- Copyright 2009/2010 (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.
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extrudeEdgesByEdges.rb
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Extrudes two sets of grouped edges into a faced mesh...
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Usage: Make two sets of edges [from lines, arcs, curves etc].
These represent the 'profile' and the 'path' for the mesh.
Make a group of each set.
Note: If the groups share a common vertex then that fixes the
new mesh's location, otherwise the nearest vertices are used,
with the new mesh located near the profile, Move it as required...
Now Select these 2 groups.
Run the Plugin: 'Extrude Edges by Edges'.
It makes a grouped faced 'mesh' from these two edge-sets.
The progress at each stage is reported along the status bar.
When the mesh is made the view zooms to include the original
profile/path groups and the new mesh group.
Then there are dialogs asking for Yes/No replies...
If you want to 'orientate' the mesh-faces (which may not always
be necessary: if it's chosen then it will be done as well as
possible for any convoluted shapes.
If you want to 'reverse' the mesh-faces.
If you want the mesh-faces to 'intersect' with themselves
(This is only necessary if the mesh has convoluted re-entrant
surfaces). Intersecting the mesh might compromise some later
triangulation...
If you want to remove any 'coplanar edges'.
If you want to 'triangulate' the new faces:
on very complex inter-penetrating meshes a triangulating error
message might appear - answer 'Yes' to undo triangulation,
'No' to keep what's been done so far...
Note that the triangulation 'undo' is separate within the main
action's 'undo'.
Finally, if you want to delete the original two groups.
Note:
Large numbers of edges in the groups increase the new faces and
other operations exponentially, therefore only extrude the parts
that can be copied/exploded together later...
For example:
2 edges x 2 edges >>> group with 4 faces & 12 edges
4 edges x 4 edges >>> group with 16 faces & 40 edges
8 edges x 8 edges >>> group with 64 faces & 144 edges
16 edges x 16 edges >>> group with 256 faces & 544 edges
32 edges x 32 edges >>> group with 1024 faces & 2112 edges
...
Very large groups will eventually be made but the screen can
'white out' and the 'counter' might appear to stop changing for
several minutes... It is working.
Use 'Smooth' and/or 'Show Hidden Geometry' on the mesh-group,
also 'Sandbox flip-edge' tool to re-trianglate, as desired...
Rarely some combinations of edge groups might go into a 'loop'
and then SUp needs 'killing' - so save first !
Donations:
Are welcome [by PayPal], please use 'TIGdonations.htm' in the
../Plugins/TIGtools/ folder.
Version:
1.0 20090622 First 'beta' release.
1.1 20090625 Speed improvements - face making time ~halved,
typename >> kind_of?, triangulation glitch trapped
and orientation improved.
1.2 20090625 Orientation speed optimised.
Glitch on groups erase fixed.
1.3 20090626 Edges not facing in convoluted shapes trapped.
1.4 20090707 Triangulation improved. Rare intersect glitch fixed.
1.5 20090708 Zooms to show new group.
1.6 20090708 Zooms to new group fixed for large models.
1.7 20090709 Coplanar edge erasure errors trapped:
0.999999 made 0.99999999 !!!
1.8 20090808 Orienting and Triangulation speeds improved.
2.0 20100114 Debabelized, 'Extrusion Tools' Toolbar added.
2.1 20100120 Typo in lingvo translation fixed.
2.2 20100120 Lingvo files updated - thanks FR=Pilou, ES=Defisto
2.3 20100121 Typo preventing Plugin Menu item working corrected.
2.4 20100123 FR lingvo file updated by Pilou.
2.5 20100124 Menu typo glitch fixed.
2.6 20100216 Now in own sub-menu 'Extrusion Tools...' in Plugins menu.
2.7 20100222 Tooltips now deBabelize properly.
2.8 20100222 Tooltips etc now deBabelized properly.
2.9 20100428 Tool now exits gracefully.
3.0 20100517 ES lingvo adjusted by Defisto.
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