Copyright 2010 (c), TIG All Rights Reserved. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,INCLUDING,WITHOUT LIMITATION,THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. ### extrudeEdgesByFace.rb ### Extrudes a Face along a set of curves/edges to form a FollowMe-like extrusion in a group. ### Usage: Draw [or use] a Face that is 'flat'. [on the ground or facing-up/down is not important] Faces that are not 'flat' are not allowed... The Face's rotation around the Z_AXIS is reflected in the final extrusion - noticeable if the shape is asymmetrical. The Face's Y_AXIS is taken as the Face's initial vertical [Z_AXIS] alignment. If the Path's first-edge is vertical then the Face is left aligned to its Y_AXIS. You can also use an optional Cpoint [Guide] to be used as an alternative "snap-point"**. Preselect the Face [and Cpoint if desired] and a set of Curves/Edges that are joined end to end [note that the Face's edges will be ignored if they were also selected, as will any other selected faces] - these edges will form the extrusion's Path. The Face will be extruded along the Path from the Path's end vertex that is nearest the Face's 'snap-point'** - this only becomes important if the Face is asymmetrical about the Y_AXIS center/snap- point, as there are then two possible extruded forms - which will be mirror images of each other: so place the Face nearest the required end in such cases... Having made the Selection Run the Tool: 'Extrude Edges by Face', from the Plugins Menu, or its button on the Extrusions Toolbar... If the selected edges 'branch' or are disconnected then there is a warning dialog: answer 'Yes' to try and make some sensible paths from the selection [each Path will then be processed separately] or answer 'No' to reselect a suitable single path. The edge-set is copied into a group as the extrusion's 'Path'. A copy of the Face is added to the end** of the Path, it is rotated so that its normal is parallel to the vector of the first edge in the Path. If the Path is looped its nearest vertex is used as the start. Note that convoluted looped paths using an asymmetrical face may not join the extrusion's 'ends' back together as expected [just as with a normal 'FollowMe']... The Face's 'snap-point' is moved to the Path's end [this is the Face's bounding-box center or if in selected the Cpoint#* as appropriate]. #*Note that a Cpoint placed non-planar with the Face or remote from it may give unexpected extrusions - perhaps even Bugsplats ! Finally the extrusion/s is/are made in a single step: if the Face is not oriented as desired, then one-step undo and Rotate/Flip Face or move it t nearer the other end of the path or add/move the Cpoint etc as needed: then re-run...
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Version: 1.0 20100212 First release. 1.1 20100212 Typo db fixed in def(). 1.2 20100215 Extrusion form now consistent, Pilou updated FR lingvo. 1.3 20100216 Now in own sub-menu 'Extrusion Tools...' in Plugins menu. 1.4 20100220 Glitch on some text in db fixed. 1.5 20100312 Edge variables changed for EEbyRailsByFace compatibility. 1.6 20100330 Rare glitch with self.xxx fixed. 1.7 20101027 No suitable face in selection trapped with error message.
You left Manifold stuff out of the TIGtools folder.
OK - I know it wasn't really a mistake , I just did a wholesale replace of the folder - me being lazy.
Now and then, I find myself thinking, "I should use XYZ program, it's easier to do XXX" then another plugin arrives that mostly addresses my problem and I save $500.
The first experiments reminded me of the plug-ins "Convert arcs, circles ..... to cylinders" and "tube along path". But the fact that you can use different profiles I see it as a powerful extension of the possibilities which the above mentioned plugins have.
TIG excellent update. thank you very much for the speed at which fixes plugins
can you add, optional, the orientation of the face? similar to the file attachment, or other options for rotation of the face maybe align with curved or aligned with the axis, or random alignment
Yes it can. Make sure the two Profiles' edges - the circle and the square [welded] - are both Curves. Make the Rail a Curve too - even if it's only one segment long ! Pick Rail-1 and re-pick it as Rail-2 when prompted...
TIG wrote:Yes it can. Make sure the two Profiles' edges - the circle and the square [welded] - are both Curves. Make the Rail a Curve too - even if it's only one segment long ! Pick Rail-1 and re-pick it as Rail-2 when prompted...
you say use the extrude edgesbayrailes plugins?
my question is can you do with your extrude edges by face. that automatically positions the face about the curve
It's the Extrude Edges By Rails By Face plugin that does this. That works very similarly to EEbyRails BUT it makes the ribs from a preselected face - like the individual 'rib' made with EEbyFace..............
OK you can already do this with EEbyRails IF the edges of the two faces are Curves and you make the 'path' curve as the two Rails... You want a tool Extrude Face to Face By Rails ? You pick Face1 then Face2 then Rail1 and Rail2 [or Rail1 again]. It'd work just like EEbyRails but the Profile and the Melding-Profile are made from the edges forming the two faces' outer_loop... I'll think about it but I think it's been done
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Last edited by TIG on Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tool has been updated 1.4 20100220 Glitch on some text in db fixed. 1.5 20100220 Glitch with number of Rail-Ribs fixed. Color coding of picked curves added. Profile=Cyan Rail1=Magenta Rail2=DarkVioletRed MeldingProfile=DarkCyan FaceEdges=Orange See here for download link viewtopic.php?p=224218#p224218
I am sure. I replaced the latest version with a version from 18 Feb and that works fine. Changing the older one out for the newer again and it still hangs at the same point.
There are two tools EEbyFace and EEbyRailsByFace - you are jumbling the threads. EEbyFace - you pre-pick a Face and a path of Edges and run the tool there are no prompts to pick curves etc EEbyRailsbyFaces Pre-pick the ProfileFace - you run the tool Pick the profiles as with EEbyRails...
BUT it shouldn't dump out like that. I have tried to replicate this and got it too...
TIG, True, I was jumbling the threads, I got confused here :-
Screen shot 2010-02-20 at 19.26.48.png
Face - Faces..
and went on to see which of the plugins was actually giving me colours and got hung up on EEBRF. A different naming scheme would make it easier for us mortals! After all, EEBRBF extrudes a selected face along chosen edges, so something like "ExtrudeaFacebyRails" could help differentiate it better.
about a quarter circle there is a divergence: I understant that is perpendicular to the last segment, but it is annoying for make a perfect quarter volume!
EEbyFace is a kind of 'FollowMe' and you will get un-square ends - use EEbyLathe to be perfect solid by revolution - simply select the face+edges and an axis centered on the arcs cpt...
