Hello Guys,

Following users requests i updated the plugin to version 1.10

1. Packaged as an .rbz extension for easy install
2. added a menu option to save in the skp model - an Auto Start of Scenes Observer,
   switching scenes on a newly opened model, will automacly animate,
   if this option is selected and model saved by the original animator.

Have fun, Moris

Thank you guys for the support.

here is a link to a new 1.09 version.
http://sites.google.com/site/morisdov/proper_animation_1.09.zip
I modified error handling and exceptions bubbling, to better behave on a mac.

on a maconly the 'animation attributes map' dialog should open in show_modal - Johns request (to mimic the behavior on windows ?).

Let me know if its better on a macand does not crush even when there no scenes in a model, and the ruby console is not open.
(the previous version 1.08 seemed to be working fine on a mac - if you have at leaset one scene, and the ruby console is open)

Thanks, Moris

Hello Chuck and other mac users,

I believe there is a mac specific problem, only on the newsketchup version 8 M1 release,
I dont have access to a mac machine. Chucks crush dump does not provide insight to resolve this.

Whoever can assist in resolving this, if you open the "ruby console" on the "window" menu - and send me all the messagesdisplayed there, just beforesketchup crushes, afterthe first get position and beforethe second attempt crushes sketchup - this is the only way to get a clue, where is the problem.

Thank you, Moris

@gzekko said:

repeating step - context menu add position x - when reopening saved models

the very latest 1.08 beta download from my site (17/11/2010) will 'load' the number of positions for the context menu - on models created/extended using the latest 1.08 version.

@unknownuser said:

to insert a new position anywhere between two old positions

1. add a new animation position as a new last position
2. open the 'Animation Attributes Map'
3. 'Move Left' the latest last position in between the two old positions

Cheers, moris

Hello Flecht and Ladies and Gentleman,

download latest version 1.08 beta - with easing support, from -
http://sites.google.com/site/morisdov/
Please experiment and provide feedback if you find bugs.

If i disable google update service and hide associated exe, i am experiencing noticable delay on closing sketchup or opening a new model.

First i thought i had AppObservr bugs.
Even though i try to code defensively against exceptions and presume surprises.

@unknownuser said:

2 - Am I Missing the Easing Parameter choice?

Verify you have only a single"proper animation 1.xx.rbs" file in plugins folder.
The "About" dialog window should report 1.08 beta.

Hello Guys,

This is a new plugin that seems stable enough for a public announcement.
I hope it will help many of you, by linking your 3D models to Google docs on-line Spreadsheets.

3D models represent objects that might have lots of complex details and data attributes associated with them.
Through the objects life cycle, these attributes need to be updated, manipulated and referenced many times for countless reasons.
Google Docs online spreadsheets offer flexible options for data manipulation, referencing and even linking to back office ERP systems.

The 'General Locator' Plugin extends those abilities linking 3D model entity names and 3D model entity attribute dictionary keys to spreadsheet columns.

download the latest releases from http://sites.google.com/site/morisdov/
follow the detailed instructions in the PDF tutorial, included in the download.
test a small sample skp and its associated spreadsheet, included in the download.
watch youtube demo on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox81IuP2eGk

also check out related "Museum/Gallery HTML Reference" Plugin.
as always - start small, advance in steps - follow the PDF tutorial !

This was initially developed for an archeologist but should be good for general use - let me know about must fixes and nice to have additions.

Moris

Hello Leonardo,

I created a few for customers.

1. Using visual studio create a new project type of a windows class library. In your dll expose public methods to be accessed from sketchup.

2. download from the web win32api.so and copy it into Sketchups Plugins folder. follow the examples on http://ruby-doc.org/docs/ProgrammingRuby/html/lib_windows.html

Start slowly and advance in steps.

Moris

Hello Morgan,

Although you can hack a solution that will work in your lab network, because of NAT and firewall rules this connectivity solution will be more trouble than its worth at customers sites.

%(#0000BF)[In any case sketchups native UI.messagbox and UI.inputbox are not sufficient for a reasonable user interface so you must use sketchups Webdialog anyway.
During the developent of the plugin you will need a "debug" interface from which you can manually send data either way and monitor results, so you must pass "complex" data structures to and from the webdialog !]

If the assumptions above are indeed relevant to your case, use javascript ajax in sketchups webdialog to connect to the other data computer.

Use Base64 encoding to pass complex data stuctures from Ruby to Javascript and on to the data computer and back. I also save Base64 encoded data structures in sketchups attribute dictionaries, to never worry about escaping illegal characters and binary data structures etc.
I also use webdialog textboxes for monitoring sent and received data and manually injecting test data.

Note the 2 KiloByte limit of each call from webdialog javascript to sketchup ruby - split longer data.