Also, is the win32ole stuff built into the ruby that comes with SU, or do I need to download a library of some sort?

This looks really cool! Thanks Todd. I found the doco for the win32ole class, but I haven't been able to locate the details of the windows classes, like the excel class. I'm sure this is obvious, but it's new territory for me. Thanks again. CB.

@unknownuser said:

Use WINOLE and create the sheet directly from Ruby under SketchUp.

Todd

Todd:

Do you have any more details, or example code? CB.

I'm looking for the opposite functionality of the other Excel discussion thread now running. My script currently exports a material list as a .csv file, which excel can read. But I'd really like to generate an actual .xls file, because I'd like to include some cells with formulas. Any ideas? CB.

Thanks Rick. That's exactly what happend. I expected that if I saved to the model, then it would automatically use those settings next time. So if you change the behavior, I guess you won't need the "restore from model" button at all. CB.

Hi Rick. Thanks for the tweak to the free version, but I went ahead and spent the $10 for the pro version. But I'm running into an issue where it resets the image quality back to 100% after every export, even if I "save to model". Also, none of the settings seem to get saved to the model. I reduced the image size to 1024. Then I saved to model. Then close and re-open the model, and the settings revert back to default. I'm running 64-bit vista.

Red Herring: My shortcuts problem was a different bug. I was trying to map the "add scene" command, which is a known bug. You have to tweak the registry to fix it. CB.

Great Plugin, Rick. Thanks for the freebie! I did find a bug, though. I used some screen text to put a title block in the upper left corner of the screen, but it ends up in the wrong place (often the center of the screen, but not always) in the resulting jpegs. It works fine if I export "by hand" using the menus. Let me know if you want to see either the skippy or the jpgs. CB.

So where does sketchup save my shortcut keys? I need to do the same trick with that file.

OK, that works. Drag it to the desktop, then to the plugins folder. PITA. I like vista in general, though.

I recently upgraded my hardware, and at the same time upgraded(?) to 64-bit vista. I get strange behavior with SU ruby scripts. When I copy or edit scripts in the proper location, sketchup sometimes won't see them. Similarly, when I set new shortcuts keys, they work for the current session, but not the next time I run SU. I'm sure this is part of the new security regime for Vista, but there has to be a fix. Is no one else having this problem? CB.

I thought surely other folks would be having this same problem, but I can't find other posts about it, so here I am. I recently upgraded to 64-bit vista (from XP), and downloaded the latest SU. Printer control dialogs get hidden behind the SU window. Here's the sequence: I select print from the file menu and get the main print dialog. I then select properties (to change the page size, for example). The properties dialog comes up, and I make my change and press OK. The properties dialog disappears, of course, but so does the main print dialog! But it really didn't go away. If I click anywhere in the SU window, it comes back! Has anyone else seen this or reported it? Thanks, CB.

@dave r said:

Clark, this is a good idea for a script. I can see it being very useful when drawing joinery as you and I do. Since your plugin wasn't available when I first wanted a quick way to switch back and forth, I set a keyboard shortcut (I used Q) to toggle X-ray view on and off.

You know, that's an even better solution. I actually developed this at the request of a student, but the shortcut key is the way to go. Sincere thanks for pointing out the obvious! CB.

@unknownuser said:

daiku: dont reinvent the wheel, extend it
here is my old 2004 script for start

Yes, that would have been better. I was not aware of this script. This seems to be a recurring theme. What we really need is a central repository that includes detailed descriptions of what each script does, along with detailed usage instructions. There are several collections around, including on this forum, but nothing that does a complete job. I realize this would be a huge undertaking for someone, but whoever steps up would certainly earn "hero" status in our community.

I have a new version ready that rotates around any of the three axes. I tried to edit my original posts to replace the ruby file, but I only succeeded in deleting the old. What's the protocol here? CB.

rot90.rb

@philem said:

@watkins said:

Dear Philip,

I noticed something similar when I first tried the script. I created a cube and used the script, and nothing "apparently" happened. The cube is a nice, 4-fold axially symmetric object and looks the same when rotated 90 degrees. Try something with a feature, like a notch, to make your object asymmetric about its Z-axis.

Kind regards,
Bob

I didn't realise that fact about Bryce..but still no joy,

I still can't get it to work, I have drawn an object with a notch and a cut out etc. just to be sure,(attached) I even made sure the Z axis went though the part but still can't get it to work. I have even removed the plugin, restarted Sketchup, closed it down, copied the plugin back in again still no luck..

But the command does show up on the context menu? That's odd.

@hfm said:

okay, very nice script... but could you please also make it work on X and Y axis? And make it so that you can select a shortcut for the tools?

Tried to edit it myself but my knowledge of ruby is lacking
[did get the 15 degrees to work though ]

To map a context menu item to a shortcut key, you must have an appropriate item selected before you bring up the preferences window. The context menu commands will show up under "edit item". CB.

Bob:

While this could certailny be done, I think it would take away from the utility of the thing: A single keystroke to rotate. I think others have already written the utility you're taliking about (mover.rb?), plus, the built-in roate tool lets you type the angle into the VCB. Someone has already sent me a modified version that supplies 3 commands to rotate 90 around any of the three axes. I've urged him to post it. CB.

Hi Bob. Maybe it's just specific to the type of work I do. I model complicated structures with mortise and tenon joinery (timber framing). So its very useful to be able to quickly turn xray on and off and peek inside the timbers to see the joinery without changing any other style settings. CB.

Do you have one and only one component or group selected? Does the ruby console spit out any messages? Yes, the blue axis is "up". It should spin around that axis (spins parallel to the ground plane). CB.