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    A *new* plugin for scattering objects

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    • M Offline
      Mike Basil
      last edited by Mike Basil

      I needed a method for scattering objects within a given (planar) area but the closest plugin I could find was [anchor=http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7612 goto=:2aag9zkp]MatrixProximity[/anchor:2aag9zkp]by TIG.

      I needed something somewhat more "natural" and decided to write a new plugin. It would be nice if somebody could use it too, so please get the alpha version on [anchor= goto=http://www.michaelvasiljevs.com/sketchup-plugin-disperse-components/:2aag9zkp]my site[/anchor:2aag9zkp], currently for windows only (SU 2014/2015 should work).

      Would appreciate any feedback even if something like "you fool, SketchUp already has functionality for this!!"! πŸ˜‰

      Greets
      Mike

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      • bazB Offline
        baz
        last edited by

        Link provided is flaky. Try this... http://www.michaelvasiljevs.com/category/3d-modelling-log/

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        • cottyC Offline
          cotty
          last edited by

          I haven't tried you plugin, what is the main difference/advantage regarding other plugins, e.g. MakeFur?

          my SketchUp gallery

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          • Dan RathbunD Offline
            Dan Rathbun
            last edited by

            First impression sounds like Compo Spray.
            http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=33908

            I'm not here much anymore.

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            • D Offline
              driven
              last edited by

              @dan,
              The main difference is it's positioning algorithm is compiled [for windows only] so it should be much faster than all the ruby ones...

              john

              learn from the mistakes of others, you may not live long enough to make them all yourself...

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              • Dan RathbunD Offline
                Dan Rathbun
                last edited by

                "it's" refers to what ?

                I'm not here much anymore.

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                • M Offline
                  Mike Basil
                  last edited by

                  Many thanks for your replies and for correcting the link.

                  Regarding MakeFur - I had a look at it and it does not say what algorithm it uses but my guess that samples are placed independently of each other because I can see intersections in the generated grass.

                  As far as I see Compo Spray functions in a similar way to MakeFur and the author writes "not allowing collision can be VERY slow" perhaps because intersections are removed in a brute-force manner.

                  My plugin uses Poisson disk distribution - the same way photoreceptors are scattered in a human eye. It has very nice blue noise properties. Cook of Pixar (1986) wrote "With purely random distribution, the samples tend to bunch up in some places and leave large gaps in other places" .
                  The MatrixProximity script actually uses jittered grid algorithm which somewhat approximates Poisson disk method and is easier to implement.
                  Also indeed my plugin should be a little faster because C++ built code was used.

                  Greetings

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                  • M Offline
                    Mike Basil
                    last edited by

                    The plugin Disperse Components [alpha] is now available through extension warehouse! The plugin is free (will also probably stay so) and is available at http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/node/2826

                    Greetings,
                    Mike

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                    • U Offline
                      unearthed
                      last edited by

                      I haven't tried this yet as I'm on the road but have been hoping poisson distribution would get scripted for SU. A while ago ago I posted this query http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=55779%26amp;hilit=+poisson .

                      Currently when I want these (for 'random' planting layouts) I run them in R and export to dxf - Your method offers possibility of saving two steps and keeping everything 'in house'. One extra though - would you be able to add a ratio for each different component so as to get an effect as in the link's first image?

                      Growplan - People ∩ Plants ∩ Place

                      windows 7 64b, 4GB RAM, SU 8.0.16846
                      Gimp, QGIS, Vectorworks 12, Bricscad 11

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                      • M Offline
                        Mike Basil
                        last edited by

                        @unearthed said:

                        I haven't tried this yet as I'm on the road but have been hoping poisson distribution would get scripted for SU. A while ago ago I posted this query http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=55779%26amp;hilit=+poisson .

                        Did not see your post, distributing plants is certainly something I also thought of before! Not sure about Poisson Sampling with ruby, was thinking going the other way - a more performant solution using OpenCL or CUDA - because sampling is quite numerically intensive. πŸ˜‰

                        @unearthed said:

                        Currently when I want these (for 'random' planting layouts) I run them in R and export to dxf - Your method offers possibility of saving two steps and keeping everything 'in house'. One extra though - would you be able to add a ratio for each different component so as to get an effect as in the link's first image?

                        Right, the percentage of the total samples for each component? I could certainly do this, perhaps I will make an update this weekend if there is time.

                        As with regards to using different radii (for each sample/plant to have a different minimum radius), as also mentioned in your other post - I will see how quickly it can be done, perhaps if it takes more than a few hours (if done efficiently!) I'll think of releasing a commercial plugin.

                        Greetings

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