[Plugin] Selection Toys

[thomthom]

Plugin renamed! Please remove old version 1.x before installing version 2.x!

Overview
Set of commands to manipulate selection.


Compatible

• Sketchup 6+ (Older versions untested)
• Windows* and Mac

Requires

• Windows requires Internet Explorer 7 or newer for the UI Manager window to function.

New in version 2
Many many bugs brutally squashed. Accuracy improved. Selection speed improved. A spanking new toolbar with a stupid amount of icons. (Don't worry - it will have to be enabled first!) And last but not least: a UI Manager.

New in version 2.1

• Command Cheat Sheet

New in version 2.2

• Select Quad-Face loop now accept multiple start-edges
• Added Selection filters for Border Edges
• Added Selection filters for Selection Border
• Fixed Select Instances by Layer bug
• Updated some method names to reflect changes in TT_Lib 1.2

Toolbar

Selection_Toys_Toolbar.png

Customize the amount of buttons you want from the UI manager.
Have no fear! You must enable it from Tools->Selection Toys->Enable Toolbar before it appears under View->Toolbars->Selection Toys.

This is to avoid the possibility of the dreaded toolbar mayhem that might occur when you add a new toolbar. So if you never want to use this plugin's toolbar you don't have to worry about it causing problems.

However, if you do enable it, be aware you might suffer toolbar madness - there is nothing I can do about that. I warned yee!


Tools:
Select Edge Loops — (1.14.0)
Access: Tools -> Selection Toys -> Select Edge Loop

2009-09-15_125232.png

This select tool will pick out the loops of a face. Using the normal Select modifier keys you can add/remove/toggle their selection. Loops are either the bounding edges of a face or a hole in a face.


Components:
Select Instances - Selects all the instances of the selected component.
(Works just like Rick W.'s Instances script)

Select Active Components - Selects all the instances in the current work space. Excludes everything that's nested inside other components etc.
(Works just like 'Select Instances' when you right click an component from the component browser.)

Select Active from same Layer - Selects all the instances in the current work space of the selected component which is on the same layer.

Select All from same Layer - Selects all the instances of the selected component which is on the same layer.


Dynamic Components:
Same methods as for Components, except that it allows you to select by DC family type. Commands located under 'DC Instances' submenu.


Groups
When you make a copy of a group without modifying it SketchUp keeps a track of each these group items that's similar. You can see the Entity Info give you a number of how many copies there are.
(Commands are located under the submenu 'Copies')

Same selection methods as for Components.

Convert into Components - Converts all the group copies into components. Transformation and materials will be transferred.
Useful for when you have a model where groups where used instead of components.


Edges
Select Quad-face Loop - Select one edge and the connected faces and lines going in either direction from that edge will be selected as long as the faces have four edges. More or less than four edges and the selecting stops at that point.

loop_sphere.png

Faces

• Select Connected Perpendicular Faces
• Select Connected Parallel Faces
• Select Connected Coplanar Faces
• Connected Faces by Angle
• Connected Faces by Area
• Select Perpendicular Faces
• Select Faces in Same Direction
• Select Parallel Faces
• Select Opposite Face
• Select Faces by Area

Edges/Faces

• Select Connected By Material
• Select Connected By Back Material
• Select Connected By Layer

Entities

• All on Selected Layers - Select all the entities in the model that are on the same layer as the selected entities.
• Active on Selected Layers - Select all the entities in the active context that are on the same layer as the selected entities.

Selection Modifier
Selection Submenu - Currently there's two kinds of modifiers. One filters out the type of entity you want. The other deselects the entity you specify.
You can filter/deselect these kind of entities: Edges, Faces, Groups, Components, Guides, Construction Points, Text, Images, Section Planes, Curves, Arcs, Circles, Polygons, nGons, 3D Polylines, Linear Dimension, Radial Dimension, Front Default Material, Back Default Material, Hidden, Soft, Smooth
Other filtering options are filtering entities with default materials, by their layers.
Tip: Assign keyboard shortcuts for these commands for quick selection modification. For instance; Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+9 for the filters and Shift+1 to Shift+9 for the deselectors. Very handy.


Known Issues:

• Ghost selections appear when selecting all groups/instances and some of them are nested inside other groups or components. (Fixed in Sketchup 7.1.)
• Convert Groups to Components doesn't transfer glued_to and attributes.

Guide: How to install RBZ Files

Download

UI Manager

UI_Manager.png

The UI Manager let you add and remove menu and toolbar items. So if there's features you never use you can hide them forever! Check / Uncheck to add or remove - items marked green will be added next time Sketchup starts, items marked red will be removed.

[free agent]

wow another old request of mine you've made a reality, so it converts all "similar" groups into instances of a component?!!! i wonder if i would be the only one to make use of this script when i made this request i got a lot of technique suggestions

[EarthMover]

Right on Thomas! Thanks for your efforts! Now if I can only get that damn loop selection tool.

[thomthom]

wow another old request of mine you've made a reality, so it converts all "similar" groups into instances of a component?!!! i wonder if i would be the only one to make use of this script when i made this request i got a lot of technique suggestions

Didn't know it was requested. heh

It will only convert the groups that are copies of each other. If you where to even just open up one of the group copies SU breaks the link and makes it unique. Even though you've not actually after anything. In fact, SU will even make the group unique if you select the group, minimize SU then restore the window. Go figure...

I suppose it would be possible to compare the content of each group and calculate which ones are 'similar' even though SU claims they are unique. But, I think that'd have to be for when I'm getting more warmed up with this Ruby thing.

[free agent]

yup the thread was called [Req] Similar groups to Components, i bumped it for your viewing pleaure.

[thomthom]

Ah, wonder how I missed such a recent thread on this. Oh well.

So did you also want to make a selection of instances into individual group?

[free agent]

? no just similar groups to components...

[thomthom]

Right on Thomas! Thanks for your efforts! Now if I can only get that damn loop selection tool.

Here's a beta of version 1.1.1b.
(beta removed. obsolete)

Highlight one edge and click 'Select Loop'.

I've only tried this is faces of four sides. The script currently make this assumption as well, so I don't know how it behaves if you throw in less or more edges.

Here's my test model:

loop selection test.skp

[bagatelo]

thomthom

Very good, I like the script very much.

Maybe you can improve the script by make loop selection also in horizontal, not only vertical.

[thomthom]

thomthom

Very good, I like the script very much.

Maybe you can improve the script by make loop selection also in horizontal, not only vertical.

It has not concept of horizontal or vertical. Effectively if you have a cube, select an horizontal line to get a vertical selection, select a vertical line to get a horizontal selection.

It simply starts with the faces on either side of the edge you select and keeps on selecting the opposite faces and edges.

[bagatelo]

I'm sorry to not explain corret to you, before.

[thomthom]

Ah, yes. I understand now. I will be looking into more looping variations. But no guaranties. This first type was very easy to do.

btw, what application did you use to create the animation?

[Fletch]

Thanks Thomas!

please only update original post with new plugin release... now I'm confused which is latest version of the ruby I should d/l thanks.

re: converting similar groups to components - I seconded the request! and I will use it!

re: loop selection... I have desired this many times... we will see how well it works in practice

[thomthom]

please only update original post with new plugin release... now I'm confused which is latest version of the ruby I should d/l thanks.

Sorry for the confusion. The one I posted further down in this thread was a beta. Experimental. After some more testing making sure it did what it should do I updated the one in the original post. To avoid further confusion I've removed the other versions now.

re: loop selection... I have desired this many times... we will see how well it works in practice

Yea, I've not tried it out on very irregular cases. Not sure how it will handle really weird geometry. In order to improve the edge/face selection tool I need to study more the SU API on how to deal with edges, faces and determining their direction and relationships. If anyone with some experience would like to jump in and add some more tools I'd be most happy.

[urs0815]

thank you for this useful tool!

[GUNAWAN W]

thank's a milion Thomas.

[bigstick]

Nice one Thomas! This should improve my productivity no end!

[Kyprus]

Hello:
New to the forum. Had to join when I found this tool.
Saves me a ton of time. Thanks for the plug-in. =)

I was however wondering if there is a plug-in that
once you have selected a bunch of polygon's that you
could evenly subtract or add to your selection by using
the "plus" and "minus" keys. I'll try to elaborate a bit.
Say you have a a rectangle evenly divided into five
sections you select the end polygon and you can then press
the "plus" key and it will select the polygon's next to it.
Then you can press the "minus" key to subtract. this would
work the same as if you used the "select/connection faces"
in the right click menu, but sadly there is no subtracting.
The reason for this request is = if you have allot of
polygons selected, and you move the selection and you want
to subtract a row of polygon, you have to unselect all,
reselect one row less and make change and repeat each time.

Unless I'm missing something that pre-exists in SU
already, this would be great.

[jim smith]

Thanks Thomas, I will find being able to turn a number of groups into components very usefull.

[thomthom]

Updated with some more selection tools.

[thomthom]

Hello:
New to the forum. Had to join when I found this tool.
Saves me a ton of time. Thanks for the plug-in. =)

I was however wondering if there is a plug-in that
once you have selected a bunch of polygon's that you
could evenly subtract or add to your selection by using
the "plus" and "minus" keys. I'll try to elaborate a bit.
Say you have a a rectangle evenly divided into five
sections you select the end polygon and you can then press
the "plus" key and it will select the polygon's next to it.
Then you can press the "minus" key to subtract. this would
work the same as if you used the "select/connection faces"
in the right click menu, but sadly there is no subtracting.
The reason for this request is = if you have allot of
polygons selected, and you move the selection and you want
to subtract a row of polygon, you have to unselect all,
reselect one row less and make change and repeat each time.

Unless I'm missing something that pre-exists in SU
already, this would be great.

This is one of the things I'd like to add. I have a few more ideas for selection tools that are a bit more interactive allowing the user to play around with the selection.

[kwistenbiebel]

@Kyprus and ThomTom:
Actually that is how you do it in the Maxwell Studio.
I don't find it the best way though.

The way Cinema4D does it, is much handier:
You just hover above the geometry while holding the left mouse button.
Every polygon your hovering mouse touches will get selected. Holding shift adds to the selection and Holding CTRL will substract from the selection.
It's a perfect tool which is called 'Soft selection Tool' in modelers lingo.

You can use it to select polygons, lines or points.(before you do the soft selection you click polygon mode, edges mode or vertices mode).
Works like a charm...

It is quite strange that no one thought of making a ruby like this for Sketchup.
Especially when you know that Fredo6 uses parts of that principle in his Surface Tools plugin.

By the way: @ThomTom: Very nice Plugin you made there
Thanks for that.

[thomthom]

To me soft selection is a different matter. I used 3DS Max previously and if you do a soft selection it's like you select with a soft feathered brush. vertexes at the far edge of the selection is affected less when you do modification such as move or rotate on the selection.

I'd very much like to hear different ideas of doing selections.

One of the things I'd like to make is that after you have make your 'master selection' you can use modifier keys to toggle between edges, faces.
I think what would be useful is a set of selection tools which when you activate them you can choose if they add to or subtract from your existing selection.

[Kyprus]

kwistenbiebel: Not sure I'm to keen on that type of selection.
Primarily due to the fact that there is allot of screen-play
to get to some of the polygon that are not in view. I still
believe that just hitting the "plus" or "minus" keys would
quicken the procedure.

I'm not really new to this idea, I can't even take credit. The
conceptual idea I got it from was Wings3D. "In my opinion", Wings3D
is the most easiest 3D software ever made. I used it for years.
but unfortunately it doesn't have one thing I do like, the means
to use metric or feet. It's based on a numerical choice = if 2.0
is two inches or if 20.0 is two inches, so be it. Then no matter
what you have decided taking it into another software, (such as
SU), you still have to re-size. So, I use SU to do most, if not all
of my Mesh work now.

As for some of the selection ideas:
I think I may have a list to assist. Yet, I warn you that
I would be compiling this list from what I have used in
Wings3D for it's simplicity.

Edge Loop: Selecting only the vertices's in a loop.

Similar: Selecting only the polygon with the same dimensions.

Edge Loop Region: Selecting the vertices's and highlighting the
polygon(s) that are on one end from this loop selection.

Invert Selection: (Speaks for itself but I will elaborate).
Say, you have a square with only one polygon selected, but
you want the others selected instead.

There are many others I could list, (but) I don't want to over
do it. Sadly, I could only direct you to view Wings3D for
additional tools, (Its free) >lol<

Thank you for your responce. And again, thank you very
much for the additional tool/plugin.

[thomthom]

Haven't tried Wings3D. But I'm always up to try new tools.

I've had some play around with the trial of Modo and I like some of the selection tools present there.

[Kyprus]

Yeah Modo looks sweet, kinda' reminded me of Blender,
you know the one you have to be a micro physicist.

I will/can say, Wings3D doesn't do all that. It's just
a simple modeler/mesh manipulator.

I presently use Strata for rendering. Although, I
haven't had to do much rendering of late.

SU has definitely made things easier for me, I thought
I was going to be stuck with Wings, until I stumbled
across SU.

[Kyprus]

ThomThom: I downloaded the update on your "selection toys".
After a while my right click selection tools grey out and
I cannot select anything. Never had this problem so I took out
the plug-in and things worked fine.

This might be a conflicting with another plug-in I have
but the version I had before didn't cause this problem.
Not sure which version it was. might be simple to add the
version # to the .rb when you update.

Not sure if anyone else is having this issue.
Thought you would like to know.

[thomthom]

HM.. that's odd. I'm not actually sure you you mean either when you say "right click selection tools grey out".
You get no right-click menu?

[thomthom]

By the way Kyprus: if you have the Ruby Console open and that thing happen, do you get messages then?

[Kyprus]

I get a right click menu but most of it greys out when
I know they should be there.

Yes, I have a ruby console. Not sure why. I haven't had
the time nor patience to figure it all out. I'll place
the plug-in back in the proper directory and see if there
is anything in the console.

I did have to use the plug-in. so, I placed it back
into the plugins directory, I forgot about it and it
happened again. but once I deleted it out of the directory
re-started SU all was fine. This doesn't happen right away.
it takes time for it to arise. but, it has happen twice
but solved when I delete the .rb . (this was earlier today/
last night).

But I will see if anything is in the console next time.