Posts made by Howard leslie

Dale,
Your proposed script looks REALLY promising.
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In case you hadn't already thought of it, could you please ensure that any guidelines drawn represent a profiles ORIGIN point eg Centre, Centre (if thats how a user has drawn a particular profile).
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See attached for explanation
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This is particularly important for Structural Steelwork Drawings.
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Thanks once again for what looks like another one of your fantastic scripts.
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Regards
Howard L'

Steel Beam Centre Centre.skp

Didier,
If possible, could you adjust your script so it mines down into all groups and components and converts all data in a model to *.stl ??? (or a *.sat file ???)
Additionally, all stl objects are to retain the sketchup group and component names.
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I know TIG has produced several very useful scripts with this mining ability that dig down into all groups and components.
Some of his code could possibly help ???
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This would make your script so much more useful
Anything you can do, hugely appreciated.

Regards
Howard L'

Hank,
See this tutorial:

http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11436

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save as *.kmz

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Hope this helps
Howard L'

Smart (Interactive) Dimensioning was proposed quite a while ago by Rick Haws

See this:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=1875//url

and this
http://www.cadnomics.com/3D-movie.htm
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Initially, it looked very promising.
Hopefully, future development will finish this plug-in off.
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Howard L'

Giovani,
Some ideas / suggestions you can try:

1. Use Components whenever possible (always).

2. Purge your model frequently (purge ruby very useful for this). Gets rid of unwanted junk.

3. Delete out any CAD data from your model as soon as you can eg any imported data from AutoCad etc. Keep the number of CAD files that you have imported into your model down as low as possible.

4. Curved / Circular objects - Keep the no. of sides as low as you can get away with - without making your curves look too angular (a compromise needs to be found depending upon how much you'll be zooming in to your model). This helps keep the no. of edges / faces down - this is important on large models.

5. Use the X-Ref Ruby and break your model up into areas or sections.
   Work on each section seperately in different SketchUp files. Now they'll be much more manageable.
   Have a model that contains all your Xref'd in data - but use only this model when you really need to.

6. Turn off Shadows (Gives your PC a break !!!).

7. Face Style Toolbar (Rendering) - Turn off Shaded with Textures, use Shaded instead. (also gives your PC a break)
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   Hope this helps

Howard L'

Requested some time ago.
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=178&p=1385&hilit=DATABASE#p1385
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The ability to link SU geometry to an external database would have MASSIVE potential.
(Basic GIS capability).
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Howard L'

Mike,
If you look its actually already IN the Tutorial area of SCF...
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Also, how do you print out a Video ???

I think the ability to print out a Tutorial is quite useful so that you can have it on your desk next to you when working - for quick reference.
(See Fredo's brilliant documentation [PDFs] for the scripts he's produced - excellent).
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Howard L'

Hello,
You may find this quick tutorial useful:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11436
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Regards
Howard L'

See attached PDF file.
Hope you find this quick tutorial useful.
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Regards
Howard L'

SU_Models_2_GE_V1_red.pdf

TBD,
The web solution would be brilliant - but for now at least, it may not be possible.
My earlier suggestion was a possible solution to Fletch's immediate request:

@unknownuser said:

a way to 'PACKAGE MODEL AND VIEWER' where I could send them a CD-Rom with the model and viewer that would just auto-execute and open right up when they put the CD in their PC or Mac.

He could implement this now.
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If yourself, Todd or any of the other gifted script writers can come up with a web based solution I think loads of people would be interested.
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Regards
Howard Leslie

TBD,
If you view your Hypercosm *.htm output directly through a web browser - you need to install the Hypercosm Player (Web browser plug-in) on your PC.

However...

If you point a text file at the *.hvcm file (also produced by the Hypercosm Exporter at the same time as the *.htm ), you do not need to install the Hypercosm Player on your PC.

You place the Hypercosm Player exe (Hypercosm Viewer) and output files / folders (ie the model) onto a CD and point a text file at it.
The Viewer Starts as an Autorun from the CD and opens the model which is also on the CD.

*** Nothing is installed on the users PC ***
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In either case - the ouput that the user sees looks the same.
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We've produced quite a few CDs like this for clients and it works well.

Regards
Howard L'

Fletch,
Clients with IT departments that resemble the thought police - sounds familiar ...

However, there IS a solution you may be interested in.

Use Hypercosm:
http://www.hypercosm.com/products/teleporter/sketchup/index.html
Not perfect (what is ???) but pretty good.
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Produce your SU Model.
Export as 3d model - Hypercosm (*.htm plus folders)
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Supply Model to your Client on CD.
Entirely self contained.
This works well - it produces a pretty good copy of your model (looks v. similar in quality to SU version).
Page names (Scene names) supported.
Sections not supported if produced as a standalone model to be run from CD.
X-ray / Wireframe modes etc can be produced.
Very easy for clients to use / navigate around.
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Model looks better than any SU exported 3d PDF versions that I've seen produced so far.
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Your clients DO NOT need to install any plug-ins for their browser.
The Model and Viewer (applet) can be made to run entirely from a CD which you can make autorun - a simple text file.
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I'd be amazed if SU 7 does not address this issue further ...
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Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'

Bob,
Like you, I've found that importing Inventor data into SU via this route (*.sat - *.dwg - *.skp) - is not always perfect, but its still pretty good and the best method I've found so far. If you know a better way ...

Occasionally I get MINOR errors similar to the ones shown in the files you've posted.
Watch out especially on faces that have holes drilled in them that are close together, sometimes gaps in the face will appear joining the holes together.
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Solutions

1. Before importing data into SU - draw a circle - increase the number of sides from the default (24) to say 32. Imported circles now have more edges - this can help with the problems around holes.

2. After importing data - Unhide all edges , unsoften all edges (or at least show all hidden edges). Then heal any imperfections with the pencil tool to remake any missing faces (usually not too many).
   Run DeleteCoplanar.rb Script - this recreates faces as one continuous face (saves time from manually deleting adjoining lines).
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   Regards
   Howard L'

Bob,
Best method I've found for Inventor to SU (but you also need Autocad):
In Inventor export as *.sat.
Import *.sat into Autocad, save as *.dwg
Import *.dwg into SU
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Seems to work reasonably well.
Good clean import, no triangulated coplanar faces.
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However, in Autocad the *.sat file imported in, may be inverted (upside down) or mirrored.
This can be easily fixed in Autocad or SU - IF you are aware of it in the first place eg if you have a printout etc of what the model should actually look like - otherwise you might not be aware that its actually mirrored.
This is something you may need to watch for
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To answer your question, I'm not using Inventor but am working with people who are.
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Regards
Howard L'

Mr S,
Jim's Script appears to work on Groups only - you have Components - thats probably why it doesn't work with your data.
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A few possible solutions;

1. Is your original data in a Spreadsheet or Text File ???
   I think Didier has a script to import this data directly.
   Very useful for large numbers of points.

2. Get Jim to adjust his script to work on Components also.

3. TIG has a useful script - AddVertex+
   Ask TIG to adjust his script to give you an option to add a Vertex at the Intersections only (on a large selection set) - and have the ability to mine down into Components and Groups (something he has added to numerous scripts he's written).
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   Regards
   Howard L'

Hello,
I'm after some info / top tips / advice about moving data between Autodesk Inventor and Sketchup.
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From users experience, what is the best format to export from Inventor, to go into SU ???
(Can it export dwg (3d) or is this not the best route between the 2 packages).
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What is the best format to export out from SU, to go back into Inventor ???
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I've read the discussion here:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=8447
Didier has kindly written an STL importer / exporter.
Sounds promising.
Any experience of this route ??? Advantages / Disadvantages ???
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Any top tops / advice welcome.
Regards
Howard Leslie

Simon,
Try this:
http://www.wisdom-soft.com/asr/asr_free.htm
AutoScreen Recorder V3.0 Free and Pro versions available.
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Regards
Howard L'

Hello,
I've added a Tutorial for you here:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9652
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Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'

See attached Tutorial.
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Created in response to this request:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=9608
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For this Tutorial you will require the following Ruby Scripts:

Soap Skin Bubble (Brilliant Script - Thank You Josef).
http://www.tensile-structures.de/sb_software.html

Weld (Optional)
Mirror (Optional)
BezierSpline (Optional)
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Hope this helps / gives you some ideas
Regards
Howard L'

Boat.skp

In no particular order, and from a cast of thousands, I would definitely include:

Mirror (Remember how man times this was asked for / requested on the old forum ?).
PipeAlongPath
Centerpoint

BezierSpline
JointPushPull
Also show PDF files / user manuals for these two - Excellent and very comprehensive.

SoapSkinBubble

Purge
VolumeCalculator (latest version from TIG, version 2-1 ?)
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For a good variety in your presentation, I wouldn't just concentrate solely on the gee whizz / flash bang scripts.
Some of the most useful scripts are actually the ones that perform the everyday tasks
(and should really have been incorporated into the core program originally) eg Mirror
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Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'