Chris:

Very Cool Stuff. I'm going to have students in my class start using it when it looks like a few others have succeeded in using 3.2. However, I keep getting a Webdialog is still dirty!!!!!!! message flash to the ruby console often when I make even a minor change to the code changing an if(frame==0) to if(frame==10) for instance. I have noticed and worked around this in the past....you must quit out of sketchup and restart it...but this seems to be more frequent. Any insights. I also will install it on the Mac side (I am running windows in boot camp) and see if it is any different.
Many many many kudos!

...later that morning on the apple side of a macbook...
Error starting the simulation: : uninitialized constant MSketchyPhysics3::SP3xSimulationContext::SPSounds
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins/SketchyPhysics3/ControllerCommands.rb:777:in `initialize'

?????

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. Is it possible to open text files from within a simulation. All those midi hashes in the piano would seem to be screaming for such an input and the animations I am trying (with limited) success in regular ol' ruby script are using a list of coordinates read from a data file. Any insights as to if/when this might be possible would be great.

Sounds similar to my experience but I don't think I'm trying as hard as Nathan...just hanging back to see what all of these creative minds do with this when Chris gets enough time free from his "day job" and family to post the update. This is just the piece I need before proposing STAM as in Science Technology Arts and Music....the math and science are implied. Keep creating!

Welcome to the fold. The "rail question" can either be done with the physics, ie using an assembly which acts just like those sets of wheels which keeps the coaster on its tracks. The pre-released SP 3.2 also has a follow a path function which may help. My suggestion to you, also as one who is AMAZED at what creative people can do with this software is to pick up a ruby book or website and then delve into some of the models which are posted. As some some of the commands are being morphed as Chris Phillips uses his powers as musical maestro/physics phanatic to do really cool stuff I would say started with the newest models (those for SP3x or SP3.2 pre-release might be pragmatic. I am actually holding off myself based on what I see in those music box videos from Chris. Oh yeah....and read read read these posts which are all infinitely more informative than any of mine.

The answer seems to lie in this command
setLinearDamping(0.0) and setAngularDamping(0.0)each of which are set in the script box. Hope this helps.

The first is in the plugins pulldown

The second is in the context click for a physics object. Hope this helps. Dewey!

You might check the worldscale in the Physics settings...that and turn on readback geometry.

Has anyone seen or found a good description of just how the physics setting variables work. Just how would I set them if I in fact wanted to mimic as closely as possible the "real world" at either 15 or 29.4 frames per second. I am quite happy to tweak but would like to build on the work of others as I try and work a Vulcan mind meld between Algodoo....Sketchy Physics...and dare I say it....the physical world. Any insights greatly appreciated.

Yipee...Yapee...Yahooeee!

In the immortal words of Marty Feldman....

Could be worse.....could be raining.

Thanks for your incredible work and passion for your invention.

I guess I'll just need to fill real sandbags now.

Sometimes the stars just align.....Chris, go ahead and release it. You know you want to. Throw us your adoring minions a bone. Hope all is well with life and coding.

As Noah said....

RRRRRRRIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHTTTTTT.

What's a panagraph?

I so love what you are doing!!!!! How do we get this into the hands of kids so they concurrently learn both their math and animation...Perhaps so they can control undersea vehicles and tophats under the ocean!

Looking forward to more insights and general wisdom.

I am running Window 7 build 7100 on a macbook pro and finally all those cool models
using the Late June SPX are not crashing. Previously I was on an IMAC 2.0Ghz running Vista. It there anyway to suss why it works here and not there? Anyone else having good or bad experiences with Windows 7.0?...Now back to the RC Buggy!

Does anyone have any great ideas for generating a fake fluid stream for simulation of flow. I think the answer exists in the "emitter". I am trying to bridge
the world between teaching students about kinematics and bernoulli's equations at the same time you all are providing them the tools to actually visualize it. Somewhere there is a nexus between Phun physics and sketchy physics that is going to really change how kids/adults learn.

This forum keeps me constantly engaged...you all are incredible!

@unknownuser said:

I should point out that my first goal with this version was a game type simulation and not something scientifically accurate. It probably could be but that hasn't been the focus.

I remember reading somewhere that Google's intent on acquiring Keyhole was for gaming platforms. Last time I checked I think people are doing a lot more with GE than just gaming. And don't even get me started on Velcro.

Cool stuff....I am now off in the Octave world as well but mostly waiting for the latest improvements to SP.

Chris:

I am interested in students learning to "truth" models as well as demonstrate a way to apply
different programs/algorythms to tackle smaller chunks of a problem. Of course I am really
just looking for an excuse to use sketchy physics(:)).

I have included a model that I think gets at what I want for one particular point on an object. I presume
that just keeping track of the value of each dimension will get me what I want. Thanks for the tip.

Any more insights or tips would be welcomed but not expected. You are way too busy doing cool stuff.

ringgame.skp

I was probably only thinking about a few points and then not necessarily at every frame.

This could be used for such things as interference checks or on a more basic
level to help students learn the simple complexity of translation and rotation.

I'll keep messing with it. It sounds like a reasonable place to start
fiddling around with the API.

Autotracking of Objects for postprocessing.

First off...once again I am amazed by both the passion and ingenuity of everyone...especially Chris.

So...is there a way to have sketchup continually update the cartesian coordinates of object for eventual
post-processing by students. (I teach at a technical college). I stumbled on the fact that dimensions
will update as an object is moving which has huge possibilities but I am now interested in the more
compact x,y,z format. I have posted my lame discovery just so I can add posting a model to my
life's achievements.

Keep creating!

ballswithdimensions.skp