Tutorial 21: Attic Trusses (14:26 min.)



A brief overview and demo of the Gable Wall Cut option and the selective truss removal feature.

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/f028156e-6b64-427b-8192-676b845ebeab/Truss-Plugin-Tutorial-21

Version 3.2.5 - 06.17.2023
- Enabled a gable wall cut for attic trusses.
- Enabled a feature to selectively remove specific trusses from an attic truss assembly.





After making the tutorial video for the inclined walls yesterday it quickly became apparent to me that the features for dealing with attic trusses and their implementation are wholly inadequate.

The gable cut allows for one to then insert a hip wall into the opening created by the attic truss, which then further allows for windows and doors being inserted into the gable end of an attic truss.

When dormers are added to an attic truss as shown it is usually necessary to remove certain trusses that conflict with these dormers and then ladder framing is added to bridge the gap created.  The selective truss removal feature will now allow for the removal of any specific number of trusses in a attic truss assembly.  However note that it does not automatically insert any of the ladder framing for the roof or floor of the attic.

I will probably create a tutorial video explaining both of these features in more detail in the next couple of days.

Tutorial 35 - Inclined Walls (15:10 min.)



The model used in the tutorial can be found here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/b661d3bf-4c8c-4451-9495-6e89223562db/Wall-Plugin-Tutorial-35

Version 1.3.4b - 06.15.2023
- Enabled all other electrical fixtures for "component" walls.

Version 1.3.4 - 06.13.2023
- Enabled switches, outlets and lights to be inserted into "component" walls.

Previously electrical fixtures could only be inserted into walls that were "groups", with this update the wall assemblies can be either groups or components.

This update per customer request.

P.S.
I will still need to update the other misc. electrical fixtures (ie. panels, low voltage, safety, heaters, vents, low voltage panels etc...)

Version 3.1.7 - 06.12.2023
- Reorganized the window draw and edit menus to include an annotations section.



This is a fairly minor update however I felt it necessary so that consistency is maintained with the Door menus.

Starting to work on it today, its been a while.

Version 3.1.6 - 03.26.2023
- Added inclined walls for all wall types: rectangular, shed, gable and hip.









This new feature can also be used on CMU, ICF and CMU CORE walls.

I thought I would circle back to inclined walls since I had some questions on shed dormers over the weekend.

I've updated the wall menus to include these new parameters now I just need to create the boolean logic to modify the wall geometry accordingly:



This feature should give the user the flexibility to modify rectangular, hip, shed or gable walls as needed when an inclined bottom plate is required.

Version 3.1.5 - 03.17.2023
- Added a fluting number parameter for classical columns.



Really wasn't wanting to dig into this right now but after a quick inspection of my code I realized it would only take me a few minutes to add in this additional parameter so that one could fine tune the look of the fluting of classical columns.

This update per customer request.

Version 3.1.4 - 03.12.2023
- Added the following door types: flat one panel (single and double).





This update per customer request.

Version 1.0.9 - 03.10.2023
- Fixed a bug with the Trim 3 tool.

!!!! BUG ALERT - SKETCHUP 2023 !!!!

I've just identified an issue with the Foundation plugin and the current release of SU 2023.

Many of the tools within the Truss plugin still use the UI.inputbox module for simple menus, see example below:



If you notice that this type of menu appears (not an HTML menu) then press Alt-Tab which will then require you to refocus on the menu with your mouse and will also allow it to function correctly (unfreezes the menu).

I don't know all of the details however it appears that the backend framework has extensively changed and in the process a few focus bugs have slipped through and need to be ironed out with SU 2023.  See status and more details at the thread below:

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/sketchup-2023-changes-to-ui-inputbox-focus/220580

For now I would recommend staying with SU 2022 if you extensively use SketchUp combined with the Truss and Foundation plugins.  However the alt-tab work around should also keep you up and running if you have already migrated to SU 2023.

I am hoping that minor update will be forthcoming in the near future from SketchUp, which will save me from having to rewrite a significant amount of code and pull me away from the Floor plugin development.  If the bug is not fixed I will proceed to switch all remaining menus in the Truss and Foundation plugins  to HTML dialog type menus, that process could take upwards of two to three weeks.

!!!! BUG ALERT - SKETCHUP 2023 !!!!

I've just identified an issue with the Truss plugin and the current release of SU 2023.

Many of the tools within the Truss plugin still use the UI.inputbox module for simple menus, see example below:



If you notice that this type of menu appears (not an HTML menu) then press alt-tab which will then require you to refocus on the menu with your mouse and will also allow it to function correctly.

I don't know all of the details however it appears that the backend framework has extensively changed and in the process a few focus bugs have slipped through and need to be ironed out with SU 2023.  See status and more details at the thread below:

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/sketchup-2023-changes-to-ui-inputbox-focus/220580

For now I would recommend staying with SU 2022 if you extensively use SketchUp combined with the Truss and Foundation plugins.  However the alt-tab work around should also keep you up and running if you have already migrated to SU 2023.

I am hoping that minor update will be forthcoming in the near future from SketchUp, which will save me from having to rewrite a significant amount of code and pull me away from the Floor plugin development.  If the bug is not fixed I will proceed to switch all remaining menus in the Truss and Foundation plugins  to HTML dialog type menus, that process could take upwards of two to three weeks.

So far so good with SU 2023, but I am still testing and looking at it.