@smoscowitz said:

I want to build an entertainment center.
I would like to try and design it on sketchup.
The program opens with a perspective view.
Is that all there is?

From your question I think your are very new to SU. Watch the TUT here on building a bed side table which will get you started. http://www.srww.com/ http://www.srww.com/google-sketchup.htm

Here are some links for woodworking I use often http://www.finewoodworking.com/blog/design-click-build/page/4 https://sites.google.com/site/sketchupvideo/Home/google-sketchup-techniques
http://www.srww.com/ and the TUT at SCF should help you also. The chief woodworrker at srww has a very good Tut in a bed side table that you should watch

There have been several post in the Help fourm. Here is one I found trying search there my help http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/sketchup/thread?tid=1e41697e05ecb429&hl=en

@brookefox said:

The utility of this script is beyond me. I will keep my head down in hopes that someone will post some uses.

Very simple at least for me. A post in the Sketchup help forum having problems with file size had numerous groups with the same geo.( An example is shown in the ref test file I included with my post.) has a file size of ~930KB. If one converts to components, then uses the browser "replace selected" capability that goes down to around ~70KB. A significant reduction in my mind. If one looks at the model info stats report the edges and faces don't change that much. It was my feeble attempt to understand the imapct of max use of components which is often stated but not quantified. BTW I will on occasion place a very simple component in my model(s), have even used a line ( not a good idea), then recognizing a components definition is invariant under move, scale and rotation one can latter replace with a complex model which gets added to the model at the scale, location and rotation of the simple model( need to pay attention to your component axis)

@chris fullmer said:

I looked over his code and there seems to be an error that pops up whn you only have groups selected. Try running the script wil always a non-group in the selection - like just draw a line and then select it along with the groups, then run the script. I think that will by pass the problems.

Chris

Thanks, nothing to it when you know what you are doing
BTW the line gets converted to component also

Update
Noted during my post the ruby console error report is different ( in the ref. help forum) that what was obtained in the last attempt to covert the groups. Line number ref are different by one and the entity octal number is different. Removed script, download from Matt's link above and reloaded with same result.

@chris fullmer said:

Oh it really doesn't matter. If you post in that thread, I can go ahead and delete this thread you don't mind?

go ahead I copied my question to your cited thread, thanks!

@matt666 said:

Hi all!
Here is a set of tools to play with components and groups.
It can :

• Make a group of just one entity (right click or menu plugins/Make group)
• Make a component instance of just one entity (right click or menu plugins/Make component)
• Convert each entity in the selection in a single group (right click or menu plugins/Convert on single groups)
• Convert each entity in the selection in a single component (right click or menu plugins/Convert on single components)
• Convert the selected component into a group (right click or menu plugins/Make group)
  SU has a native tool to convert a group into a component.

That's all!

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Make_Comonents.rb Version 1.1 Does Not Run All the Time

Postby mac1 on Tue May 18, 2010 10:30 am
System Windows xp sp3
SU as noted below
P4 3.2GHz Intel 865 PERL Mother Board, 4 GB Memory
I have been attempting to convert the file ref in this link http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/sketchup/thread?tid=50e8ceb670ed94ef&hl=en ( file: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=5841263f36529eef9f30f02514717f00 )to components but the script usually converts the first group and quits but, some times it will convert correctly. Ii have not been able to find the initial conditions to repeat the success case. When the failure occurs the ruby console reports this:
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method definition' for #<Deleted Entity:0x60ad9f0>> F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:140:in make_components'
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:135:in each' F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:135:in make_components'
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:48
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:48:in `call'
I have uninstalled all ruby scripts except the ones loaded with the basic SU installation also removed SU 6. the failure repeats with both SU 7.0+ and SU 7.1 both with clean installs. I have tried a repair install with both SU 7's but cannot because of a missing msi file
Any Suggestions??

@chris fullmer said:

The ruby script in question appears to be the one written by Matt666:

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=17590

You mgiht even ask this question in that thread. Matt might be quicker to respond if he realizes your asking about his plugin.

Chris

Will do but not quite sure of protocol so the same thread does not appear two places. Remove here or add ref to the post in your cited thread or ????

System Windows xp sp3
SU as noted below
P4 3.2GHz Intel 865 PERL Mother Board, 4 GB Memory
I have been attempting to convert the file ref in this link http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/sketchup/thread?tid=50e8ceb670ed94ef&hl=en ( file: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=5841263f36529eef9f30f02514717f00)to components but the script usually converts the first group and quits but, some times it will convert correctly. Ii have not been able to find the initial conditions to repeat the success case. When the failure occurs the ruby console reports this:
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method definition' for #<Deleted Entity:0x60ad9f0>> F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:140:in make_components'
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:135:in each' F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:135:in make_components'
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:48
F:/PROGRA~1/Google/GOOGLE~1/Plugins/Make_Components.rb:48:in `call'
I have uninstalled all ruby scripts except the ones loaded with the basic SU installation also removed SU 6. the failure repeats with both SU 7.0+ and SU 7.1 both with clean installs. I have tried a repair install with both SU 7's but cannot because of a missing msi file
Any Suggestions??

Also there are numerous TUTs on modeling a house here is some http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sketchup+model+house&aq=f

Make sure you use the rect.tool by extrude, click and enter in the vcb. I have hand cases I am convinced but cannot readily duplicate wherein I have extruded, entered in the vcb and the results is wrong and think this is related to the fact the mouse is still active but I could not see any visible changes in the rect. It maybe related to the precision and length snapping but

@lene_iacobe said:

Hi Gai
Thanks so much for your time!! -Just for the record, I KNOW the file looks like.... you know. But I am not paid to look at anything else but the rooms I'm working on (the client says, when in fact we all know, that you can't work on just a part of a drawing if there's an overall problem
Anyway, I closed the gap you found, but it didn't solve the problem. (I attaceh the new file) What I want is for the walls to be coloured and the rooms paper-white. I think maybe the bug is on the opposite site of the plan?
Wouldn't it be great if SU could point out the problem?

There is a very nice plugin to help with TS called stray lines. It will search and label them for you. Get it at http://www.smustard.com/script/StrayLines

@oldnick said:

OK. Great! I was wondering about quantifying stuff.

Actually I have found that using the fold does not give the result I need (although it may one day). It causes distortion of the shape. I wanted a round cylinder with non perp ends.

So I am looking at slicing...but I may have to have another go and post a question about that, as I got so far than got stuck.

Nick

Have a go at rotating the end vs slice or move

@jan steinman said:

@honoluludesktop said:

Draw a edge creating two triangles out of the quadrangle, if triangler faces are then created, the 4 edges are not coplanar. If not, perhaps the edges are not joined together.

Yea, I tried that, and it seems the quad is not coplanar. Sigh.

I used the line tool to make four vertical lines and entered precise lengths, then connected the ends. Any thoughts on why the result should not be coplanar? Perhaps I just slipped.

Oh well, tear it apart and try again, I guess...

Unless you post the problematic xxx.skp file you have everyone guessing. If you want to learn post it!

@unknownuser said:

There is going to be some work involved whichever method you use.
This work will be far easier if the building is modelled correctly using groups, components and layers.

Thinking off the top of my head, what I would do if I received a 3d model with wall thickness is, go to plan view and turn off the roof to reveal all internal walls. I would push pull them back down to floor level, which will leave the outline on the floor. You would need to make sure there is a line drawn where the internal wall meets the outer wall so you do not push everything down. You could then just draw a few lines using the pencil tool and the inference engine to quickly add back the faces of the walls. I guess what may need some thought is how accurate you need these wall positions? If you need to create a wall with thickness as a single plane, you may need to create this plane central to the said wall.

DAVID
Spent some time on the IES site and even thought they have discussed their plan for a SU thick wall capability I am thinking that cahange is not near term for you. They make a recommendation external walls are modeled ref to out side wall location and for internal use the center line ref per your post.
Suggest you post your SU model or a portion thereof if you have some proprietary issues because how changes are made will be influenced by how the model is made. I get the idea IES wants either components or groups for their model. Assuming you have the rooms presently modeled that way changing out one model for another may not be that difficult using the SU select and replace component functionally.
Good Luck

@ddraynor said:

So I am using IES VE (http://www.iesve.com/content/default.asp?page=) to perform energy analysis on a building. The problem is architects don't use SketchUp the way that the plugin for IES works. They model the walls as 3d walls instead of as planer surfaces. What would be the easiest (fastest) way to convert these models to flat planer surfaces. The tools I have available outside of SketchUp include Revit MEP 2010 and AutoCAD MEP 2010. I mention AutoCAD because a 2d floor plan as a DXF (still only wall centerlines) will also work for me.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
David Raynor

David
Looking at the IES site they have some PR about a IES sketchup plugin in a Sketchup intergration study they were doing. If you have a complex building converting the 3d walls to a plane can be man power intensive so a quick call to them may be helpful. Also find thomthom's plugin selection toys at the SCF plugin forum http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=14975&hilit=+Selection+Toys+ ( look down about 2/3 in this link for the download)which allows you to select edge loops with one click, hiding a wall selection, selecting wire frame face style, doing a right to left select to select and delete the non select part and then unhide could be quicker for you. In the wire frame style hidden geo is not selected.

@gaieus said:

Yes, just the bounding edges. The double click > extract from selection second click is only needed when your bounding edges are not one, continuous polyline (but exploded for instance).

Cautionary Comment
In some cases the info you get from the entity info is a theoretical length and not " segment length". For example draw an arc at a given radius, measure the angle and check the entity info and the answer one gets is d= r X theta ( theta in radians). Explode the curve and the entity info will now give you the sum of the segment lengths. I don't know how many tools do this.

@frv said:

I was trying to use the soapskin & bubble tool but it does only seem to generate a flat surface. After that the tools seem not to have any effect. Maybe someone can help me see what I am doing wrong.
Tx Francois

you have to enter pressure values ( neg or pos) to get the surface to inflate

While you are waiting for plugin update consider using http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=14975&hilit=selection+toys%E2%80%A6. This allows for much quicker selection.