Mostly putting out fires today and catching up on emails while I was out of the office for nearly a week.

As I was testing out a rather large user generated model (100+ wall segments) I did notice that the performance of the plugin became quite slow while editing or otherwise updating a wall panel.

After further testing I've decided that in order for the plugin to better manage extremely large models with a large number of wall panels I will need to change up the auto-corner config algorithm (which also handles tee intersections) slightly.

What this means in actual performance terms is a slight drop in speed for smaller models (<5 wall panels) and a major increase in speed for large models

Version 2.2.1 - 10.05.2018
- The trim tool now allows for multiple trim operations once a trimming plane is selected.
- Pressing the ESC key will reinitialize the trim tool during multiple trim operations, space bar will terminate.
- The trim tool will now trim components as well as groups.

Just got back in from Palm Springs and Utah (family visit). 

I spoke to quite a few users of the plugins at the basecamp, however I apologize that I only got in on Wednesday night so I was only in attendance for Thursday and Friday. 

As always I appreciate the feedback and the continued interest in this venture.  Based on these conversations and my own thoughts I've formulated some additional items that would be useful additions to the plugin(s).

These key items that were discussed and are now on the the todo list are:

1.)  Additional dimension layers for adding other more detailed callouts.
2.)  Wall name actually shown on the model.  Callout will probably be assigned to tertiary dim layer.
3.)  Gable walls (this was already on the list but quite a bit of discussion on it).
4.)  A special tool that allows one to automatically place a group or component into a wall panel group and assign it a label so that the estimating module can properly account for custom elements.
5.)  Allow for a "no bottom plate" configuration for gable walls.
6.)  Allow for multiple trim operations after selecting a face using the TRIM tool of the truss plugin.

I'm still quite tired today, after driving 14 hours straight yesterday and getting in at 4 AM, so I am probably missing a few items on this preliminary list. 

Version 2.2.0b - 09.25.2018
- Fixed a bug so that structural outlookers can be enabled without utilizing a gable end truss.

Technically this should not be allowed since structural outlookers typically require a dropped top chord and currently the only way to achieve a dropped top chord is with a gable end truss (option enabled). 

However, since I am not strictly disallowing it I provided some logic so that the appropriate parameters are set so that this particular state is possible.  Previously, the gable end truss routine set some required parameters that the structural outlookers were dependent on.  Now the outlooker algorithm will set those parameters if they are not previously set by the gable end truss algorithm.

This is a fairly minor fix/patch.

Quote from: Medeek on September 24, 2018, 12:06:21 PM

What version of the plugin do you have installed?  Also SU version and OS.  Metric template?

I'm wondering if it is somehow loading previous plugin files.  Are you completely uninstalling the previous version before installing the 0.9.6b version?

Also have we tried purging the SketchUp settings file:  PrivatePreferences.json
It is usually found here:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\SketchUp\SketchUp 2018\SketchUp

P.S.  I just worked with another user who was encountering the same error and a fresh install with a purge of the json file seems to have fixed the problem.  My suspicion is that previous settings are somehow finding their way from one version to the next which is causing this error.

Version 0.9.6b - 09.25.2018
- Fixed a bug in the exterior wainscoting module for metric templates.

If you are using metric units you will want to update to this latest version.  This bug seems to have been generated when I switched to the HTML Draw Wall Menu with version 0.9.1 (8/15/2018).  What I find strange though is that I did not detect it until recently.

The hard part is trying to duplicate the error on my end so I can figure out where the issue is.

When the Wall Draw Tool initially loads it grabs the default values from either the previously utilized values or from the global settings.  One of the advanced wall settings is coming up without a value (per the error on line 506).  The problem is that I have 25 parameters on that particular line that are being sent to the HTML form, which one is it?

When the draw wall menu initially loads after clicking on wall icon does any of the values in the form come up blank (without a value)?

I just deleted and reinstalled version 0.9.6 on my Win7 machine running SU 2018 Pro and I'm not coming up with any errors.  I'm able to save and then load up wall presets.

Did you upgrade from a previous version of the plugin?

Quote from: kslifter on September 24, 2018, 11:31:23 AM

When I clicked the wall button this Error popped up in the Ruby Console. I changed the settings and saved the wall type and nothing else happened in the ruby console and it didn't save the wall type.

Error: #<TypeError: no implicit conversion of nil into String>
c:/users/pc/appdata/roaming/sketchup/sketchup 2018/sketchup/plugins/medeek_wall_ext/medeek_draw_wall_tools.rbs:506:in `+'
c:/users/pc/appdata/roaming/sketchup/sketchup 2018/sketchup/plugins/medeek_wall_ext/medeek_draw_wall_tools.rbs:506:in `block in get_wall_parameters'
SketchUp:1:in `call'

What version of the plugin do you have installed?  Also SU version and OS.  Metric template?

Quote from: kslifter on September 24, 2018, 08:42:56 AM
How do you do the Ruby Console stuff? I have never done that before

Click the Window option in the SU Menu at the top of the SU Window, then click Ruby Console.  A separate console window will then appear and you will see various system messages appear while using SketchUp.  Without this feature it would be virtually impossible to debug plugins etc...

QUESTION:

The Medeek Estimator gives a net and total area for the sheathing, cladding and gypsum.  Why the two values, what is the difference?

ANSWER:

The total area is the area of the cladding with all openings removed.  The net area subtracts the openings (doors, windows, garage doors etc...) from the total area.

Technically the net area is the actual area of cladding, sheathing or gypsum but in some cases contractors or other bidding a job might want to know the total area so I thought it might be useful to have both values and let the user decide what number is best for their analysis or estimate.

Quote from: kslifter on September 24, 2018, 07:34:08 AM

Am I doing something in the wrong order? Have you not set up the ability to save settings for wall types? I downloaded the latest version before starting to use the program.

Thanks,

-Ian

I may need to change up the logic a bit to make it a bit more intuitive.  When you first hit the save button it will prompt you for a name to save the preset as, then you enter in a preset name and hit "Save Wall Preset".  You should then see the new preset added in the drop down box, if you do not then there was an error.  Please enable the ruby console and duplicate the error and send me the ruby console output.

When you are loading a preset its is a two step process.  First you select your preset in the dropdown box, then you click "Load", this loads the values into the HTML menu, it does not make them live just yet.  To accept these parameters and draw the wall with them click on the "Update" button, and then begin drawing your wall(s).

I think it may be useful to just eliminate one of these steps and when a user click "Load" it automatically brings the presets parameters into the HTML form and also makes them the active parameters, thereby eliminating the step where you need to click the "Update" button.  Thoughts?

Also note that you do not need to close out the Draw Wall Menu before drawing walls, nor should you, however the option to do that does exist.  The idea is to keep the menu open so you can change up the wall parameters and keep drawing walls without having to continue to click on the draw wall icon.  To quit the Draw Wall tool completely you simply click on the space bar.  To start a new polyline of wall segments or just a single wall panel, click the ESC key.

This plugin has been merged into the Wall Plugin.  At some point I may split it back out as a separate plugin but for now it is no longer an actively developed plugin.

Version 0.9.6 - 09.23.2018
- Created the initial framework of the Medeek Estimating Module.
- Added sheathing, cladding and gypsum to the Medeek Estimator.
- Corrected the group description for pressure treated bottom plates.
- Added the ability to export data from the Medeek Estimator in CSV format.

Currently only three items are added to the estimating module, many more items to add.

The saving grace is that I think I've set it up quite cleanly and organized so that adding in new elements should be relatively easy and really not a whole lot of coding.

I'm releasing it now in its prototype stage so that everyone will have a chance to test it out and put it through its paces.  Once I return from the upcoming Basecamp I will hit it hard again and add in a multitude of building elements.

I also need to nail down the proper CSI numbers for the various elements, I'm sure I'll make a few mistakes along the way.

I haven't had much of chance to test it (Estimator) out in a metric template so I apologize if anyone encounters any bugs while using a metric template.  Further testing in a metric template will be the first thing on my list when I return.

The CSV piece is now working (HTML and CSV output in Excel):



Rather than just a meaningless number I could use a CSI number for the various building elements.

To get your data involves only four mouse clicks:

1.)  Click the estimating icon (calculator in the Wall Plugin Toolbar).

2.)  Click the Select All button which will then automatically select all of the Medeek Wall Panels, or you can individually select desired wall panels by using the SHIFT key.

3.)  Click the Calculate button, review your data in the HTML preview table if desired.

4.)  Click the CSV/Excel (Green) icon and download the CSV file which can be opened up directly in Excel for further analysis and costing computations.

Quote from: saakejam on September 23, 2018, 08:30:15 AM
Do walls have the feature of being named?  Can you edit the wall name?  Could a custom Callout be assigned to the wall during the
Calculation process placed in the drawing view somewhere ?  Maybe like a watermark?

Yes, each wall can be named a unique (user driven) name within the wall edit menu.

Give me more details on what you mean by a callout for the wall.