Didier,

Thanks, you have come through for me again. Cloud71 works like a champ.

I just read through the revised documentation. Nice job. I appreciate how much time it takes to write something like that.

Regards,

JP

I have gotten cloud to work for me in the past. I even wrote a tutorial to use to teach landscape architecture students how to create a surface from data they gather in the field. But alas it doesn't want to work for me now.

I have downloaded Didier's latest version (Cloud67) and installed it. The first menu sees the file and then I click on the origin to create the surface. Nothing happens after that. The Ruby console reports the following error:

Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float>
(eval):1587:in *' (eval):1587:in draw_geometry'
(eval):1584:in each' (eval):1584:in draw_geometry'
(eval):1465:in `onLButtonUp'
(eval):1584

Any help would be really appreciated.

JP

Nicky,

Download the copy of Cloud_V6 from this link (http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=1537)and give it a try again. The version on Ruby Depot is different, or should I say it didn't work for me but this version did.

I think I have figured out why I was having a problem with the DEM data I was creating from scratch. Once I have it all worked out I will post my findings. Basically I figured out that the X, Y and Z data seems to need to have a decimal point and a value after it. I was able to get it to work with the attached data file.

Let me know if it works for you.

JP

Data to create test DEM

Tig,

Thanks for the response. What is the date and file size of the Cloud.rb you are using? Maybe there is a later version out there than the one I have. Yes the Z's were close I was just fooling around with a small site and test driving the Ruby to see how it worked.

My Cloud.rb file is 34 KB and dated 1/16/2009 3:57 PM.

JP

I must be missing something real obvious. That being said does anyone have experience with creating DEM data manually for importing into SU using Didier's Cloud script.

I can get the example data to work that Didier included in his last post (both files work fine) but when I try to create a file myself using notepad it sees that there is data there but when I import it I don't get any points.

I have attached my file. I have tried both spaces and commas and still no joy. X and Y are the grid and Z is the elevation. If this is something really stupid don't beat me up too badly!

Thanks for the help.

JP

My DEM data

Take a look at this post and download the revised script and you should be good to go. The link to the script is in the post at the top of the thread.

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=15807&p=209535&hilit=cloud#p209535

JP

Thanks to both of you for your prompt responses. Let me give it a try.

Worked like a champ. As is usually the case with SU I learn more everyday.

JP

I am trying to make a shape like a small fishing weight. I create the profile and a small circle at the top of the shape to use as a path. When I select the path (the circle edge) and use the follow me tool I get a totally weird result. I have tried a variety of alternate methods and come up empty handed.

I have attached a copy of the model I was working with.

Any help to understand what I am doing wrong would be appreciated.

I opened the attached model and realized I had the axes going in a weird orientation. I fixed that and still can't get my profile follow me to cooperate.

Thanks

JP

Follow Me Model

I received my copy of Daniel's book SU for Site Design and highly recommend it. I got my copy several weeks ago and had preordered it back in July. I can't say I have read every page since I am working through the book, not just reading it. What I have read I can say that I have learned something new on each page (well maybe not every page, but close). I can say, with no reservations, it is the most complete SU book I have purchased. I like the way it deals with the process of creating a model, not just how to use the tools. I only wish I could have found a book like this about 10,000 hours of trying to figure out how to do terrain modeling in SU ago. I think I have attempted every, or at least close to every, wrong way to model terrain.

I came across Daniel on a YouTube video he did for SU Base Camp. If you want to test drive the content of the book take a look at the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHCEXlEZlo4&feature=channel_page). Prior to getting the book I must have watched this video 25 times and taken copious notes along the way. I only wish I could get a higher resolution copy and didn't have to wait for it to download from YouTube each time I view it.

What the video covers is a great overview of what Daniel has to offer. At 33.00 (US) from Amazon it is, in my opinion, money well spent and will help you avoid many pitfalls along the road to SU mastery.

One other thing, I am not Daniel's brother in law and have received no compensation for this post.

Regards,

JP

Gai,

Thanks for the clarification. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I am one of those people that likes to understand why and how something works.

Regards,

JP

Thanks for the response. What you are saying makes sense. I just needed to get my head around the concept of context.

Is there anyway to make two different groups, components, or a group and a component intersect with each other without exploding them and then running the intersect command? I know BoolTools will do this but wanted to see if there was a way to do it with native SU.

JP

I am trying to understand when to use the three flavors of the Intersect commands found in the right click context menu. I understand Intersect with Model and Intersect with Selection but I can't figure out when or how you would use Intersect with Context. It is only visible in when you are editing a group or component. I have tried to set up a demo model to figure this out but haven't come up with what combination of surfaces, groups and components.

Does anyone out there have an explanation for when this command would be used and what exactly it does?

Thanks

JP

Thanks Karl, that did the trick. I appreciate your help tremendously.

Do you have a specific configuration you use for the Navigator? I sure
could use some help with any suggestions on the best way to configure it
for a Navigator newbie.

Regards,

John

Take a look at any of the YouTube Videos Daniel Tal has done. I would start with this one from the 2007 3D Basecamp it should get you going.

He has also published a book that covers the full range of terrain modeling tip and tricks with SU.

SketchUp for Site Design - Daniel Tal
http://www.amazon.com/Google-SketchUp-Site-Design-Architecture/dp/047034525X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248376011&sr=1-1

Hope this helps out.

JP

The problem is the button is grayed out so when I click it nothing happens. I tried to set
the center of rotation in the pull down menu in the plugins menu and didn't have any luck there either.

Karl - Thanks for posting on the 3D Connexion Forum. Let me know if you hear anything back.

JP

I am having a problem with the toolbar for my 3D Space Navigator. I can't figure out why the
Center of Rotation button seems to be in a permanent state of grayed out. Does anyone have
an idea as to what is wrong. I am running SU 7 and have confirmed I have the latest drivers loaded for the Navigator