I'm starting to do some 3d carving with my CNC and I'm doing my designs in Sketchup. I need to create depth map greyscale images for import into the CNC software. Is there a simple way to get a depth map out of sketchup?

@anton_s said:

I received the C++ source of SketchyPhysics and been looking over it for a while now. I tried compiling it under 64bit but did not succeed. SketchyPhysics source is shipped with the 32bit version of the Newton 1.53 static library however not with the 64bit version. In order to compile SketchyPhysics under 64bit, I would need to have a 64bit version of the Newton 1.53 static library, which would require recompiling the source of Newton 1.53 under 64 bit configuration. The problem is that SketchyPhysics source does't comes with the source of Newton 1.53, as well as, the source of Newton 1.53 is no longer available on the internet. This meanders my ability to compile SketchyPhysics under 64 bit. I could upgrade SktechyPhysics to use newer versions of newton, but they could change the way older SketchyPhysics models work. Not to mention the problems that could come upgrading SDL libraries and all the adjustments that would have to be made in order to compile SketchyPhysics under Mac OS X. However it's worth a try. I'll keep it posted.

I have the source to 1.53 as well as the 64bit library. It ships as a static lib, I've got an automator script that runs lipo on the library to strip out the extra stuff and then "ar" to dump the object files and then a g++ link command to put it all together as a dylib so that the ruby c bridge can open it.

Let me know how to get it to you and we can keep moving.

Kevin Willey
original porter of SP for the Mac

I shared emails with Chris the other day and he and I both agree its time to get the original source code for the libraries out into the community. (Chris really did all the work and created SP, I just did the port to OS X).

Despite our best intentions, we will never pick up the threads and get SP going as fast as Anton and you (the rest of the passionate SP community) are doing.

What is the preferred method you'd like for getting the source code into the hands of the community?

For those that are confused by this - I'm not talking about the Ruby code. I'm referring to the C code in the extension libraries that hook the SP ruby code into the Newton physics library and other assorted Ruby C Extensions that access OS specific functionality and other libraries (like SDL, Midi support, etc...).

@anton_s said:

@slbaumgartner said:

@driven said:

Hi Anton

libffi.6.dylib is included in the Sketchup Ruby framework.

is it possible to utilise that for your needs???

just thinking out loud...

john

fiddle is the Ruby 1.0.0 wrapper for libffi. I haven't tried using it, but require 'fiddle' returns true on SU 2014, so maybe John's idea is your easiest route?

Yes, Fiddle is a good idea, but the way you interact with functions is a bit more similar to Win32API rather than Ruby DL or FFI. SketchyPhysics uses Ruby DL for 1.8.x categories and Ruby FFI for 2.0.x categories since DL was deprecated since 1.9.3. The way you call functions in DL and FFI is function_name(params), but in Fiddle, you should write function_name.call(params). Which forces me due much more work in compatibility, but it does avoids the pain of compiling. I will attempt to compile FFI in Mac OS X 10.5.8 If no luck, I migrate to Fiddle.

Thanks for suggestions

Anton,

You can use Fiddle and retain the "normal" calling syntax if you use Fiddle::Importer.

@anton_s said:

@deaneau said:

ok ERS is a young plugin and all ideas will be placed. this will need time. my dream is to work with SP and ERS together. 2009-2014 is a long time,too.

Deaneau, I respect your request, but I'm not willing to place much time on this plugin. You know, I have to work on MSPhysics the similar plugin to SketchyPhysics... The reason I fixed SP was because there are many SketchyPhysics models at 3Dwarehouse. It was hard for me to see them all be left behind.

However, nothing stops other users from improving SketchyPhysics. They may add their own features, as long as they keep author as Chris Phillips and the version tittle with Unofficial. Maybe someone wouldn't mind integrating trains into SP.

Maybe trains could be implemented into MSPhysics, but that won't happen until I release the basic version of MSPhysics, 1.0.

---

@mister k said:

I'm not disputing your work, simply pointing out that your version will not be compatible with older models, a problem which none but experts will be able to fix. So in the interest of avoiding confusion this release should get a more distinctive name.

Oh, I see where you coming from.
I'm planning to add compatibility files, so that all prior models could work on SP. The compatibility files will be loaded if the detected version is not 3.3. For instance, if detected version is 3.2, then a 3.2 compatibility file be loaded, adding and all removed methods from 3.2... As well, if the detected version is 3RC1 then the compatibility file for 3RC1 be loaded. You know how some models in SP3RC1 were not working with 3.2? Well, this could be eliminated due to the compatiblity files. I'm not sure if this be possible, but we'll see. This feature could be available in 3.4. And then a descent renaming of this plugin wouldn't be required.

---

I repeatedly ask for Mac OS X testers! Some people reported this version doesn't work on Mac, but did not post the error message. I'm pretty sure I had all the libraries compatible with Mac, but I'm certain that there's an error somewhere. You know, I'm a human. There is no way I can write a plugin without bugs in one try. If anyone is willing to test, then please do so. I'll be graceful for yaur help.

Thanks

Hi everyone! For those that don't remember me, I did the original port of SketchyPhysics to the Mac years ago. I've been talking with Chris on and off for a few months now to see if SP was going to get re-energized. I haven't spoken with him recently but I'm sure he would find these developments exciting! I know that I do!

Anyway, I'm reaching out to offer any and all support I can to this effort to get SP 3.3 into shape and working for everyone on SU 2014. Anton, you've done an amazing job.

This release doesn't work on Mac at the moment since FFI is not directly support by the Ruby in Sketchup and an FFI bundle is not included in SP 3.3 . The Ruby that ships with SU (at least on the Mac) does support FIDDLE, which is a variant of FFI. If that is also supported on the windows version then we should consider moving to FIDDLE for SP3.3 so that it is directly supported by SU.

There are a lot of other Mac issues that Anton has documented in his findings. I'll be working on clearing those up and getting a working Mac version out as soon as I can.

Lets get this done!

I'm not really the owner of the source code. Chris Phillips is.

But I can share the news that we plan on making the source code fully available to the community through GitHub soon. We just have to get it cleaned up and "compilable" so others can use it.

More soon...

@xgamerx said:

Is there any way for you to change or improve the plug-in? I'm new to sketchup and has no idea about ruby or any other scripts, hope you'll find the best way to continue the unfinished program?...

I did the Macintosh port of Chris's SketchyPhysics plug-in. I have all of the source code for the entire project. My goal for now is to make the plugin function with SU 2013 and with OSX 10.9.

While I'm in the code, I'm looking for opportunities to clean up the C code that is used for the bridge between the Newton Physics engine and SU's ruby. Maybe this will help stability.

I'm also interested to see if I can get a clean build using the Newton2 engine which has been out for some time.

I'll post more as it comes.

As it is, I have a build of SP3.2 that works under SU 2013 on Newton 1. I'm packaging it up as a ruby plug-in that can be installed with the SU2013 plug-in manager. I can probably use some Beta Testers for this real soon.

I've been banging on the code recently and I have a partial fix for getting SP to work with SU 2013 (at least on the mac). Up until now running any simulation caused a hard bugsplat.

I've notified Chris of my findings and hopefully he can take a look.

I have a single edit to the Ruby code that I believe allows at least some models to run.

Edit the SketchyPhysicsTool.rb file and comment out this line in the initialize section.
comment out "NewtonServer.newtonCommand("set",key+" "+value.to_s)"

This code allows for overrides to the scene globals - defaultobjectdensity, gravity, and worldsize

Try it if you feel like it and let me know what you find.

I'm also working on a fully compliant SU2013 installable version that uses the extension manager.
More to come...

Kevin

I was messing with the code today and wanted to pass on some things that need to be edited to keep SP working on the Mac

1. the Sound problem
   newer versions of OS X changed the sound APIs so you have to do an edit on the dls_synth.rb file in order for SP to keep working

To to the Midiator/Lib/Drivers directory and edit dls_synth.rb

find module AudioToolbox and make it look like this:

module AudioToolbox
extend DL::Importable
dlload '/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/Versions/Current/AudioToolbox'
dlload '/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioUnit.framework/Versions/Current/AudioUnit'

ComponentDescription = struct [ 

2. Joint Settings contextual menu doesn't work

If you select a joint and right click you will get a contextual menu with " Joint Settings" at the bottom.
This should open an inputbox where you can set Joint Parameters
It doesn't work and throws an error in the console about a missing method.

Edit the JointTool.rb file and change the definition of the setJointSettings method

find:

def setJointSettings()
to
def self.setJointSettings()

3. Issues with colors in the dialogs obscuring text
   Edit the controlpanel.html file in the SketchyUI directory and comment out the .css links to simplify the UI
   To comment out HTML you use the HTML comment tags: <!-- -->

Alternatively, you can simply delete the 2 lines

Here's what you're looking for:

<link href="sketchy.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="default.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">

At some point in time, Apple changed a bunch of the sound/midi handling APIs. I hadn't run the code in awhile but somebody pointed out that SP3 for the Mac wasn't working at all because it failed at launch with an error concerning MusicDeviceMIDIEvent. Turns out that the APIs used to map that function into the AudioToolbox.framework but now it is resident in AudioUnit.framework.

The fix to SP3 for the Mac is pretty straightforward. You need to add a line to the dls_synth.rb file (it is in the Midiator/lib directory within the SP3 installation directory structure inside of the Application Support directory)

Change dls_synth.rb by adding a second dlload command directly after the dlload command for AudioToolbox. Create a copy of the line and substitute AudioUnit for AudioToolbox. You need both dlload commands since the audio support code is scattered across both frameworks.