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uberchurch,
I downloaded your file, opened it with Wordpad, copied everything to the clipboard, opened Notepad, pasted, and saved the file with a '.csv' extension.
The contents look okay. It may be that the extra carriage-return/line-feed info that Wordpad inserts is causing a problem. (I don't know for certain.) I can tell you that, with your data in an ASCII-text '.csv' file, the "import cloud" plugin worked fine. (See attached.)
@aspaddict said:
Is there any quick and dirty way to connect all the points...
Um,
The "Excel&DXF" example files I provided do precisely that. Extract the zip files and see if they do the trick.
aspaddict,
I've a fair amount of experience in scientific/mathematical use of Excel, so producing a DXF file from a spreadsheet isn't too difficult for me. I realize that may not be true for you, so I've attached a ZIP file containing a spreadsheet that demonstrates how it's done.
(Please don't ask about the rather convoluted Excel formulae, 'cause it would require instruction in Excel. I suspect the formulae could be simplified further, as the newest version of Excel is giving me fits!)
The spreadsheet is protected to prevent structural changes, as that would 'break' its functionality. The only cells that can be modified are those that specify the length of the radial distances. The angles, and formulae for the x,y data are locked. They can not be modified unless you unprotect the spreadsheet. The formulae in the column of text for the DXF file are also locked from modification. You can copy and paste the DXF text, after your changes to the length parameters automatically modify the DXF info for you.
The spreadsheet should allow you to do plenty of "what if" adjustments to the length values.
I've also included the resulting DXF file, and a screengrab image of the SketchUp import (depicting 360 line entities.)
Regards,
Taff
@bigstick said:
...need a blog page to show off the cool stuff you do with SketchUp, that is totally different to what everyone else does!
Jim,
Hah! History repeats itself. What I'm doing here is actually an 'old school' technique from the introductory IBM-PC days (early 1980s.)
DXF was a ubiquitous file format back then, as it is now. Getting spreadsheet data (anyone remember VisiCalc?) into a CAD program was handled in the manner I used. Conceptually, it's simple, relatively easy to understand, nothing but text, and can be used with many programs (...and I'm getting to be an old dog, comfortable with my old tricks.)
Regarding ripples and waves, even PhotoShop can apply such 'distortions' to an image. The mathematical simulation of waves has been "algorithmized" in many ways, and 3D graphics articles/papers have been published by students/professors in the major graphics journals. These guys know much, MUCH more than do I on the subject. Modification and application into a SketchUp ruby is the missing exercise, but with a bit of homework, shouldn't be too difficult for an experienced ruby 'scripter' (of which, I am not.)
aspaddict,
I've been playing with Excel a little, and I think your problem is that the SIN and COS functions expect the angle parameter to be in units of RADIANS. If you haven't already, try these:
=B2*COS(RADIANS(A2))
=B2*SIN(RADIANS(A2))
I'll keep testing in Excel, to see if there might be some other "gotchas" to confound your calculations.
Taff
@aspaddict said:
....thanks for bringing back the nightmare called high school geometry!
You weren't one of those students who thought, "I'm never going to need this!" were you?
[EDIT - Ignore this; see subsequent postings
I think the problem is likely due to +/- values of either the angle input, or sin/cos output. Try this - do only one quadrant, where the results will be all positive. Stick to the range of 0-90 degrees, and see what you get.
[END EDIT]]
(You can attach your spreadsheet, dxf and skp, if you want, but you're might have to zip them first.)
Taff
aspaddict,
I generated Excel data, using the above equations, for 360 degrees (converted to radians, of course) and unit radius (1.0)
I imported the data into SketchUp, using 'cloud_v6', as did you. The attached image is the result.
Taff
@rabbit said:
...it will not import into rhino, or autocad 2000
Not surprised -- I kept the included elements to the bare minimum -- only those required for SketchUp.
Taff
gistman,
For future reference, "cd" means "change directory" and is an old DOS command.
Taff
@gistman said:
How are you supposed to "navigate" [to] the SketchUp directory from there?
gistman,
Once in the 'Command Prompt' box, type...
cd C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 6
...and hit <Enter>
That will switch you to the correct folder. Keep reading in that discussion I posted. The above method didn't work for some other users, either. The order of install/uninstall for SketchUp 5 and 6 is critical, and is apparently the solution.
Taff
I fear that my last post may scare you away from DXF import, which is really pretty simple, especially when using a spreadsheet to generate the required ASCII text file (you can save DXF files as ASCII text.)
To demonstrate the file internals, I have attached a simple DXF file (in a ZIP file.) In the DXF file, six LINE entities are defined, as well as a single POINT entity. A POINT, defined in a DXF file, will import as a SketchUp guidepoint. You can open the attached DXF file with a text editor, such as Notepad or Wordpad (Microsoft Windows.) Import the DXF into SketchUp, to see how it works.
DXF ASCII format for entities:
For a LINE, the data is defined with a prefix code in the line above the coordinate
10 - code for X-coordinate; starting point
20 - code for Y-coordinate; starting point
30 - code for Z-coordinate; starting point
11 - code for X-coordinate; ending point
21 - code for Y-coordinate; ending point
31 - code for Z-coordinate; ending point
(The Z-coordinate is followed by a zero, to designate the end of the line definition)
The codes for a POINT entity are similar, but are limited to 10,20 & 30 (as there is no 'ending' point.)
According to the AutoDesk reference, if you have no Z-coordinate (i.e.; only 2D data,) you can exclude the Z-codes and data. (My example file contains no z-coordinates.) You DON'T have to enter:
30
0.0
-or-
31
0.0
The DXF format is explained in detail at, AutoCAD 2000 DXF Reference
Scroll down to the bottom, to Appendix A, "Drawing Interchange File Formats" and then to "Writing a DXF Interface Program" and "Writing a DXF File". This leads you to the simplest explanation. If you need more details, the bulk of the reference provides ample support.
I hope this serves to clear (rather than muddy) the waters....
Taff
Use the mathematical power of Excel, to convert the polar coordinates (angle, distance) into cartesian coordinates (x,y). Add a zero z coordinate to each x,y pair.
You can then produce, from that x,y,z tabular data, a 'csv' (comma-separated-values) file. A simple copy/paste from the spreadsheet can do it, or let Excel save the file in the csv format.
Once you have a 'csv' file, containing only the x,y,z datapoints, it can be imported into SketchUp, using a ruby plugin. I use "cloud_v6.rb" from this page at The Ruby Library Depot. This plugin will create guidepoints in your SketchUp model, one for each x,y,z datapoint. See the user's guide and example data file, also available at the aforementioned url.
While the 'cloud' ruby will connect the endpoints, I'm not sure whether it will try to connect more than immediately-adjacent points. It may try to draw some lines "across" the cam perimeter, rather than just around the perimeter. (The plugin was originally developed to import terrain survey data into SketchUp.)
I use the 'cloud' plugin to import spherical/geodesic data, and skip the line drawing step. You could do the same, should it try to draw too many lines.
This is only one option. In the past, I've used Excel to produce, instead of a 'csv' file, a 'dxf' file. This takes a little more initial data formatting in Excel, but in a 'dxf' file, you can specify where to draw the lines. SketchUp can import a 'dxf' file without a plugin.
If you anticipate having to model a cam repeatedly, with adjustments in Excel for each model, I'd go with the 'dxf' method. All the major work would have to be done only once. Subsequent 'tweaking' of the data wouldn't be difficult, as Excel would do all the calculations.
Regards,
Taff
Jim has been working on his generator for greebles/nurnies (look it up), the "Protrude" ruby plugin.
This tool so easily produces geometry, that I'm sure I can only underestimate its potential uses.
The attached sample only took a couple of minutes, starting with a regular pentagon. Great fun!
Regards,
Taff
Dave,
Even if it's not IE security settings, it could still be XP security settings. If I recall correctly, most of the XP SP3 changes involved system security.
You might want to check whether it's the shortcut from which you're running SketchUp. Instead, try going to the SketchUp folder, and running the 'SketchUp.exe' file, without using a shortcut, at all. See if you have the same process-termination problem.
I'm just guessing, here, but it's worth a test...
Taff
@sketch3d.de said:
...problem can regularly be avoided by using a video card with a driver optimized for and supporting the full OpenGL stack as e.g. the nVidia CAD series 'Quadro FX' instead of gaming cards optimized for speed only ... and slow low-end solutions....
Norbert,
Regarding the Quadro FX cards, nVidia even has a "partner certified driver" for SketchUp. (The driver is currently available only for XP.)
I was pleasantly surprised the other day, when I installed new Quadro driver
Note that, when your system reports that a newer, updated driver is NOT available, you should question from whence that message comes. Apparently, Microsoft is providing this assessment. How do they know? If I check Windows Update, it says no newer driver is available, yet nVidia had one. I suspect that Microsoft will always be behind on it's driver update notifications. Do yourself a favor, and actively search for one on your own. (I have the mobile version of the Quadro FX, and couldn't be happier with this new driver.)
I'm sorry that I can't report that will help Vista users, including Verrou. However, the adviceNorbert provided, regarding 'fast feedback,' is typically the most-effective fix for cursor and marquee-selection problems (XP and Vista, alike.) Turning off 'fast feedback' doesn't slow down SketchUp as much as disabling 'hardware acceleration.' Hopefully, the feedback setting alone should resolve Verrou's problem.
Taff
Dave,
Perhaps it's a problem with Internet Explorer security settings...?
http://groups.google.com/group/sketchupissues/msg/2c809edf75a68ad1
This is a fairly old message, but I haven't found any other discussions that have been this specific. Perhaps Craig can provide an update.
Regards,
Taff
witjazz,
The methods of constructing these stairs in SketchUp are several. The detail and accuracy of your imported CAD imagery is really precise, which helps in the construction. Rotating the elevation to a vertical position, and moving it to align properly with the top view should be your first steps.
I started with drawing the steps. Counting the step interval, I found that there were 25 radial divisions, spread over 135 degrees. Draw arcs with 25 segments, tracing right on top of the top view. Draw radial lines to each of the arc endpoints. This will provide 25 radial 'wedge' faces, flat on the 'ground.' Each of these faces can be 'push/pulled' to equal-interval heights, based on the elevation view (except for the middle landing, which is comprised of two radial segments.) If the overall height is a bit off, you can select all of the 25 radial faces, then 'scale' the height to fit precisely with the elevation view. Finishing off the steps can wait until you complete the curving helical sides. You will note that I 'grouped' the steps, to keep them from 'sticking' to subsequent geometry.
To draw the curved sides, I used a copy of the same 25-segment arc upon which the steps were based. Drawing two central, radial lines, from the center crosshairs to the endpoints of the arc will produce a pie-shaped wedge, which can be push/pulled to produce a curved, cylindrical wall. The flat vertical 'walls' that connect to the centerline can be deleted, leaving just the curved surface. With 'hidden geometry' turned on, sloped, diagonal lines can be 'stitched' on the cylindrical surface, from one vertical line to the next. The slope of these lines is derived from the top-forward edge of each step (which is why I started with step construction.) When 25 sloped line segments are completed, you will have produced a helical spiral.
It's difficult to describe in words, but the general helix method described above is copied or repeated to produce top and bottom edges, and inside edges. You'll find that helix construction is a popular topic at SketchUp forums, and several tutorial models can be found in the 3D Warehouse. Search for terms, "helix" or "spiral." Most of these describe how to 'stitch' lines across helix edges to produce the upper and lower surfaces of the spiral sides. Use of SketchUp's 'smoothing' feature will hide the stitched lines.
If you learn how to construct such helical surfaces, you will have mastered one of the more complicated constructions that you can do in SketchUp. I encourage you to search for helical discussions and tutorial models, and study them. I've attached my model, also provided for your study.
Regards,
Taff
Just read an article over at WIRED.com, regarding a 747 Jumbo jet conversion into a hotel.
(Several default SketchUp 2D 'face-me' characters were used, giving it away.)
Regards,
Taff
flemming,
Here's how the SketchUp Help Center describes the process:
How do I draw an inner tube (or a donut)?
Regards,
Taff
