Posts made by gohch

hi everyone,
Haven't been doing much programming for the past few months... my day job has been getting quite crazy lately.
Anyway, I managed to work on the Panel Divide tool.
Previous version has issues of either conflict or simply unstable.
I have re-written the tool, and was hoping that this version works better
(this is a patch for the Pro version by the way. Once i'm sure that this is ok, i will write another for the standard version.)
Just replace the paneldivide.rbs file in your 1001bit_pro folder with this one.
Thanks and cheers!
Goh

paneldivide(16-Apr-11)_patch.zip

hi,
I'm afraid there is currently no single function to generate louvres on a curved surface. What i would do, would be to use combination of 'extrude along sloping path' and 'linear array'
Step 1: select the path (can be different edges, but has to be connected)
Step 2: create a face on x y plane to define the profile of the louvre.
Step 3: use the 'extrude along sloping path tool'

Step 4: select the created louvre then use the 'linear array' tool to create multiple louvres


cheers!

hi guys,
Have some fun with this (the window tool that cuts opening and place the window into walls)
This is of course really really early draft...
Just place the win01.rbs file into the Plugins folder.
I have plan to add a lot for options, and types of windows, doors into this

window tool (very early preliminary 1st draft)

hi guys, yes it'd make a lot of sense if quantities can be generated from this. Had been pondering about changing the rafters into component instances (i suppose having them each as separate component isn't really useful at all); they should be instances of a certain standard rafter type --> which can therefore result in something like:
1)type A rafter = 150x50x6m --> total 20 nos
2)type B rafter = 150x50x3m --> total 5 nos
something like that...
Haven't got the courage to go in an rewrite this yet...
having an option to output the quantities into a text file would be simpler to do

The tool Thomthom is working on is definitely the best solution for this
I'm working on more windows tools which, since thomthom is working on such a great tool, i don't have to bother with checking for already available similar components..

@krisidious said:

2. Flex-C Framing for copy along path http://www.flexc.com.
3. automatic framing of 2D floorplan layout.

hi Krisidious,
Thanks for your kind words!
Can you give some example on your suggestions? I'll see what can be done
cheers!

@thomthom said:

Noticed some issues with some tools:

Extrude Selected Profile (Maintain Taper)

• Tool quides only display top face - not conneced edges.
• Maintain Original face not undoable in one step ( Could behave like PushPull with Ctrl as modifier?)

Draw point on face

• Tool does not invalidate view on deactivate or mouse click

Align selected edges

• Not undoable in one operation

hi guys,
fixed!
please replace the rbs files with these
align.rbs
point_on_face.rbs
extrude2.rbs
cheers!
Goh

Thanks for the feedback thomthom,
I'll fix these
cheers!
Goh

hi guys,
Sure! makes sense to have such an option.
I'll add this into next update!

We've just launched 1001bit pro, and inside there's a metal deck tool which can be used to generate corrugated sheets, metal decks as well as standing seams

Take a look at the userguides on the tools in the Pro version at
http://www.1001bit.com/pro/userguide.html

hi bmike,
hmm... never thought about setting from head level. We always set from sill level over here....

hi guys! Thanks!
I'm afraid I'm on the opposite side of the planet and currently working like a mad man on both 1001bit Pro and my other occupation...
James of Ria Solutions (1001bit's UK reseller and beta tester) has volunteered to present 1001bit tools during the Basecamp.
I'm sure he will do a great job there!
Hope i can make it to future Basecamp.

hi guys,
Sorry for the slow response to this, have been cracking my head in sorting out the paypal-ruby auto response stuffs.
(finally got it sorted out, i.e. user can now proceed to activation immediately after purchase.)
Not a lot of Ruby examples around, anyone wants to know how it's done (PayPal IPN with Ruby cgi) feel free to drop me a note.

Back to the black screens:
The Pro version activation checks for a unique key on the computer and the activation key is linked to that.
The black windows is caused by the tool identifying the unique key. They open and immediately close in split seconds on my Windows and Mac... do they stay open on your computers?
They don't really do anything, but are so not cool,.... i'll need to see how to get rid of them.(fingers crossed)

BTW, just to let everyone know that users registered as beta testers (during the period when 1001bit tools was first launched last year) can go for upgrade, no need to buy full license.

Thanks and cheers!
Goh

@arail1 said:

I would take your chair frame and tilt it 30 degrees, extrude and then rotate it back into position.

That's a really brilliant approach.
I've never thought of solving it this way!

Actually i couldn't figure out what is the best way to handle vertical that turns backwards because the upper rail will surely turn upside down....

hi Tim,
sorry for the VERY LATE reply to your question,
The extrude tool in 1001bit is meant for a different purpose actually, it's meant for extruding a profile through some curve slope, while maintaining 'upright' cross sectional profile.
for example, ramps, handrails for spiral staircases etc.
In order to do that, the sectional profile constantly twist itself to maintain as 'upright' as possible.
This can be seen in the extrusion along a sloping curve(extruded entity on the right) below. The profile struggles to maintain upright always.

This, however has some limitation: i.e. it cannot handle vertical edges, because vertical edges has no 'upright' cross section.
hence the tool failed.

In the event of a curved path that goes backwards on a vertical plane, the script will have to perform an immediate 180 degree abrupt twist to keep 'upright', in a single short segment, which will distort the entire profile. Hence it causes an error and stops there.

The solution to this scenario depends a lot on what you want to achieve;

1. to continue the profile -- that will lead to the original upwards direction becoming downwards after this turn.
2. to start twisting much earlier before this backward curve, so that you have a smooth twisting transformation along this curve -- this will create a long stretch where a lot of segments are not maintained 'upright'

Both the above doesn't agree with the original logic of this tool -- to maintain 'upright' in every segment.
i haven't come across to what is the best way to handle vertical edges yet
I'm afraid the extrude along path tool is not really suitable for this purpose

hi Elibjr,
wow, that's some nice work there!

Someone asked me about creating standing seams for the roof of irregular shape.
I used the roof tool, set the rafter width to 5mm, height to 20mm and distance to 200mm and uncheck the batten/purlin
and here's the result with a single click:

I haven't tried Chief Architect and Revit; however looking from the videos, they are standalone applications. I've heard that Revit is really good by the way...
Working as standalone application has its advantages because you are in total control of how users use the model, and you do not have to make room to capture things that are not created by your application. This allows you to integrate a lot of functions because you can be sure that all entities created/imported by your application has been properly 'prepared' and their associated parameters properly indexed and stored.
The downside is, you had better have a good team developing this because you will need to have almost everything an architect needs to use ready all by yourself.

Opposite of that are plugins, which handles only specific functions. Because of that nature, and that you cannot possibly be the single source to solve all users' need, a good plugin should (IMHO) be very clear on how it is intended to fit into a working environment where the users may very well have other plugins by other ppl installed. In my mind you should keep everything as open and neutral so that it is easy for others to pick up the model and continue working on it with some other plugins. This is the main reason i have been hesitant to assign material, or layers or adding attributes to the groups created using 1001bit tools. I do have plan to allow users the options to define layers in future; but that will only be on preference basis, not a rigid requirement.

I hope i haven't bored anyone to death yet....

hi bagatelo,
That's an interesting thought. Haven't thought about the tools from this direction.
Current tools were written with very specific and rigid work flow. To create modules which are useful(and will have to be flexible) will definitely require a lot more thoughts than what i'm doing now.
Can't say much about whether i'll move along this direction in future at this stage.
(I'm working on some improvements to the tools, as well as some new ideas, which i hope to finish within the next few months.)
cheers!

@unknownuser said:

will 1001 shadows be free for students like 1001tools are ?

hi haynesc,
noop, we're not giving out free student license for this one
we're can consider giving free license to schools/institutions for teaching purposes though

Thanks bagatelo,
Thanks, there's still quite some ideas that i wish to complete with 1001bit tools before going into something for interiors and furnitures. But i'll keep this in mind. I do not have a 'crystal clear' thinking process on how to approach interior and furniture design yet.... need to 'meditate' on that for a while...

btw, thanks to Teox, there's now an Italian language pack for 1001bit tools!
http://www.1001bit.com/discussions/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=129

also, the English version of 1001shadows is now available too!
http://www.1001shadows.com/en/index.html

cheers!
Goh

Thanks Gaieus,
Agree, Plugins forum is closer to the nature of this forum.
Cheers everyone, and Happy New Year!!