How do I make a proxy, say of a tree or sphere? And then use it in SKP?

Still trying, still 'no joy'.

oops! sorry,

Carrera is 5.1

Sketchup is 7.0.8656

Mac is 10.4.11

I use Carrera to render from time to time, Id like to use Vray , but I work on a mac and Podium is to expensive for my budget right now, Carrera does give me a few more controls also, although its not the greatest program.

However, when I export the file from SKP and import it into Carrera the components or objects explode into numerous "mesh instances" on this particular file 183 meshes to be exact...all numbered, no original SKP layer or component names.

For instance I may have a true divided light window and even though I have exploded and regrouped all the objects of the window separately, and exported them appropriately (as I have tried this with every export option, Full Hierarchy, By layer, by material...) The imported 3DS or OBJ file will be exploded so that each pain in the window is its own mesh layer, mesh 1, mesh 2, mesh 3... instead of what I expect, Glass_layer.

Now, I remember I a few SKP version numbers back I had no problems like this, When the SKP was imported into Carrera the file came in all organized with appropriate SKP > Carrera, instance names being correct (non-exploded).
Any Ideas?

Very Creative! Like it a lot. Just one question... how do you change the bulbs in the ceiling when they burn out?

Thanks Voder!

Heres the render.

@unknownuser said:

A simple Push-Pull can do that

Matt,

Wiki's ruby is designed to "Twist" the shape as it follows the path. Do you mean the push pull tool will rotate a shape as well as extrude it?

O.K I spent a few days trying to make this work but nothing I have tried so far produces the effect I am after. I have found an example of what I am after, but this was made in a program I do not own. Does anyone know how to do this in sketchup? I have really tried to do this with Wikis "Follow and rotate" ruby but I cannot get that to work for me. Anyone care to try and solve this one.

Wiki, Thanks for the reply.

I made an observation using the supplied SKP file that you included with the .rb file called "far.skp"

Opening the file and looking at the last model I notice that the vertical line segmented. When I apply the FFR ruby to this line and its shape the ruby functions well as in your examples. But if I draw a line that has no segments it does not behave the same way. The plug in fails to activate, it acually doesnt do anything after selecting it.

Trying to get this plug in to work for me. I am on a mac 10.4.11, Sketchup Pro. Works well if I push/pull a face where the path is connected to it. It will not follow for a path that is not curved though. However, what I am trying to accomplish is a coil that follows a circular path (winds around the path). I have removed all of the plug-ins and restated with no results, trashed the .plist, but no joy yet.

This example is on the thread[url]viewtopic.php?f=180&t=13014&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a[/url]
what exactly is a "construction point" cause this is just what I needed to do.

Is there a ruby or a way to make a coil follow a path? I know there are the Helix rubys but I need the helix to follow a path and coil at the same time.

Thanks Chris...

...but that didn't solve it. I don't know why.

I was looking in the "About Plugins" menu under the sketchup menu and noticed that i have a plugin called "3DS Export". I can't find this plug-in, does anyone know were it might be located? And is there a separate preference for this plugin, maybe that has something to do with the problem?

I am running a Mac with system 10.4.11 and I remember a while back, being able to export 3DS files for a render application I use. But now when I try to export the model for 3DS I cant access the "Options" radio button, although it is active and I can click it, it just doesn't take me to another dialog. Further-more, if I choose "export" the activity dialog just keeps cycling and never saves the file. I am not using anything large just a test file with a simple 5x5 cube.

Anyone have a solution?

Here is a simplified version of what I am trying to do.

The skp fileI call it "The Ug"...and it has some texture problems. The seat has a few compound angles and I can't get the edged plywood texture to flow along the surface without severely segmenting the plane and orienting the texture by hand segment by segment, which is very time consuming. Are there any techniques fro doing this, or maybe a plug-in?

Here is the Drunken Monkey Style, file...

drunken_monkey.style

Beats the tiger style every time...

here is the pattern file.

I took the liberty to make the pattern a little less repetitious.