@michaelv said:

Bob,
Let me ask you this: What is it you're trying to design? And how you came about having the field of points (rather than the shape)?

I ask because I'm currently working on a plugin that creates a curve from a set of points (although not cpoints but a list of x,y coordinates) and then generates a solid from a series, much similar to what you're trying to accomplish.
I don't have a set of drawn points to start from but rather a list of adimensional x,y coordinates (multiply by a scale factor or dimension to get the result), like a spreadsheet.

Depending on what it is you're doing and what you have to start with, it may be an interesting option for me to consider in my tool. In any case I may think of how I may modify it to do what you need (the whole shape) if it's possible.

If you have a list of coordinates (file), it shouldn't be too hard for me to create the tool that will make a mesh/surface out of it, as I will need such a tool in my plugin, so it's part of writing it. All it would need is a bit of input change.
If you only have construction points, then it will need to extract coordinates from the selection. I guess Sam's tool does that inherently, and might be able (if not already) generate an array of coordinates. I didn't look at the tool yet.

I am interested in the tool you are developing. I am working on modeling chromosome ends on a sphere. I have been modeling chromosome ends on the surface of a sphere using Buckyball in SketchUp8. The sphere is rotated/orbited so that one gets different projections of the labels that approximate the distribution of chromosomes in actual cellular spreads (the various polygons are numbered for ease of identification). (I can send images of the spheres and models if youlike but I can't past them)

My questions:

1. How can I get the coordinates (2D or 3D) of the different labels (chromosomes ends) in each of the projections
2. I notice that there is “wobble” or discrepancy between the assigned positions of the label (i.e. to specific pentagons or hexagons it was originally assigned to) and the location it appears at in the projected sphere. Is it possible to increase the fidelity or decrease the variation between the assigned and apparent location?
3. When I export different projections (of the same sphere), i.e. those rotated to give different chromosome distributions, I get identical sets of data. The file is huge. I take it SU gives the coordinates (?) of all points in the model, and it matters not what orientation or rotation is current. Is that the right understanding?
4. Is there a way of simplifying the data points so that only the coordinates of the labels are retained?

Here are X,Y coordinates of one chromosome spread. Perhaps you can have a creative approach to plotting these points on a sphere:

Chrom X Y

1Ap 4.3 0.3
1Aq 3.0 9.0

1Bp 2.5 1.4
1Bq 0.4 2.9

2Ap 9.7 2.7
2Aq 8.2 9.3

2Bp 6.9 3.7
2Bq 0.2 5.5

Xp 8.2, 4.6
Xq 0.6 7.7

Y1p 7.4 1.4
Y1q 11.8 4.4

Y2p 7.7 3.2
Y2q 8.6 2.2

m,any thanks,
BL
blibbus@gmail.com

I use Buckyball in SketchUp to model points on the surface of a sphere. When I rotate the sphere it moves across the screen and I have to center it manually. Is there a way of keeping the sphere centered on the screen?