Help with window hole in wall script

Deanby7 · 28 Apr 2016, 10:21

I'm new to Ruby and have written this quick and dirty script to make a hole in a wall (wall has thickness), from the boundary of a window component glued to the outside face. The script pushpull's from inside and outside to retain materials applied to each wall face, and the window component insets as a bonus!
The script will only work for rectangular window/door components on vertical walls which are orthagonal with global axes, which is the majority of cases!
The script works fine with wall 'faces', but I'm having trouble punching holes in walls that are part of a group. Also, in the rare cases I might have a non-orthogonal wall ie 45 degrees to x-plane the routine doesn't work if I change the axes to align with the wall prior to running the routine!
I would appreciate any guidance with the above. I'm sure I'm missing something basic. Apologies in advance for this!! : )

My code so far is attached.

dbWindOpen.rb

Rich O Brien · 28 Apr 2016, 10:44

Did you look at TIG's Hole Punch Tool?

SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation

SketchUp Plugin and Extension Store by SketchUcation provides free downloads of hundreds of SketchUp extensions and plugins

(sketchucation.com)

You might see something in his code to help

sdmitch · 28 Apr 2016, 17:49

@deanby7 said:

I'm new to Ruby and have written this quick and dirty script to make a hole in a wall (wall has thickness), from the boundary of a window component glued to the outside face. The script pushpull's from inside and outside to retain materials applied to each wall face, and the window component insets as a bonus!
The script will only work for rectangular window/door components on vertical walls which are orthagonal with global axes, which is the majority of cases!
The script works fine with wall 'faces', but I'm having trouble punching holes in walls that are part of a group. Also, in the rare cases I might have a non-orthogonal wall ie 45 degrees to x-plane the routine doesn't work if I change the axes to align with the wall prior to running the routine!
I would appreciate any guidance with the above. I'm sure I'm missing something basic. Apologies in advance for this!! : )

My code so far is attached.

Anytime you are using component instances or groups, you have to consider its' transformation. In this case you would need to "move" the component.transformation.origin into the group by applying the inverse of the groups transformation.

The bounding box of a component instance changes as its' orientation changes.
Use the definition bounds of the component instance instead. Use a combination of the bounds.height,.width, and .depth instead of .min and .max.

Attached is my version of your plugin.

Deanby7.rb

JQL · 28 Apr 2016, 18:16

@deanby7 said:

I'm new to Ruby and have written this quick and dirty script to make a hole in a wall (wall has thickness), from the boundary of a window component glued to the outside face...

I would appreciate any guidance with the above...

My code so far is attached.

And then the pros come in the form of assistance...

@sdmitch said:

Attached is my version of your plugin.

I love this forum!

Deanby7 · 28 Apr 2016, 18:47

Many thanks for the information sdmitch. I love this forum too! I am learning a lot from the experts!

Deanby7 · 28 Apr 2016, 22:05

sdmitch - Your revised code works a treat, except the window components don't move into the reveals!
The transformation is not working and I am struggling to understand what you are doing here.
cdi.transform!(trn*cdi.transformation.inverse)
Does "trn" not cancel out "cdi.transformation.inverse" ?

sdmitch · 29 Apr 2016, 00:10

@deanby7 said:

sdmitch - Your revised code works a treat, except the window components don't move into the reveals!
The transformation is not working and I am struggling to understand what you are doing here.
cdi.transform!(trn*cdi.transformation.inverse)
Does "trn" not cancel out "cdi.transformation.inverse" ?

I didn't know that you wanted that move so that statement puts the component back where it started so just delete or comment the statement.

trn is the original component transformation so, by applying the inverse of the current transformation then the original transformation, the component is put back in its original position. You can combine transformations by multiplying them. They will be applied in a "right to left" order.

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 06:51

sdmitch - I'm not getting this transformation thing! I'm sure the penny will drop soon!

I've tried

						cdi.glued_to=nil
						#cdi.transform!(trn*cdi.transformation.inverse)
						pg = org.offset!(ya,olt)
						cdi.transform!(pg)

The component moves but not where I expected!!

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 06:55

sdmitch - To clarify, I'm trying to move the component along its Y-axis by distance olt. ie into the hole just created.

TIG · 29 Apr 2016, 07:23

If it's a gluing component the glued_to face's normal is always the component's Z axis.
If it's glued onto the face it can't be moved in that direction at all.
If it's a non-gluing component, then its axes can be in any direction !
You have not unequivocally explained that ?
If it has any axis in the norm=face.normal direction, then why not transform [translate] it along that vect=norm.reverse to move it 'inwards', making vect.length=2.0 [for say 2"]...
cdi.transform!(Geom::Transformation.translation(vect))
Assuming ' cdi' is the component instance.
If you know the component is a 'gluing' type, but the 'face' is not readily accessible, and want to move it along its current Z axis, then you can get it thus:
vect=cdi.transformation.zaxis.reverse
vect.length=2.0 or vect.length=50.mm etc
Then do the .transform!() ...

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 10:56

TIG - thanks for that. The components will be glued to the wall component/face and the
vect=cdi.transformation.zaxis.reverse and vect.length=50.mm worked for me.

Now all I need to do is work out how to have the user settings (if changed) remembered between uses of the script within the same Sketchup session. I assume I will need to use instance variables and use getters. This is all very alien to me coming from AutoLisp!! More reading required!!

Thanks for help all.

JQL · 29 Apr 2016, 12:05

Deanby7,

I don't fully understand what's going on but I think your plugin performs a pushpull from the inner face towards the glued component.

This is pretty much waht Hole punching tool does (Tig's plugin) have you thought of creating a component in the inner face like this:

Window to Cut Hole on Thick Wall | SketchUcation

In this tutorial, we demonstrate how to create a component (more exactly a complex component) that can cut the holes on both the outer and inner faces of a thick wall in SketchUp.

(sketchucation.com)

The component inside could be based on the hole cutting shape from the first component (or whatever's possible) and the material applied could be of the wall.

TIG · 29 Apr 2016, 12:50

There are 5 'flavors' or variable [aka reference].
Their 'scopes' differ.

'Local'- e.g. distance - only remembered in the method [def] or module it is defined in for that one use only. If it's initially created within a 'block' then it is only usable within the block, so if you want to get something from an iteration set it outside - e.g. v=nil;es.each{|e|if e<0;v=e;break;end} - now v is set to the first value in the array es that is < 0... A 'plain' variable starts with a lower case letter [a-z]
'Instance' - e.g. @distance - remembered across uses in the module it is defined in, if defined within a module's method [def] then it is remembered across uses, and is available to all other methods within that module; if used within a class if persists for that one use, but is available in all other methods within that class [for that one use]. This is useful for remembering user input across uses within a session. It does not work for classes.
'Class' - e.g. @@distance - remembered across uses in the class in which is defined [note it should be initially created in the body of the class itself NOT within a method [def]], it is also available to all methods in that class - so this is useful for remembering user input within a session, when using a class.
'Global' - e.g. $LOAD_PATH - never use these, because they are available to all methods, modules and classes, and you could overwrite some other code's variable that ill-advisedly used a global. It is seen in 'system' global variables used by Ruby...
'Constants' - e.g. VERSION - these can be set within the body of a module and are available to all methods etc within it. It's normal to set up constants as the module code first load. You can actually reset a Constant without issue, other that a warning that you've done it in the Ruby Console. However, you can 'freeze' a constant so it cannot be reset... Use Constants for any thing that is not going to change - like your Extensions 'VERSION' - a Constant always starts with a Capital letter, and often they are defined to be all CAPITALS. SketchUp has many Constants of it's own like ORIGIN, Z_AXIS etc.

Using variables only keeps then set up during that session, so exiting SketchUp and restarting defaults them again.
There are several ways to sidestep this...

a) To save the current user inputs with the particular model use a attribute...
let's say you've go the user's input as @@dist and it's say 50.mm, then remember it as...
model.set_attribute('Deanby7', 'dist', @@dist)
When you next open the model use something like this to recover the stored value...
@@dist=model.get_attribute('Deanby7', 'dist', 50.mm) model.set_attribute('Deanby7', 'dist', @@dist)
Note how in this example it defaults to 50mm if the model has never had that attribute set...
You can attach attribute dictionaries to many things - from the model to definitions and even materials. You save a key/value pair, the value can be:
integer: 1
float: 1.2
length: 50.mm
boolean: true/false
string: "cat"
array: [1, 1.2, 1.234.m, true, false, "dog"]

To save a 'hash'... 'inspect' first it and set that as a string, then 'eval' that string when you get it back to recover the hash...

b) To save the current users inputs with SketchUp - so that they become available to the user in all models across sessions use:
Sketchup.write_default('Deanby7', 'dist', @@dist)
To recover them use:
@@dist=Sketchup.read_default('Deanby7', 'dist', 50.mm )
Sketchup.write_default('Deanby7', 'dist', @@dist)
These are stored in the SketchUp registry entry for that user.
You can store integers, floats, lengths, booleans, strings, and arrays and hashes [they are all stored as strings, but SketchUp uses eval etc to restore them into the correct form when read] - but because of the way the Registry stores the backslash \ characters in strings remember in file paths etc to swap them - e.g. str.tr!("\\", "/")

c) I'd stick with the Registry method in b)... but to save the current users inputs completely outside of SketchUp - so that they become available to the user in all models across sessions, then you could use a file [e.g. .txt] located somewhere that the users can read/write strings [let's call it '[ruby:m0hx44zf]str[/ruby:m0hx44zf]'], and use [ruby:m0hx44zf]lines=IO.read(path_to_file)[/ruby:m0hx44zf] to get its contents - you might want to parse that at [ruby:m0hx44zf]\n[/ruby:m0hx44zf] [or some other unlikely divider you choose] to get sets of key/value pairs...
[ruby:m0hx44zf]fi=File.open(path_to_file, 'w')
fi.puts(str)
fi.close[/ruby:m0hx44zf]
This overwrites the contents of that file with the latest '[ruby:m0hx44zf]str[/ruby:m0hx44zf]'...
Of course as you are saving this as a string you need to manually decide that your key [ruby:m0hx44zf]dist[/ruby:m0hx44zf] is a 'length' and use [ruby:m0hx44zf]dist=dist.to_l[/ruby:m0hx44zf] etc.
Common 'changers' are:
.to_i a string or a float to an integer, "1".to_i >>> 1, 1.2.to_i >>> 1
.to_f a string or an integer to a float, "1".to_f >>> 1.0, 1.to_f >>> 1.0
.to_l a string to a length, "1.m".to_l >>> 1 meter - or 39.3701 inches [SketchUp's base units]
.to_s a number to a string, 1.234.to_s >>> "1.234"
etc...

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 13:04

Thanks for suggestions. I have used TIG's holepunch tool and it is very good (complicated code!) but I wanted a script which would pushpull from both sides to retain materials applied to both sides of the wall, ie brick on the outer and a colour on the inside for instance. Doing it this way, populates the reveals with the corresponding material.
I've also looked at the technique you suggested in url. This assumes you know the wall thickness and construct the reveals on your window components. The window components need to be modified for different wall constructions. Not what I want to do.
With sdmitch and TIG's help, my script is working ok for my needs. Just need to sort out the user changeable variables to be persistent between script uses now!!
Thanks anyway.

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 14:48

TIGs thanks for very useful detailed information regarding variables etc. I thought I would try the simple solution of using instance variables as I only want the values to persist within the current session and model. If I've read your explanation correctly. Not sure I have as this script works on the first run through but on the second run of the script I get an error ......
Error: #<ArgumentError: comparison of Length with nil failed>

module DeanBy7
	module Window_Opening
		def self.main
		    if @olt==nil; @olt = 103.mm; end
			if @twt==nil; @twt = 315.mm; end
			if @wfd==nil; @wfd = 70.mm; end
			if @wdi==nil; @wdi = 50.mm; end
			
			mod = Sketchup.active_model
			sel = mod.selection
			unless sel.grep(Sketchup;;ComponentInstance).empty?
				prompts = ["Wall external leaf thickness", "Wall total thickness", "Window Frame Depth", "Window inset"]
				results = UI.inputbox prompts, [@olt,@twt,@wfd,@wdi], "db Window Opening"
				if results
					@olt,@twt,@wfd,@wdi = results; mod.start_operation "db Window Opening"
					sel.grep(Sketchup;;ComponentInstance){|cdi|
						trn = cdi.transformation
						org = cdi.transformation.origin
						wid = cdi.definition.bounds.width
						hgt = [cdi.definition.bounds.depth,cdi.definition.bounds.height].max
						fog = cdi.glued_to
						if fog!=nil
						    if fog.is_a?(Sketchup;;Face)
							    p0 = org; ents = mod.active_entities
							    xa,ya,za = fog.normal.axes
						    elsif fog.is_a?(Sketchup;;Group)
							    gt = fog.transformation;ents = fog.entities
							    p0 = org.transform(gt.inverse)
							    gf = ents.grep(Sketchup;;Face).find{|f|f.classify_point(p0)==1}
							    xa,ya,za = gf.normal.axes
						    end
							
						    cdi.glued_to = nil
						
						    p1 = p0.offset(xa,wid) 
						    p2 = p1.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    p3 = p0.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    cut = ents.add_face(p0,p1,p2,p3)
						    cut.pushpull(-@olt)
						
						    p0.offset!(za,-@twt)
						    p1 = p0.offset(xa,wid)
						    p2 = p1.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    p3 = p0.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    cut = ents.add_face(p0,p1,p2,p3)
						    cut.pushpull(@olt-@twt)
						
						    vect = cdi.transformation.zaxis.reverse
                            vect.length = @wfd+@wdi
						    cdi.transform!(vect)
                        else
                            UI.messagebox "Component not Glued!", MB_OK					  
                        end
					}
					mod.commit_operation
				end
			end
		end
	end
end

unless file_loaded?(__FILE__)
	UI.menu("Plugins").add_item("db Window Opening") { DeanBy7;;Window_Opening.main }
	file_loaded(__FILE__)
end

Ruby is obviously "picky" about nil and lengths, unlike AutoLisp!
Or have I done something stupid?

TIG · 29 Apr 2016, 15:31

Where you have code like:
if @olt==nil;...
change to:
unless @olt;...
So IF @olt exists we do nothing, if not we set it up...

You could also recast the whole line from:
if @olt==nil; @olt = 103.mm; end
to
@olt = 103.mm unless @olt
which I think reads better...

Fix all such tests...
[I think there are 5 ?]

Garry K · 29 Apr 2016, 16:16

Since we are now discussing stylistic issues

Personally I like

@olt = 103.mm if (! @olt)

I generally use parentheses for if statements and for methods even though ruby does not require them. This helps me with speed reading code as you can immediately distinguish a mehod from a var

Aslo I prefer ! instead of not
and I prefer || instead of or
This is because of my C / C++ background

I use single quotes ' for simple strings (slightly faster)
'my simple string'

I use double quotes " when strings include escape characters or variable replacements
"my variable#{variable} \n with a newline"

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 20:52

Me again!!
Trying to group the reveal entities to make it easy to move a window and it opening if I need to. I have managed to create the group but it ends up being transformed and its not inside the wall groupd as expected. I also get a copy of the elements (not grouped but within the wall group transformed to the wall group origin. Also get a BugSplat! Anyone have an idea what I've done wrong?

module DeanBy7
	module Window_Opening
		def self.main
		    @olt = 103.mm if(!@olt)
			@twt = 315.mm if(!@twt)
			@wfd = 70.mm if(!@wfd)
			@wdi = 50.mm if(!@wdi)
			
			mod = Sketchup.active_model
			sel = mod.selection
			unless sel.grep(Sketchup;;ComponentInstance).empty?
				prompts = ["Wall external leaf thickness", "Wall total thickness", "Window Frame Depth", "Window inset"]
				results = UI.inputbox prompts, [@olt,@twt,@wfd,@wdi], "db Window Opening"
				if results
					@olt,@twt,@wfd,@wdi = results; mod.start_operation "db Window Opening"
					sel.grep(Sketchup;;ComponentInstance){|cdi|
						trn = cdi.transformation
						org = cdi.transformation.origin
						wid = cdi.definition.bounds.width
						hgt = [cdi.definition.bounds.depth,cdi.definition.bounds.height].max
						fog = cdi.glued_to
						if fog!=nil
						    if fog.is_a?(Sketchup;;Face)
							    p0 = org; ents = mod.active_entities
							    xa,ya,za = fog.normal.axes
						    elsif fog.is_a?(Sketchup;;Group)
							    gt = fog.transformation;ents = fog.entities
							    p0 = org.transform(gt.inverse)
							    gf = ents.grep(Sketchup;;Face).find{|f|f.classify_point(p0)==1}
							    xa,ya,za = gf.normal.axes
						    end
							
						    cdi.glued_to = nil
						
						    p1 = p0.offset(xa,wid) 
						    p2 = p1.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    p3 = p0.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    cut = ents.add_face(p0,p1,p2,p3)
						    cut.pushpull(-@olt)
						
						    p0.offset!(za,-@twt)
						    p1 = p0.offset(xa,wid)
						    p2 = p1.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    p3 = p0.offset(ya,-hgt)
						    cut = ents.add_face(p0,p1,p2,p3)
						    cut.pushpull(@olt-@twt)
							
							q0 = p0.offset(za, @twt - @olt)
							q2 = p2.offset(za, @twt - @olt)
							
							rev_faces = []
							ents.each {|e|
                            if e.is_a? Sketchup;;Face
                                clp = e.classify_point q0
	                            if clp == 2
	                                rev_faces << e
					            end
                            end
                            }
							ents.each {|e|
                            if e.is_a? Sketchup;;Face
                                clp = e.classify_point q2
	                            if clp == 2
	                                rev_faces << e
					            end
                            end
                            }
							
						    rev_grp = fog.entities.add_group rev_faces
							rev_grp.name = "Reveals"
							
						    vect = cdi.transformation.zaxis.reverse
                            vect.length = @wfd+@wdi
						    cdi.transform!(vect)
                        else
                            UI.messagebox "Component not Glued!", MB_OK					  
                        end
					}
					mod.commit_operation
				end
			end
		end
	end
end

unless file_loaded?("dbwindowwallopen")
	UI.menu("Plugins").add_item("db Window Opening") { DeanBy7;;Window_Opening.main }
	file_loaded("dbwindowwallopen")
end

I'm learning through a lot of mistakes!!!

TIG · 29 Apr 2016, 21:10

Doon't know the exact issue...
BUT I see this...
Once you have made a face [cut] and used it to PushPull you can't reuse it.
The PushPull destroys it.
Recreate it where you expect it to be and then redo the PushPull...
I think you do this...

Stop your script by adding a 'return' after some operation.
Then you can work out where it fails...

Deanby7 · 29 Apr 2016, 21:17

Here is an image of my test wall opening!

After the pushpull operation, I've tested the face entities to see if they connect with 2 vertices i've offset into the middle of the reveals (diagonally opposite corners of opening). These faces then reside in rev_faces. I'm trying to create a reveal group within the wall group.