[Plugin] PipeAlongPath

mariocha

Here is a "LangHandlered" version of it.
Had to modify some strings.
French included.
Only thing not completely translated is the last check, for slight skew. I could not reproduce the error case.

PipeAlongPath.rbz

yingishere

Thanks

TampaPowers

Just installed in 2018, causes a crash.

TIG

@tampapowers said:

Just installed in 2018, causes a crash.
I just tried using it in v2018... and it worked just fine.
What settings are you using ?
What's the preselected path like ?
A simple example SKP might help...

TampaPowers

This is the path: https://i.imgur.com/HOQ8AC1.png
Settings are: https://i.imgur.com/6EdzK9f.png

TIG

You can attach images and SKPs to your post.
Without a SKP I can't be 100% sure, but I suspect you are falling foul of the tiny geometry issues that SketchUp has, that is if two points are within SketchUp's built-in tolerance of 1/1000".
Then it cannot make that edge and any related face[s] can't then be made either !
Your outer diameter of 3mm and internal diameter of 1mm will most likely try to produce some tiny facets - especially when you give it 12 sides, and it is following that very wavy path, which itself I guess has several small segments per wave ?

The way to make something this small is as follows...

Create the path.
Make a component of it.
Make a copy to one side.
Scale the copy up by say x1000.
Re-zoom extents so that you see the giant copy.
Edit the copy and select the path.
Use the PipeAlongPath tool, adjusting the settings by the scale-factor - e.g. 3mm >>> 3m
When the pipe is successfully made, exit the edit and delete the giant copy.
Re-zoom to look at the normal sized instance and the very tiny geometry will be OK.
Tiny geometry can exist, but you cannot create it at the tiny dimensions.

Note that this tiny-geometry tolerance issue can affect many operations in SketchUp and its Extensions - the above fix works for all such cases...
Any operation that might make tiny edges - like an intersect-with etc - benefits from this workaround...

TampaPowers

Scaled up by a factor of 100 it no longer crashes. Maybe build in an error if things get too small so it does not immediately crash?

TIG

It already has some traps.
For example if you do a right-angle bend with a very segmented pipe below a diameter of about 200mm the tiny inner facets will fail.
It warns you.

However the permutations of paths and diameters make it awkward to trap all situations - letting the user use their brains is good idea [IMHO]...
The scaling up temporarily is a well known workaround for such potential problems, applicable in many situations...

ct103stu0

Thanks for this Plugin, it has made a huge difference in time to create piping schematics. I am trying to create elbows. I first tried creating arcs, and that works but difficult to create consistent configurations. I am now trying Fredo Corner and not having any luck. Can you suggest a method that would produce consistent elbow configurations. Thanks.

Dave R

@ct103stu0 said:

Can you suggest a method that would produce consistent elbow configurations. Thanks.

Can you share an example .skp file that shows what you are trying to do?

What version of SketchUp are you using? Is it still SU8 Free/Make as your profile indicates?

rehman1212

plugin not working in 2019 version

Dave R

@rehman1212 said:

plugin not working in 2019 version

It does work in SketchUp 2019. Share your model so we can see what you are working with.

rv1974

@TIG PipeAlongPath and ExtrudeAlongPath are not working in 2024. They only create profile but fail extrude it aling the path.
Any chance to fix it please?

TIG

@rv1974

I just tested PipeAlongPath and it works fine in 2024 - what's your issue...
Do you have the newest v2.2 - but it is 10 years old !

ExtrudeAlongPath - what is that ? It's not part of the current Extrude Toolset and it's not in the PluginStore...

rv1974

@TIG thanks for reply!
I attach 2 old rubies of yours
ExtrudeAlongPath and TubeAlongPath:
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1svirdxDbhq3Md3liCyr-Ne0LWeqY99yE/view?usp=sharing](link url)
I found that pipe along the path can (kinda) substitute the tube if inner radius is set to zero. My only complain is both Pipe and TubeAlongPath doesn't process multiple paths at once (I recall I humbly requested to improve it years ago )
There is still problem with ExtrudeAlongPath - I described it above, it doesn't extrudes. Could you please make it work in 2024?

P.S\Offtopic: Is the option to attach files in the NEW forum gone ?