You can find many of my projects here (with the most recent on top). These tend to be larger projects. I usually post smaller projects (and news) in my blog under the respective categories.


Projects Index

Following is an index of my Projects pages (tagged sketchup plugins-extensions) on this site.

Place Shapes Toolbar Extension for SketchUp

This extension adds a toolbar (and some menu items) that lets you easily place several common 3D shapes (geometric primitives). While SketchUp’s native toolset allows you to create any of these shapes without too much effort, using this toolbar permits quick “solids-based” modeling where you only work with added and subtracted primitives to end up with a perfectly watertight object that poses no problems for 3D printing, for example.

Unwrap and Flatten Faces Extension for SketchUp

This extension allows the user to do three things: Unwraps non-coplanar faces (any shape objects, shells etc.) using an automatic (randomized) algorithm and then lays the resulting set of faces flat on the ground. This is done without creating any distortions. Lays any arbitrarily-oriented face or collection of coplanar faces flat on the ground (without distortion). Use e.g. in combination with a manual unfold tool or to make sure faces are perfectly horizontal. Projects a set of faces to one of the three main planes by smashing all faces flat. This creates distortions, of course.

SketchUp Ruby Code Editor

This code editor extension offers an easy-to-use and visually appealing way to write and modify Ruby scripts directly within SketchUp. These scripts can then be used to create geometry, add functionality or add data within the SketchUp 3D modeling environment. The SketchUp Ruby API provides an extensive set of functions to automatize SketchUp in many ways or create scripted, computational geometry.

On-Demand Ruby / Extension Loader for SketchUp

This SketchUp extension was created out of a need for having extensions available in a “locked down” computer lab setting (similar to my solution for AutoCAD). It also provides an easy way to use extensions in SketchUp without having to install them – therefore making SketchUp start (and possibly run) faster. In addition, you can use this tool to run any external ruby code (e.g. for development purposes).

Face Centroid and Area Properties Extension for SketchUp

A little while ago, I had a need for calculating centroids for planar shapes in SketchUp. To be more exact, my students had the need since I gave them an assignment that required this. Not knowing of a plugin for SketchUp that would accomplish this feat, they did it in Rhino or AutoCAD instead.
To rid SketchUp of this shortcoming, I decided to re-use some old Pascal code of mine and try my hand at writing a plugin for this. Here is the result.