponentInstance
#RectangleBox is another class which will create a panel using 2 diagonal points, thickness
def create_box
   entities = []
   entities<< create_left_panel
   entities<< create_right_panel
   entities<< create_front_panel
   entities<< create_back_panel
   entities<< create_bottom_panel
   group = Sketchup.active_model.entities.add_group(entities)
   box = group.to_component
   rotate_panel box, [0,0,0], X_AXIS, 270
   add_box_in_cabinet(box)
end

def add_box_in_cabinet box
   selection = Sketchup.active_model.selection
   if selection.count!=3
     UI.messagebox("Please select 3 panels and try again!")
     return
   end
   h_panel=nil
   v_panels=[]
   selection.each{|panel|
     if panel.name == "HShelf"
       h_panel = panel
     else
       v_panels << panel
     end
   }
   definition = h_panel.parent
   parent_component = definition.instances[0]
   points = get_box_position_in_cabinet box
   if !points
     puts "Points are not valid"
     return
   end
   trans_move = Geom;;Transformation.translation points
   component = parent_component.definition.entities.add_instance box.definition, trans_move
   box.erase!
end

def get_box_position_in_cabinet h_panel, v_panels
   points = []
   dict1 = nil
   if v_panels.length == 2
     vdict1 = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary v_panels[0]
     vdict2 = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary v_panels[1]
     x1 = vdict1['x'].to_l.inch
     x2 = vdict2['x'].to_l.inch
     panel1= nil
     if x1 > x2
       points.push((x2+18).mm)
     else
       points.push((x1+18).mm)
     end
   end
   dict = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary h_panel
   points.push(dict['y'].to_l.inch)
   points.push(dict['z'].to_l.inch)
   if !points
     return false
   end
   points
end

def create_panel pts, thickness
    ply_type ="PLY"
    info = Hash.new
    info[DESCRIPTION] = BACK
    b = RectangleBox.new(pts[0], pts[1], thickness)
    component = b.draw
end

def rotate_panel component, points, axis, angle
    trans_rotate = Geom;;Transformation.rotation points, axis, angle.degrees
    component.transform! trans_rotate
end

def translate_panel component, points
    trans_move = Geom;;Transformation.translation points
    component.transform! trans_move
end

def create_left_panel
   panel = create_panel @left, @thickness
   rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 90
   points =[...] #Position for panel to fit
   translate_panel panel, points
   panel
end
def create_right_panel
   panel = create_panel @right, @thickness
   rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 270
   points =[...] #Position for panel to fit
   translate_panel panel, points
   panel
end
def create_front_panel
   panel = create_panel @front, @thickness
   rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 180
   points =[...] #Position for panel to fit
   translate_panel panel, points
   panel
end
def create_back_panel
   panel = create_panel @back, @thickness
   points =[...] #Position for panel to fit
   translate_panel panel, points
   panel
end
def create_bottom_panel
   panel = create_panel @bottom, @thickness
   rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 90
   points =[...] #Position for panel to fit
   translate_panel panel, points
   panel
end

@unknownuser said:

Other than these methods I'm setting some value in the dictionary like x,y,z, lenx, leny etc.

One more thing that I observed is: If I'm not creating box in cabinet, then only one copy is created. but If I'm selecting panels in the cabinet and tried to create box then it will create 2 copies of of box.

TIG · 8 May 2015, 09:25

Is you code inside a module ??

def create_panel pts, thickness
    ply_type ="PLY"
    info = Hash.new
    info[DESCRIPTION] = BACK
    b = RectangleBox.new(pts[0], pts[1], thickness)
    component = b.draw
end

Leaves unanswered questions...
Where do the Constants DESCRIPTION and BACK come from ?
what is 'b' that RectangleBox makes ?
Is it a 'box' in geometry ?
What is the '.draw' method for it ?
This method returns a 'component' ??
I'm sure your code could be less convoluted and thereby more easily understood...

vimleshpatel · 8 May 2015, 12:02

All those method are defined inside class like:

class DBox
   DESCRIPTION = 'Description'
   BACK = "Back" # It means nothing yet.
   def get_all_points
     @left = [[0, 0, 0], [500.mm, 150.mm, 0]]
     @right = [[0, 0, 0], [500.mm, 150.mm, 0]]
     @front = [[0, 0, 0], [200.mm, 150.mm, 0]]
     @back = [[0, 0, 0], [200.mm, 150.mm, 0]]
     @bottom = [[0, 0, 0], [480.mm, 180.mm, 0]]
     @thickness = 18
   end
   def create_box
     entities = []
     entities<< create_left_panel
     entities<< create_right_panel
     entities<< create_front_panel
     entities<< create_back_panel
     entities<< create_bottom_panel
     group = Sketchup.active_model.entities.add_group(entities)
     box = group.to_component
     rotate_panel box, [0,0,0], X_AXIS, 270
     add_box_in_cabinet(box)
  end

  def add_box_in_cabinet box
     selection = Sketchup.active_model.selection
     if selection.count!=3
       UI.messagebox("Please select 3 panels and try again!")
       return
     end
     h_panel=nil
     v_panels=[]
     selection.each{|panel|
       if panel.name == "HShelf"
         h_panel = panel
       else
         v_panels << panel
       end
     }
     definition = h_panel.parent
     parent_component = definition.instances[0]
     points = get_box_position_in_cabinet box
     if !points
       puts "Points are not valid"
       return
     end
     trans_move = Geom;;Transformation.translation points
     component = parent_component.definition.entities.add_instance box.definition, trans_move
     box.erase!
  end

  def get_box_position_in_cabinet h_panel, v_panels
     points = []
     dict1 = nil
     if v_panels.length == 2
       vdict1 = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary v_panels[0]
       vdict2 = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary v_panels[1]
       x1 = vdict1['x'].to_l.inch
       x2 = vdict2['x'].to_l.inch
       panel1= nil
       if x1 > x2
         points.push((x2+18).mm)
       else
         points.push((x1+18).mm)
       end
     end
     dict = SketchupInfo.rootDictionary h_panel
     points.push(dict['y'].to_l.inch)
     points.push(dict['z'].to_l.inch)
     if !points
       return false
     end
     points
  end

  def create_panel pts, thickness
     ply_type ="PLY"
     info = Hash.new
     info[DESCRIPTION] = BACK
     b = RectangleBox.new(pts[0], pts[1], thickness)
     component = b.draw
  end

  def rotate_panel component, points, axis, angle
     trans_rotate = Geom;;Transformation.rotation points, axis, angle.degrees
     component.transform! trans_rotate
  end

  def translate_panel component, points
     trans_move = Geom;;Transformation.translation points
     component.transform! trans_move
  end

  def create_left_panel
     panel = create_panel @left, @thickness
     rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 90
     points =[0,0,0] #Position for panel to fit
     translate_panel panel, points
     panel
  end
  def create_right_panel
     panel = create_panel @right, @thickness
     rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 270
     points =[200.mm,0,0] #Position for panel to fit
     translate_panel panel, points
     panel
  end
  def create_front_panel
     panel = create_panel @front, @thickness
     rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 180
     points =[18.mm,0,0] #Position for panel to fit
     translate_panel panel, points
     panel
  end
  def create_back_panel
     panel = create_panel @back, @thickness
     points =[18.mm,0,482.mm] #Position for panel to fit
     translate_panel panel, points
     panel
  end
  def create_bottom_panel
     panel = create_panel @bottom, @thickness
     rotate_panel panel, [0,0,0], Y_AXIS, 90
     points =[10.mm, 140.mm, 490.mm] #Position for panel to fit
     translate_panel panel, points
     panel
  end
end

class RectangleBox
  DESCRIPTION = 'Description'
  attr_reader ;near, ;far, ;thickness
  
  def initialize( near, far, thickness, ply_type, info = {})
    @near = near; @far = far
    @thickness= thickness
    @ply_type = ply_type
    @description = info[DESCRIPTION]
  end
  def draw(*args)
    model=Sketchup.active_model()
    if args.length == 0
      ents = model.entities()
      group = ents.add_group()
    else
      group = args[0]
    end 
    corners = get_corners()
    face = group.entities().add_face(corners[0], corners[1], corners[2], corners[3])
    face.pushpull(@thickness.mm)
    panel= group.to_component
    panel.definition.name = "#{@ply_type}"
    panel.name = @description
    return panel
  end
  def get_corners()
    ret = []
    ret[0] = @near
    ret[2] = @far
    ret[1] = [ @near[r], @far[g], @far[b] ]
    ret[3] = [ @far[r], @near[g], @near[b] ]
    return ret
  end
end

class SketchupInfo
   def self.getDictionary(entity, dictionary)
      dicts = entity.attribute_dictionaries
      if !dicts.nil?
         dicts[dictionary]
      end
   end
   def self.rootDictionary(entity)
     SketchupInfo.getDictionary(entity,'dynamic_attributes')
   end
end

I called create_box method form menu by creating object for DBox

box = DBox.new
box.create_box

I removed some of the method which are not used till now.
If I'm creating box independently (not inside Cabinet) then it creates only one box as ComponentInstance, but when I tried to create it withing Cabinet then one extra box is creating which is not even a group(all panels are individual) & if I'm moving one of the panel the the panel inside grouped box is also moving. or if I tried to delete any panel then Sketchup got crashed.

TIG · 8 May 2015, 13:03

The class is somewhat like a module in this context...
But still best to include the whole lot inside your own module...

Can I suggest you revisit your various entities definitions.
Sometimes you use model.active_entities, another model.entities, they might not always be the same thing...
Also if you make your group and immediately add thing to group.entities it might be easier...