[Plugin] TIG_ShowTime

[TIG]

New signed [unencrypted] extension in the PluginStore / ExtensionStore.
TIG_ShowTime
Displays time and/or date on screen in various formats, useful for multi-scene shadow studies, animations etc.
Usage: Extensions menu > TIG_ShowTime... Submenu > On (dialog for Format, X, Y, Delay) | Off | Help

[Rich O Brien]

Cool! No way to display the help and input dialog at same time?

[TIG]

@Rich-O-Brien
Not without a complicated HTMLdialog.
But I think the Help is only necessary when you first set it up
Thereafter you'll use the same settings, most of the time.
It's no hardship to note down the format and screen X & Y if you vary from the built-in default.
You can even edit the defaults in the RB file if you want to start off differently - but this will break the signing.
The On defaults are what you'll typically want anyway.
You only need to add a piece of screen-text once as it updates as you change to another scene-tab with a different date/time.
Used in animations etc...

[TIG]

v1.1 is now released.
https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_ShowTime
It's recoded to sidestep unpredictable bugsplats from undo-stack errors during animation exports. Improved Help content etc...

[TIG]

v1.2 is now released.
https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_ShowTime
It includes a new tool on the submenu > Export PNGs to save images of each Scene-tab named after the tab.
Full details are covered in the Help dialog.

[TIG]

Some of you have asked how best to use TIG_ShowTime.

Here's some outline guidance based on the UK Planning Authorities' Rules - but other countries should have similar requirements.

If your proposed building overshadows its neighbors [particularly public amenity space] then no more than 50% of its surface area can be in shadow at any time, between 08.00 and 18.00 hours on 21st March. Some authorities also ask for studies for 21st June [summer] and occasionally 21st December [winter].

Adjust your model's Tags to show only your relevant building's massing and any adjacent structures' volumes and of course relevant ground plane faces etc.
Select a camera view that best shows your building any adjacent properties that might be affected.
Switch on Shadows so you can see the affects.
Add this tool's Screen-Text time-stamp using 'On' - e.g.' 21 March 08.00' at the bottom-left corner of the screen, with a 0 second delay.
Now set up Scene tabs for the 11 times [8.00..18.00], with each tab probably using the same view, although you could change the view in some Scene tabs to show relevant shadows better at critical times.
Rename each Scene tab to represent the time-stamp, e.g. 08.00, 09.00.. 18.00.
For each Scene tab in turn set its Shadow properties to the desired date [e.g. 21st March] and the relevant time [e.g 08.00], then Update that Scene tab to fix those values to it.
Open the View > Animation > Settings dialog - typically set Enabled scene transitions, at 3 second, with 0 second delay.
Choose View > Animation > Play > to see the effect.
When you are satisfied with the results you'll want to save the model and then export some data.
Open the first Scene tab in the set.
For an animated movie use use File > Export > Animation
MP4, select the Options you want - typically 30 fps, 720p HD, etc.
By default the output is saved into your model's folder, using the model's name.

You can also use the File > Export > 2d Graphic, and choose PNG etc if desired, as appropriate adjust its Options in the dialog.
Manually choose a file-name to reflect the Scene tab's name e.g. 08.00.png - otherwise it defaults to use the model-name.png.
It is recommended that you use a separate subfolder for these PNG files to avoid cluttering the model's folder.
However, Version 1.2 of the TIG_ShowTime tool has a new 'Export PNGs' option in its submenu to save each Scene tab to a PNG file, into a chosen folder.
The PNGs are named after the Scene-tab name etc, see the Help section for full details.