Note: Used to be called "Make Vertical Lines by Height". Note: Used to be refered to as "Vertical and "Normal" Line Tool". (I wonder how long this alias list will get?)
Description: Three tools to help make vertical or normal lines by clicking on a point, then enter the desired line length or elevation.
Usage: Activate it at "Plugins>3 Line Tools". There are 3 tools available. Lines by height creates vertical lines with the user input length. Vertical lines by elevation creates vertical lines by the desired elevation. Normal Lines creates lines that follow the normals of the face, edge, or vertex that is selected.
UPDATE: v1.0 * Original release v1.5 * Added 2 more tools (3 total) and a submenu to organize them all * Vertical lines by height lets you add a vertical by specifying its total height (can be negative). * Vertical lines by elevation lets you add a vertical by specifying its ending elevation (can be negative). * Lines on Normals lets you add a line that will follow the normal of the face, edge, or vertex clicked on. * Added "Undo" support. v1.6 * Added VCB suuport * No more prompts. Just click click to create lines. Enter in a new height in the VCB to change lengths. 2.0:: 2009-02-28 * Made some icons and added a toolbar. * Now this plugin registers itself with the SketchUp Extension manager so you can disable it if you don't want it in your menu. 2.1 - It now instlls itself into Plugins>Chris Fullmer Tools>3 Line Tools And the new icons! First shows multiple lines of the same length but differing elevations, next shows lines of the same elevation but differeing lengths, and the third is a cool "N" with lines shooting off of its normals. (I felt a need to explain them since I'm not convinced they are as obvious as I think they are ):
line_length.png
line_elev.png
line_normals.png
Chris Make sure to delete old versions of clf_vertical_line_maker.rb before (or after) installing. The current file name in the plugins folder is "clf_vertical_line_maker_loader.rb"
Chris, you're on fire! Don't think I've seen so many plugins rolled out so quickly. Good work.
I got a usability suggestion to this plugin. Instead of using the messagebox to enter the values, why not use the VCB? When you activate the tool you enter the length you want, then you can freely click point where the lines are created without having to press enter while you type. And you can also at any point type in a new value for other lengths. going around the model very quickly until you deactivate the tool.
Thanks again for answering so quickly to my request, and It seems that will help others !!
I got a usability suggestion to this plugin. Instead of using the messagebox to enter the values, why not use the VCB? When you activate the tool you enter the length you want, then you can freely click point where the lines are created without having to press enter while you type. And you can also at any point type in a new value for other lengths. going around the model very quickly until you deactivate the tool.
It works pretty well, but if you can implement the Thomthom suggestion, this'll be the perfect tool __
Will your script make normals to surfaces? For example, suppose one has an inclined plane on which one has placed a construction point. Can one use your plugin to create a normal of specified length at the construction point?
thomthom wrote:Chris, you're on fire! Don't think I've seen so many plugins rolled out so quickly. Good work.
Thanks Thom! so far they are all mostly pretty simple scripts that I can write in a day or less. I'm scared of the big multi-day scripts!
thomthom wrote:I got a usability suggestion to this plugin. Instead of using the messagebox to enter the values, why not use the VCB? When you activate the tool you enter the length you want, then you can freely click point where the lines are created without having to press enter while you type. And you can also at any point type in a new value for other lengths. going around the model very quickly until you deactivate the tool.
I think I'm not fully understanding this one. The VCB option workflow is:
Click on point Type value (if necessary) hit enter repeat
right? That is the exact same workflow for the way script is set up now. Is there something I'm not seeing there? I don't mind setting it up with the VCB, I just couldn't see any real added benefit to it.
rv1974 wrote:Chris are you working beside cradle?
Actually, yes I am. I was up til 3:30am with a sick, which helped me get a lot of script writing done
@Bob Watkins - I really like that idea! I think that will require a separate plugin. I wouldn't want to add a pop-up box each time you start this script asking if you want vertical mode or normal mode. So let me make a new script for it. Maybe they can both be housed under a submenu together or something to help conserve precious space in the plugins menu.
Thanks everyone for testing the script and the feedback. Hopefully I'll have some update news shortly!
Chris Fullmer wrote:I think I'm not fully understanding this one. The VCB option workflow is:
Click on point Type value (if necessary) hit enter repeat
right? That is the exact same workflow for the way script is set up now. Is there something I'm not seeing there? I don't mind setting it up with the VCB, I just couldn't see any real added benefit to it.
I was thinking more like:
Activate tool Type length value click on points (the length of the line will be the last value entered into the VCB) click some more points Type in new VCB value click new points
You only click enter when you need to change the length of the lines. As long as the lines you make are the same length you don't have to enter any values.
Aha! I get it now. Yes, that is an even faster workflow than the current one. I think that will require some VCB figuring-out on my part. But it sounds great!
Don't think you have to change much. Take out the input box in the onLButtonUp event. Add the onUserTexthttp://groups.google.com/group/SketchUp ... onUserText where it sets @@last_height to the users input. ...I think from looking at the code quickly...
watkins wrote:Will your script make normals to surfaces? For example, suppose one has an inclined plane on which one has placed a construction point. Can one use your plugin to create a normal of specified length at the construction point?
UPDATE! Yes, I finally got this implemented. Thanks for the suggestion Bob. This plugin now offers 3 tools. Vertical line by height, by elevation and Normal Line. Normal lines will work on a face, edge, or vertex. I've updated all the info in the first post and also the video is new too and it shows how to use the three tools. Though you can probably figure it out faster than watching the video Hope its useful,
Pilou wrote:Suggestion : just enter one time the measure then at each click a vertical is drawn Esc = Escape for choose another type and measure
Oh yeah, that was another feature I wanted to implement. Thom even gave me a starting point. I've got a little bit of time today, maybe I'll get it worked out during that. Thanks for the comments and compliments everyone. And yes, I am really really enjoying coding.
And if you can make the same for the Greeble that will be also a super crazy cool plug! Ergonomic must be the first thing to think for a plug! Keep the good work!
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Frenchy Pilou Is beautiful that please without concept! Speedy Galerie
Hey Frenchy, I know you have issues with too many plugins cluttering your menus. Would it be helpful if I tried to make all my plugins register themselves with the extension manager, so you could disable them or enable them as needed? That way you wouldn't have to have all my plugins showing in the menus until you need them. Would that be useful?
Yes that can be helping, but it's not possible to create a new Menu something like "Plugins2"? Then it's easy to put inside this new menu some numerous plugins
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Frenchy Pilou Is beautiful that please without concept! Speedy Galerie
Pilou wrote:Yes that can be helping, but it's not possible to create a new Menu something like "Plugins2"? Then it's easy to put inside this new menu some numerous plugins
):
Don't think I've seen so many plugins rolled out so quickly. Good work.
that's a great help
