I probably should of mentioned this a year ago... this is probably a Mac issue. Following the above directions, I can not get this plugin to work. Big models (over 16 MB) crash SU 8 and 6 when activating "Hide unselected"... and in general the plugin either only highlights the edges of the wrong material (randomly) or hides the entire model with a randomly chosen material deselected, but still hidden.
I'm guessing this is a Mac (intel core 2 duo running OS 10.5.8 ) issue, since nobody else has reported anything similar in over a year.

I'm not complaining, I just thought you might want to know about it... sorry I did not post this earlier, I was very busy when I had tried it and when it did not work... I sort of moved on and forgot about it... Sorry.

Thanks! Sorry, I just edited my OP... I did find " material_ selection" but unfortunately it does not really work for me... I read through the thread and followed the instructions but it just hides the whole model... oh well.

I thought I had seen one a long time ago, but maybe I just thought I saw it.
What it needs to do is something like highlight all of the faces of a chosen material so you could see what does not belong.
Sometimes one will have a model with several similar shades, it is often hard to tell if you have made a mistake and colored a particular face the wrong (similar) color... currently what I do is use "repaint" to temporarily recolor a particular material a very contrasting bright color and see if everything is where it should be.

Thanks in advance for any replies and answers!

EDITED to add I just went back through the plugins list and found "material-selection" by Bob James... apparently I had actually downloaded it back about a year ago... I just went and tried it again, then I remembered it and why I forgot about it... it does not work for me, probably a Mac issue... oh well.

I just wanted to say that when I said "I updated the the plugin. For Me there seems to be no change." I meant I still had the same results and there was nothing visually different happening on the screen... not that I thought nothing was changed in the plugin, I'm sorry if that sounded bad, that is not what I meant. I am highly appreciative of all the hard work you put into this plugin and the fact that you are kind enough to share it with so many people. The work you and all the other Ruby creators do is truly amazing.

As you suggested I right clicked "Use material size" and..... IT WORKS! It scales properly and I can Flip U and V scale, it shows the U V grid... everything appears to function properly!

I hope I did not miss something and I was not just bothering you with some sort of wild goose chase, having you try and figure out what was wrong when there was nothing wrong at all... If I missed something I'm sorry... I watched the video several times and read through the thread twice before I made that first post... anyway thanks again for this plugin and all the help!

I updated the the plugin. For Me there seems to be no change. I copied the Ruby Console message again:

Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float>
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:857:in /' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:857:in point_on_axis'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:387:in activate' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1129:in push_tool'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1129:in `onLButtonDown'

After the above attempt I closed the model and tried again... I noticed that if I clicked on the red or green lines, the scaling handles would appear... they don't do anything... but moving them a tiny bit them generates a very large amount of error messages in the ruby console. I don't know if it is of any use but I copied it to a TextEdit file and I am including it with this post. I did not think it would make sense to fill up a huge amount of space in this thread.

Error message

@thomthom said:

@unknownuser said:

8-It then does the red and green lines on the surface of the model and nothing else... From the video I assume the material should mapped onto the surface and now all I have to do is scale it using the green and red "handles"... I notice in the video the tool now tells you to "set U and V mapping scale"... I get no such message.

Do you get an error message in the console at that point instead?

@unknownuser said:

4-Since this was an experiment to see how to use the plugin I saved the file at this point so I would not have to repeat the whole process if SU crashed (which it did several times while doing this) or if the attempt fails.

@unknownuser said:

While experimenting, SU crashes about 4 out of 10 tries... each "try" being opening up the file, failing to get the result and closing the file without saving and re-opening it. At some point during or just after the process there is a crash.

What part of the process are you referring to? You get a crash when closing the model?

@unknownuser said:

Also this is the most common message I get in the ruby console:

Most common - are there more? Error messages are some of the most useful bit of information I can get to work with. Please post any that might appear - as there should be none.

Answers:

1- Yes that is the point where it gives the error message. Since I usually end the session and reopen the model, that is the last message.

2- The crash can come at any time... I've had it crash when selecting the UV mapping tool, choosing the quadface tool's select tool, selecting an edge for V direction... even when zooming in (using the middle mouse button scroll wheel). One thing I noticed is if I don't close the model after a mapping attempt fails, SU8 becomes more unstable... some of the Quadface tools (like the select tool and the smooth or unsmooth tools) stop working and little things like orbiting or erasing something will cause a crash...
This does not happen in SU6.

3- Yes, once or twice it crashed when closing, but that almost seemed random in regards to the other crashes.

4-There were two other messages... I'm pretty sure I had tried some variation (like maybe smoothing and unsmoothing the model before I chose the UV mapping tool) when I got the other messages... So the message I listed is probably THE message I get when doing it the way I described... (actually I just tried it five times in SU8 and got the same message each time).

I'd just like to say I'm VERY happy I can get this GREAT plugin to work in SU6... I have no problem going back and forth between SU6 and SU8... I do it all the time... some plugins just work better in either 6 or 8... so no worries! I'd also like to add that I a went and mapped several lathed models that were made using the "follow me" tool and they worked perfectly... but once again only in SU6. I could not map them in 8.
Thanks again for this wonderful plugin and all your help!

@thomthom said:

@unknownuser said:

Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float>
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:856:in /' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:856:in point_on_axis'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:386:in activate' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1126:in push_tool'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1126:in `onLButtonDown'

When do you get this?

Also, are you using v0.6?

@unknownuser said:

Actually the only thing that appears different is that I can't rotate around the model while in "scale texture" mode... if I choose the rotate tool, it leaves scale mode and I'm stuck with whatever it was at when it dropped it.

It works when you use the middle mouse button to orbit. Does the UV Mapping tool behave differently from other tools? I mean, how do you return to the tools if you explicitly activate the Orbit tool?

(I assume you meant Orbit tool when you said Rotate tool...)

Answers:
1- After the operation has failed... This is the message that appears in the ruby console. I usually close the model after that, so there are no other messages in regards to that attempt/session.

2- No I am using the previous version. based on what was written it seemed either version would work for what I wanted to do.

3- I forgot that the middle mouse button can do that (I read that somewhere and thought "Really?... cool I've got to remember that!" and promptly forgot it)... I just checked it and it works properly with the UV Mapping tool in SU6... and probably in 8 too... it did not map the sphere but I could orbit the model without loosing the scaling lines (Red and Green)...

4-Yes, I did mean Orbit... that was pretty stupid of me.

I just wanted to add an update... I decided to give it a try in SU6 and it works without any problems... just like in the video.

Actually the only thing that appears different is that I can't rotate around the model while in "scale texture" mode... if I choose the rotate tool, it leaves scale mode and I'm stuck with whatever it was at when it dropped it.

But at least I can use it!!

You are correct, I am using SU8 now, I had forgotten to update the profile data, sorry.
I don't really know how to make a video demo (or even if mac really has anything like that)... but I could explain.

1- using the "spheretool" (by Jim Foltz), I create a sphere... in this case about 12' diameter with 24 segments...

2-I then exploded it.

3-I made a small 4 sided plane and applied (to it) the material I'd like to use on the sphere. I did this to be sure the material was definitely being "used" and SU knew it was there... in pervious tries I just loaded the material and selected it without it being used in anything else and it did not work... when looking at the video (the first video) I noticed one of the models in the background may have had the material being used, applied to it, so I figured it probably won't hurt and might be required for it to work right...

4-Since this was an experiment to see how to use the plugin I saved the file at this point so I would not have to repeat the whole process if SU crashed (which it did several times while doing this) or if the attempt fails.

5-I select the material

6-I choose the "UV map selected quads" tool (it now tells me to "Pick a vertex for origin or an edge for U direction") and I then click on the model when the little orange square shows up on it (originally I was trying for a specific area I wanted it be at, but at this point I'm not fussy, I just want it to work)... I usually choose an area around the equator on or near one of the axis lines (it does not seem to matter where since the results are always more or less the same).

7-The tool shows a green line on the surface of the model and tells me to "pick an edge for V direction"... I do so.

8-It then does the red and green lines on the surface of the model and nothing else... From the video I assume the material should mapped onto the surface and now all I have to do is scale it using the green and red "handles"... I notice in the video the tool now tells you to "set U and V mapping scale"... I get no such message.

I have tried many different things between steps 4 and 5... I have tried converting the quads, triangulating them, I have tried triangulating and untriangulating them, smoothing and unsmoothing the quad edges, unsmoothing and smoothing the quad edges... Tried for about two hours to get results... since the whole process from start to failure takes only like 20 seconds or less, I've made quite a few attempts and different variations on attempts.

I'm using a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mac running OS 10.5.8 and this is being done in the latest version of SU8 (free)...

While experimenting, SU crashes about 4 out of 10 tries... each "try" being opening up the file, failing to get the result and closing the file without saving and re-opening it. At some point during or just after the process there is a crash.

I just want you to know (thomthom) that I appreciate this plugin and I'm not complaining... I assume it is either me, some conflict with some other plugin I have AND/OR the fact that I use an Apple product (which at this point I'm kind of tired with their lack of compatibility and high price)...

Also, sorry if this is a long read... I tried to be as descriptive as possible.

Also this is the most common message I get in the ruby console:

Error: #<TypeError: nil can't be coerced into Float>
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:856:in /' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:856:in point_on_axis'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:386:in activate' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1126:in push_tool'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/TT_QuadFaceTools/uv_mapping.rb:1126:in `onLButtonDown'

Anyway... thank you for your time!

This seems to be a very cool and powerful tool...
I can't seem to use the UV mapping tool on anything but a Sandbox mesh though... Is this only meant to be used with a mesh made using sandbox? How was the model in the demo video in the original post or that Viking boat made (outside SketchUp or using Artisan)? I tried mapping a sphere with the ends cut off , but it wont work... it appears to be made of quads... are they not the right kind of quads? The Video makes it look very simple, but it just does not seem to want to work on anything other than a sandbox mesh...

Thank you! This should come in hand with some older models that I wanted to retexture! Thanks again TIG and CadFather for this plugin!

Thank you both for the reply and for this wonderful plugin! One last question if I may... I suppose the altered textures would have to retain their original names for this to work... Correct?

Forgive me for asking a stupid question...

Its the purpose/function of this plugin to: Export all the textures(and JUST the textures) of a model to a separate folder, allowing you to then swap out those textures for other other, either higher rez or different color etc... and then import them back into the model "swapping" them for the originals... thus creating an alternate texture version of the original model... in effect doing a mass "re-paint" ?

It works now, but when I checked the material names after importing them in Blender and Poser they are being renamed again.
There are no other plugins loaded into SU8... I just downloaded 8 and this is the first Ruby I added.

FANTASTIC!! I just started using the dae export option and the texture renaming is extremely frustrating! Thank you!!

EDITED TO ADD- Unfortunately it does not work for me. I get an "Error Loading" warning. I have the latest FREE version of SU 8... and I am running it on a Mac using OS 10.5. I tried it to see if it works in earlier versions but even though it shows up in the menu in SU 6, it does not respond... but does not give a error loading warning though.
Hope it works for other folks.

I keep peeking in here hoping I'll see something that will help me understand this better... But now I suppose I will actually download it and try and to figure it out... this is something akin to a Gerbil sitting in the cockpit of an F-22 and saying " I can do this!!"... But either way I've got to try it.
I wanted to say thanks for this script and for trying to find another easier way to help those of us that are UV mapping impaired!
I'm really hoping to figure out how to use this to texture cylinders... Too bad there is no simple native method to paint a seamless texture on a cylinder in SU... I'd think that would seem to be a basic necessity to the SU programers?
Thanks again!!

Edited to add- THANK YOU!! It worked!! Not right at first, it seemed to not want to activate, but after a few tries it did and I got it to work!
That is so COOL! I'm going to experiment some more... Thank you x 1000!

Oh yeah, I don't know if anyone else has this problem too, but when I am viewing the video clip you made, the bottom part of the screen is cut off... so when you click on your plugin the drop down menu is below the field of view and I can not see what option you are choosing. I just thought you might want to know.

I've never exported a Poser figure to SU, but you could try importing a lower resolution version using the free version of DAZ Studio 3 (or 4)... (and it probably still has free base figures as well)... DS has a LOD function (Level of Detail-which reduces the mesh resolution by different level increments) that is used by some to export to SecondLife or other similar programs...
I imagine you would set up and pose your figure, then adjust the LOD settings and export an OBJ... then either using the trial Pro version of SU or one of the free ruby OBJ Import plugins bring the model into SU... I don't know how well it would work, and I imagine the scale of the figure would be WAY off... But it should PROBABLY work... with a bunch of trial and error.
You could ask about the LOD function at DAZ's Forums... There are many nice and helpful people there, especially in the "Welcome" and "New Users Help Forum"...

I must have missed this one before, but thanks again for another immensely useful and generous plugin!

Thank you for the update!!

Wow TIG you never cease to amaze me! Just came here to see if there was something like this! Thank you for this and all your other great plugins!