I noticed some 300 downloads of Window Tools Ruby thus far. There has been little feedback as to how useful this tool is. I realize not everyone uses SketchUp for Architectural Design.

But after developing Door Tools I thought I would revisit Window Tools. To bring it in line with what I had learned creating Door Tools.

As a Designer/Builder/SketchUp users, I find it impossible to use SketchUp without a good layer Plan. Designing for Clients invariably requires changes. And its in this area that SketchUp is weak.

Making changes to an existing proposal at times can take more time than simply starting over. Hence I made the following changes to Window Tools:

1. Added a Layer option, all windows are drawn on a Window layer.
2. Added Wall thickness option, hence Windows will now cut automatically into any wall of a given thickness. This eliminates the need to establish an opening in a wall prior to installing Windows, as was the case with the previous version.
3. Added the global variable scheme similar to Door Tools.
4. Revised the Mullion tool, eliminated the superfluous surrounding frame.

If you think these added changes are worthwhile. Then follow the upgrade instruction in the WindowTools1.1.txt file included in the attached rar file. There is also there is a short video demo attached.

WindowTools1.1.wmv

WindowTools1.1.rar

@unknownuser said:

Then why are you 'going GAGA' over Modo?

I'm not going "GAGA over ArchiCad nor Modo", I'm simply mentioning these programs have had more success in how to integrate addon language components into their main program. Its my hope that SU will improve, and perhaps someone on their staff will look at those examples. ....That's ALL!

I'm quite sure anyone that has ever written a Ruby program, would love to see a standardized Ruby GUI interface, becoming part of the next major release of SU.

I can see this thread is about to die!

If anyone would like another example, of how other 3d software programs
have integrated languages into their main program, have a look at Modo.
http://www.luxology.com/whatismodo/
with special reference to
http://www.vertexmonkey.com/scripts_modeling_create.php
Here is a community which provides scripts written in Perl and Python
which integrate seamlessly into Modo. Modo provides the Dialog interface.

And while I see some forum members going GAGA over a commercial Profiler for SU.
Its no big deal for Modo, someone has provided one since the release of Modo 201.
Modo 201 come out about 2 years ago.

Nice example Fredo6:

Its too bad we don't have a permanent place to store these types of examples. Someone at SU should be collating this stuff, if not, at least to improve the totally sad state of affairs, where only words are used to describe how the Ruby API is to be implemented in SU.

Most programming languages use the same old irrelevant tired examples on how to learn programming.
Example: how to code "hello my name is?

Here we have a 3d program, with a Ruby API, and the best description to date is to describe
the API in words, most of which don't even use synonyms in the description.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" ....... Hello out there SU technical staff!
Lets get a bit more creative, like the 1000's that use this program.

Great addition!
But whats the point of doing a huge scramble file containing coded Rubies that were formerly not scrambled?

I discovered a small error in the DoorToolLouver.rb file which resides in the DoorTools folder.

The current version will NOT draw glass louvers when the "glass" option is picked under "Louver type". Although this option had been working all along, unfortunately a replacement variable I decided to change at the last moment, got transposed properly to all locations in this script, ......except one.

Open DoorToolLouver.rbin notepad

def initialize
    
    super # calls the initialize method in the ThreePointTool class
    # sets the default Window settings
    $adNI14 = 1.inch if not $adNI14       # Louver Spacing
    $klGY59 = 45 if not  $klGY59          # Louver angle
    $fgHJ12 = 1.5.inch if not $fgHJ12     # Louver width
    $klGY24 = 0.25.inch if not $klGY24    # Louver thickness
    $plBH85 = 0.inch if not $plBH85       # Louver offset from opening
    $buTB05 = 0.inch if not $buTB05       # Louver setback from face
    $etKU36= "Solid" if not $etKU36       # Solid or Glass 
    
    $fgHJ12 = 0.25.inch if $fgHJ12 <= 0.inch
    
    # Set the layer names
    $drDR00= "Doors" if not $drDR00        #layer for door
    @swinglayer= "DoorSwing" if not @swinglayer  #layer for doorswing
    
    # Dialog box
    ltype = ["Solid", "Glass"]
    enums = ["",ltype.join("|")]
    prompts = ["Default Layer", "Louver Type", "Louver Spacing", "Louver Angle", "Louver Width", "Louver Thickness", "Louver Offset ; from sides ","Louver Setback ; from face "]
    values = [ $drDR00, $etKU36, $adNI14, $klGY59, $fgHJ12, $klGY24, $plBH85, $buTB05]
    results = inputbox prompts, values, enums, "Door Accessory - Louver parameters"

    return if not results
    $drDR00, $ltype, $adNI14, $klGY59, $fgHJ12, $klGY24, $plBH85, $buTB05 = results

and replace $ltype, The 2nd word in the last line of this code snippet with, $etKU36,
Then resave, DoorToolLouver.rb, Make sure this file gets resaved with the .rb extension

@agrazdi said:

Thanks in advance

Is it possible that the arc of the openning proyection on the floor would be at least the double of sides ?? and grouped ??

agrazdi

I don't know what you mean by "the double of sides ??" if you don't want to see the arc, just turn off the doorswing layer.

forgot to add the file

DoorTools.rar

There is not much to say that I did not mention in my previous post.
Except to say its now finished.

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

The attached rar file contains a DoorTool.txt file which in detail
explains, the installation process, and instruction on use of each of the tools.

I hope you find it useful!

@unknownuser said:

The only choices given are McCain and Obama. What about the other guys on the ticket?

Perhaps the World doesn't care about the other guys

@remus said:

I dont suppose you know of a mirror? the sites down...

I was there about 10 min. ago, its recording about 2000 votes/hour
perhaps its just heavy traffic. try again

WOW!
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/

yard sign

@unknownuser said:

Congratulations Tomot, you've successfully taken the thread off-topic.
Next time please start a new topic.

I must be mistaken, I thought the title of the thread was " Your entire PC on a USB drive"
so what part of my response is off topic?

@unknownuser said:

This is a good point. On one hand, you could argue that WebDialogs are the answer to complex UI inside SU, but in practice I think it's hard to find developers who are experts at ruby AND html AND javascript, which is largely what's needed to create solid UI inside a webdialog.

If people have seen any UI APIs that are worth looking at as a potential model for how we could extend Ruby UI support, please let me know.

I think you guys started by using a hammer when you could have developed a scalpel. Archicad for example has a standardized built-in GUI, It does not need to be created each time someone wants to develop GDL scripts, to interact with the main program. Neither do I have to quit the main program just to restart the script to see if it works. I can run any script and see the results in its own window in 3d, and the error checking routine will point to any error in the script. In addition GDL is written in Basic, while not as code-dejour as Ruby its robust enough to develop complex 3d objects for ArchiCad.
Now that your down the road with the hammer your finding its to clumsy, so you try to fix it with adding more and more STUFF. Which means you will alienate guys like me, which are already less that .1% of SU users, that are already struggling with Ruby, and really don't care to learn 2 more languages just so I can make a simple script look good in a GUI.

Its to bad those learning programming today, are not taught the principle "less is more"

@ben ritter said:

Tomot, My main suggestion is that the hardware should include lever style handles. Also, what about solid wood doors, or did I miss something? Ben

Thanks Ben I will attempt a lever option. Although you are well aware you opening up a very large can of worms
when we are starting to talk about door accessories The solid wood door is what in the drop down menu I call
a Slab door.

@unknownuser said:

Tom,
I have used DoorMaker.rb by PKR but your routine looks like it will give a few more options when your done. You might look at doormaker.rb if you haven't already, there are quite a few good features in it like the four door swings on different layers.

Jim I have looked at Doormaker. That's why I'm trying hard to provide an equally, competent, alternative.
I can see where PKR derived his/her approach, its much more technical and institutional, in nature.
I wanted to maintain and stay on the residential side of doors. I'm not intending to include kick plates
hinges, or dbl sided rebated frames, in steel or wood. There is obviously an unlimited amount one can or should not
show on drawing, and that's where a Door Schedule and Specification normally take over.

I should not leave readers with the impression that this method only works for the eeepc. made my ASUS
I can take my SDHC card and plug it into an adapter (which you can buy together with an SDHC card at Costco)
http://shop.sandisk.com/store/sdiskus/en_US/DisplayCategoryProductListPage/parentCategoryID.11443000/categoryID.11448600

Now plug that adapter into a regular PC and from the boot menu on my PC I can point it to, and boot XP from my USB port
which contains the SDHC card. Or I can take the same setup to any other PC whose bios is capable to boot from USB.

So the next question should be how many programs can I store on the 4 gb and still have room for data:

Good Question! here is my list!

The XP OS, stripped down version naturally
The entire Open Office suite
Acronis TrueImage
Adobe Reader
ACDsee
CCleaner
Gimp
Google Sketchup
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Thunderbird
RocketDock
Skype
Snagit
VLC media player
Winrar
WinAmp

and I still have 1.3 gb left for data

@didier bur said:

Hi Tomot,

I suggest you use instance variables or class variables instead such as @pts, @ip,etc). This way you prevent your variables to overwrite other variables of the same name in other scripts.
...

Thank you Didier for your comments. I should have been more careful. I mistakenly posted my development
version, in which I need globals so I can check the values in the console.

@utiler said:

tomot, it doesn't appear that the script cuts a plane through the wall; am i right?
see attached.
cheers,

It works in the same way WindowTools works.
Think about how Windows and Doors are installed into openings in typical Western Frame Construction.

The Framer or Carpenter must first define or build the opening, into which the window or door is to be installed. In the same way you must provide the opening in a wall in SU first into which the door or window will be installed.

Furthermore the opening in a wall is also related to the Wall Thickness. If your walls are of a predefined thickness other than the default 6" then you must change the thickness in the dialog box to reflect your wall thickness.

You only want to use my window or door tool if you want to create objects , where your design will be rendered or seen from both inside or outside. If you are concerned only about rendering the exterior view then you could use Windowizer.