[Plugin] SketchyFFD (Updated Aug 22, 2009)

[CPhillips]

Unfortunately, I am out of time to work on this script. If anyone wants to pick it up contact me. The code is simple and (for me) well commented. It needs a UI and bug fixes.

Funny thing, I don't really have a need for this script. But I would love to see what others can do with it. If you make something cool with it post here.

Chris



Install by putting the script in your plugins directory.

Instructions: (somewhat out of date. see updates for changes)
-Create a group with all the geometry you wish to deform. This group should contain just faces and/or lines.
-Right click the group and select one of the options in the FFD submenu. Either 2x2 or 3x3 or NxN FFD. Depending on the size of the model it could take a while (seconds I hope). At the end you should see a new group containing nothing but control points
-Open the control point group and move the control points as you wish. The object should deform as you move the points. NOTE: it can take a long time for complex models. Look at the status bar in the lower left to see the status of the deformation.

Bugs and limitations:
-BUG. If you start a FFD and the control points don't match the object you need to explode and regroup the object. Then try the FFD again.
-Only one FFD at a time. The script uses a few globals for speed.
-Only works on geometry in a group and only one layer deep.
-Sometimes hidden edges don't move right. Dont know why. Might be a bug in Sketchup.



Update: Fixed a bug.

Update Feb 12. New version:
-Support for NxN deforms.
-Mesh automatically when you move control points.
-Added status text progress when it is weighing and deforming the mesh.

Update Mar 21.
-Moved all FFD right click menu items to a sub menu.
-Fixed a bug that forced you to have a least 2 control point in each direction. You can now have do 2D grids. IE. 1x4x3.
-Added an option to create a NxN 2d patch. A grid with a control point at each intersection.

Updated May 9 2008
-Added ability to lock edges in the mesh so they don't move during FFD. Select edges then right click->FFD->Lock edges.
-Added an option to subdivide the mesh when doing a NxN deformation.

Updated Aug 24 2009
-Optimized the initial weighting to be about 3x faster. Idea by Stefan.

[Coen Naninck]

Thank you for releasing this Chris. I will test this out tonight and get back here about it.

I really appreciate all the work you do for this community. Your scripts really make a difference and impact a much greater audience than SketchUp lovers alone.

[kwistenbiebel]

Wow Chris,
Thank you for sharing this ruby.
That is a great contribution!

[EDIT]: the ruby doesn't seem to work on my PC. updating the FF seems broken.
I must be doing something wrong....(I tried it on a sphere)

[remus]

cheers chris, just had a really quick go with it and it seems to work fine for me. Thanks for all the work youve already put into this.

[Daniel S]

Fantastic script Chris!!!

Hope that somebody pick it up and help with the UI.

It works very fast!! To show interactively the deformation of the group in wireframe mode (like in Fredo6´s Shear) would be a good feature... perhaps will go more slow.. but will be a time saver because you don´t have to close the group, make a right click and select Update FFD and then wait to see if is the deformation you wanted and then make all the process again to fix it.

This is other ruby that looks like a SU7 feature .

Thank You!!!!!!

Daniel S

[Pilou]

impressive task
Works fine except the control points stay on the screen after deformation

[Boofredlay]

impressive task
Works fine except the control points stay on the screen after deformation

That is the new group created by the FFD. You can simply delete or hide it when done with it.

This is great! Thanks for this script.

[Boofredlay]

Here is a quickie test. I drew a circle with 24 segments and copy/push/pull. Then I ran the script and moved the points.
This is one more step towards organics indeed.

[Pilou]

That is the new group created by the FFD. You can simply delete or hide it when done with it.

THX: very simple indeed !

[krash88]

It looks great in it's current form, but I get this error in the console... Maybe I'm doing something wrong...

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `definition' for #<Sketchup::Group:0xbec0960>>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:224:in `analizeLattice'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:60:in `updateFFD'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:13
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:13:in `call'

[Mike Lucey]

Thanks Chris, this could really be a useful Ruby for SketchUp.
I hope someone picks it up (as you say) and copper fastens it.
Even if they don't I imagine you will in your own good time
finalise the Script

Mike

[CPhillips]

It looks great in it's current form, but I get this error in the console... Maybe I'm doing something wrong...

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `definition' for #<Sketchup::Group:0xbec0960>>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:224:in `analizeLattice'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:60:in `updateFFD'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:13
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SketchyFFD.rb:13:in `call'

Ooops! I fixed it and updated the script in the original post. Kwistenbiebel this is probably the same bug you were seeing.

Chris

[Coen Naninck]

I can't get this script to work. Nothing happens.
I create a sphere, group it, right-click and do 3x3 FFD, enter the new group with Construction Points, move some to another position, exit the group, right-click the sphere group and choose Update FFD. Nothing happens.

[CPhillips]

I can't get this script to work. Nothing happens.
I create a sphere, group it, right-click and do 3x3 FFD, enter the new group with Construction Points, move some to another position, exit the group, right-click the sphere group and choose Update FFD. Nothing happens.

Can you open the ruby console and see if it is printing any errors?

Chris

[kwistenbiebel]

...exactly the same here. I see no errors in the ruby panel though.