Thinking of the way the SU2POV exporter works gave me an idea.

The SU2POV exporter basically explodes all in the model when exporting so all groupings etc are lost, but creates a backup (kept in a specific place) of the original BEFORE exploding all.

What if a ruby is written that utelises the existing ruby (that seems to be working to satisfaction, except for the destructive bit) but creates a backup before the process gets underway and automatically restores the backup as the original afterwards? It might mean that you'll have to close / open SU between exports though, but only the scriptmasters will be able to tell us that.

@unknownuser said:

Where can I download it?

From the link provided in Didier's signature.

JClements, you can have a look here ( http://www.smustard.com/script/CenterPoint ) over at Smustard or you can have a look here ( http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/RUBY_Library_Depot.htm ) and have a look around seeing that there are quite a few ruby scripts doing all sorts of things.

@unknownuser said:

(www.righthemisphere.com)

Thx Coen, I was just wondering about this from the file support list...

@unknownuser said:

Google SketchUp Document ... Version 5.0.295

However it should be fine seeing I'll be exporting to SU and not from SU.

+++ EDIT +++
Good lord, $1500?! I'll keep on looking a little while longer...

I'm looking for a conversion tool that can convert 3DS , DXF , LWO, OBJ files to SKP. It needs to be a mass conversion tool, meaning I point it to the folder containing the file to convert and give it a folder which the converted files need to be written.

I've had a bit of a look around, I can't find any Ruby scripts that do this and the mass conversion tools I've seen don't export to SKP (SketchUp). Preferably looking for a freeware utility.

What I've done is to assign my apps to certain cores. The program needs to be running when you do this.

Windows only:
Open up Windows Task Manager (ctrl+alt+del - once only) > go to processes tab > select process > right click on it and a window will open up with the following options: End Process / End Process Tree / Debug / Set Priority / Set Affinity. You select the "Select Affinity" option > a window opens that shows you the number of cores your machine has, starting at zero up to whatever a quad core machine will show you 0/1/2/3). Make sure the cores you want the process to run in are selected.

That is it!

@unknownuser said:

one of the key issues, if google wants SU to grow up, is to make it take advantage of the machines available. it is ridiculous to have a core 2 or core 4 chip and not to be able to use its processing power to the full when modelling in SU.

I couldn't agree with you more Edson. As a matter of fact, since all the new generation GFX cards will have DX10 support and less so for OpenGL, I believe there should be some enhanced support in SU for it. As for the scaling with the CPU count, that will be a blessing, could possibly help with the large polygon count models that SU seem to have some problems with.

Call me ignorant, but when I hear fanboy type of comments without proper substantiated motivation I excuse myself and walk away. I don't need that in my life.

+++ moving this to RUBY section +++

What you're looking for will require a lot of programming due to the number of variables. I would think that if a ruby script like that had to ever see the light of day it would be copyrighted and sold commercially.

Whaat, good to see you here at SketchUcation.

I've installed ruby as directed, activated the housebuilder menu under the view functions, also replaced the images with the new - still no icons though...

emahfuz, go to the link in the post at the top of this thread, look for the attachment called hb_icons.zip and download. Next find your SU installation folder, go to plugins > housebuilder folder, copy icons extracted from the zip file provided into said folder.

hehe, one or two typo's in the txt file, but I think all is still clear enough. thx man.

RickW, please let us know here at the forum if / when you make the revised script available as well as where.

Hi David, welcome to SketchUcation and thanks for posting.

I think the menu you're referring to is actually a ruby script called "script_loader.rb" that loads ruby scripts on demand and not when SU is started, for this to happen you need to keep the scripts (to be loaded, not the script_loader ruby) somewhere else, but not directly in the plugins folder, I put mine in a subfolder to plugins called scripts. When needed I simply go to script_loader and select the ruby script that I'd like to run.

Thx Didier! If I were a dog my tail would be wagging!

I'm holding thumbs for this ruby as well, I'll also be looking into Didier's menuloader script, when he makes it available again.

@didier bur said:

If you want another sections, you would have to give them to me and I will implement them because they are "hard-coded" in some way.

Dear Didier, attached is a TXT file containing the standard sizes in metric and in mm.

I would have sent it to you via PM, however you've chosen not to let board members send you PM's, so here it is. Please PM me if you have any queries or need to let me know that the script is ready. I just thought I'd let you now that SketchUp is taking off quite a bit in South Africa, so this ruby would not only be for myself, there is a whole country that will be glad to have it. Thanks in advance, once again.

+++ EDIT +++

OK, so the board isn't taking TXT files... Here's a cut & paste from what was in the file.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Timber sizes - Standard (for South Africa)*

16x : 50, 75, 100, 114, 150.
19x : 50, 75, 100, 114, 150.
25x : 75, 100, 114, 150, 200, 225, 300.
38x : 38, 50, 75, 100, 114, 150, 200, 225, 300.
50x : 50, 75, 100, 114, 150, 200, 225, 300.
75x : 75, 100, 150, 200, 225.

Note: All sizes given in mm.

• source : Building Construction & Graphic Standards, André Grobbelaar et al, First edition 1993, ISBN 0620 07787 5, page 125.

Hi Didier, thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Great site you have there, I see the housetool and housetool01 requires the sketchup ruby, which isn't compatible with SU6. Pity, since they seem to be uite useful from their descriptions.

How many of the old ruby scripts do you think won't be compatible with SU6?

With regard to the standard timber sizes we use in SA, I'll send you a PM with the matrix, a little too tired right now, almost midnight here.