[Plugin Beta] Curviloft 1.2d - 13 Apr 12 (Loft & Skinning)

[DIEGO-RODRIGUEZ]

fredo, great plugins. thank you very much for their continued contributions to the user of sketchup

two questions.

floating panel interface, which uses programming language?
you can use images *. png or other format for icons?



when can download the first version of the plugins?

[fredo6]

floating panel interface, which uses programming language?
you can use images *. png or other format for icons?

It is written in pure Ruby and SU API (which makes it portable PC and Mac).
Unfortunately, png cannot be used (the SU API is missing this functionality, but it would be a good idea to add it)

when can download the first version of the plugins?

Probably not before a month, except if I released only a subset.
This is also why I need to have some sample geometry, beyond what I am doing test with, because I prefer to adapt the algorithm before the script is released)

Fredo

[fredo6]

Holy crap!!! Is that speed realtime? Looks amazing! Do the number of segments in the rails matter? Could this possibly be used to replace the standard from contours in the sandbox tools to create graded terrains?

Videos are real time. As usal the performance is driven by the number of facets created, with the exponential slow-down noticed in all scripts.
The number of segments does matter because Curviloft always respects the vertices of the contours and rails. This is why meshes created can be unbalanced or very crowded. In principle, it would be good that users do a rebalancing before applying Curviloft.

For terrain shaping, I would appreciate if you had an example, so that I can answer more accurately.

Fredo

[solo]

Fredo, what kind of example would work for you?

contour maps, completed terrains, an image, point cloud?

[bagatelo]

Yes, Only Fredo6... OMG
I can't wait to try this one.

[Fletch]

Fredo, this is simply astounding work, you are absolutely incredible!

[fredo6]

Fredo, what kind of example would work for you?

contour maps, completed terrains, an image, point cloud?

Actually, a SKP model with contours where you want to generate the surface. Curviloft does not work on point clouds.

Fredo

[thomthom]

It is written in pure Ruby and SU API (which makes it portable PC and Mac).
Unfortunately, png cannot be used (the SU API is missing this functionality, but it would be a good idea to add it)

I've also requested that SU supports this.
Meanwhile, I've made a framework to read BMP images and render them to screen. Though you can't have too many as it'll slow down. But it works fine for creating toolbars.

[fredo6]

It is written in pure Ruby and SU API (which makes it portable PC and Mac).
Unfortunately, png cannot be used (the SU API is missing this functionality, but it would be a good idea to add it)

I've also requested that SU supports this.
Meanwhile, I've made a framework to read BMP images and render them to screen. Though you can't have too many as it'll slow down. But it works fine for creating toolbars.

Tom,

This was also my first approach (with view.draw GL_POINTS) but it was definitely too slow. I think that if this is added in native code, it can be ultra fast, even fatser than drawing lines and polygons by view.draw.

Fredo

[thomthom]

What speeds up thing greatly is if when you load the bitmaps you sort the pixels by colour, and then draw each colour in bulk.
I load each bitmap for each toolbar button into a hash with the colour as key and the value as an array of point3d objects. Note that I merge all buttons into one hash.

This means that if you are careful about your icon creation and use a palette of fewer colours you increase performance. A little bit pre-processing required, but the bulk drawing makes up for it many times over.

[fredo6]

One more video, on the possibility to borrow contours from within components....

Contour components.gif

Fredo

[thomthom]

One more video, on the possibility to borrow contours from within components....

[EscapeArtist]

That last process vid you just posted would be a great time saver all by itself. I'm trying to think of something creative to offer as a sample, but you've covered pretty much what I'd use already.

[Pilou]

On the last example, the curve can make a loop on the same plan?
If yes,there is an automatic clean of the complex auto-intersect skin resulting?

[EarthMover]

Bloody genius! I'd swear I was looking a video from Rhino or Bonzai!!!

[solo]

oooh, good thinking.

Would it make a torus shape?

[TIG]

A Torus is easily made using the built-in FollowMe tool or even my EEbyLathe - BUT Fredo's new tool seems far more powerful, and so it should be able to do much greater things
We await in anticipation...

[solo]

Okay, let's up the ante.

[Daniel S]

Fredo

For loft along path you always show two faces or surface and a path...
It will be possible to select more faces?
Something like this image that I found:

And I attach some models to see if they work with loft along path.

Daniel S

[bagatelo]

One more video, on the possibility to borrow contours from within components....

Contour components.gif

Fredo

This remember solidworks. Non destructive work can be very interesting. And if can be possible to make smooth junctions.
Fredo, never doubt: WE LOVE YOU!!!

[driven]

hi Fredo,

if you need a mac tester...

this is a simple version of something I can't get any of the other tools to manage easily, but maybe it's me...

cantfollow.jpg

cantfollow.skp

[Daniel S]

this is a simple version of something I can't get any of the other tools to manage easily, but maybe it's me...

I don´t know how to explain it in english, but you follow and rotate. So if curviloft works with closed paths and you can select more than 2 faces you will need to make something like the attachment.
Not really sure, but this is how should work this feature Fredo?

Daniel S

[DIEGO-RODRIGUEZ]

Hi FREDO
I have drawn some models for you to teste the loft plugins

you need other models?

[Panga]

Hi Fredo,

As promised, I attach to this post some test files in order you can evaluate your plugin with terrain work.

The first file (road test.skp), show you one of my principal process in order to make roads, and the boring step of cleaning the faces outside the original contours after using the sandbox...I weld all the contours of the road, but I think you'll have to create somme edges in order to divide the whole road in parts.

The second file are classic contours for terrain.

Hope it will help you to test your plugin.

Regards.

[Rainie]

When it is released. This was just a teaser.

Hi, Thanks Thom for your very quick reply..Thanks!

[gofrez]

When i've seen this plugin i falled down the chair!! Amazing Fredo!!

Frez

[Daniel S]

Here I make another quick test for loft feature. It´s simple but y really want to know if it would work in this cases.

Daniel S

[robert111]

i like this plugin, but i dont see link to dowload it
can anyone have link for this good plugin??

[solo]

See title, it's a 'Preview', the plugin is still under construction and is not yet available.

[Howard Leslie]

Fredo,
Looks really good.
.........................
See attached file - a question for both you Fredo and TIG

The Demo video shows clicking of 3 or 4 seperate lines.
Will it be able to skin the attached file - a closed (welded) single polyline ???
or would it have to be broken up into 3 or 4 seperate polylines first ???

Maybe one of TIGs Extrude Tools can handle closed polylines like the attached file ???

This would be really useful and a feature I'd request if this Script doesn't do it already
(or if TIGs Extrude Tool doesn't already do it).
.............
Regards
Howard L'