Animation in SketchUp using RubyAPI

Having tried to animate objects using dynamic component in SketchUp, I feel that it isn't adequate to make a complicate movement. But before giving up, found that there is Ruby API which can allow to move around object at a timer call. As timer call will be periodically ticking which can increment position of object to desired position, it will definitely the right way to animate objects.

It takes time to be fluent on Ruby as it is a script language which has lots of unfamiliar concepts and syntactic sugar. But it is worth investment as I can make below animation



The outliner at the above video shows the hierarchy of the objects. For example, 'tractor_base' has 'tractor's and 'grip_base' which are moved along as the 'tractor_base' moves. Also note that 'glass' is rebased to 'tractor_base' when it is loaded on the stage and then rebased to 'bed' after it is released from the grip.

And the Ruby console shows internal debugging prints that must means nothing to outsider but invaluable information for the programmer.

I will describe what Ruby code is running behind from next blogs. But for those who can't wait, below shows what is driving in high level.

	require "sketchup.rb"
	load "e:/aux_depots/sketchups/sandbox/Motion.rb"
	include Motion
	hierarchy = Hierarchy.new( Sketchup.active_model )
	glass = hierarchy.walk_definition( "glass" ).first
	tractor_base = hierarchy.walk_definition( "tractor_base" ).first
	grip_base = hierarchy.walk_definition( "grip_base" ).first
	camera_base = hierarchy.walk_definition( "camerabase" ).first
	bed = hierarchy.walk_definition( "bed" ).first
	program = Movement.new
	program.return_home_when_finished( tractor_base, camera_base, grip_base )
	program.when_finished= lambda { |m| puts 'done!' }
	program.chain(
	Chain.MoveDir( glass, :AXIS_X, 1.0.m, 600.0.mm ),
	step_glass_insert = Chain.MoveDir( glass, :AXIS_Z, -30.0.mm, 100.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( grip_base, :AXIS_Z, -40.0.mm, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( tractor_base, :AXIS_X, 1.0.m, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( camera_base, :AXIS_Y, 25.0.mm, 50.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( tractor_base, :AXIS_X, -1.0.m, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( camera_base, :AXIS_Y, 25.0.mm, 50.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( tractor_base, :AXIS_X, 1.0.m, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( camera_base, :AXIS_Y, 25.0.mm, 50.0.mm ),
	step_last_scan = Chain.MoveDir( tractor_base, :AXIS_X, -1.0.m, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( camera_base, :AXIS_Y, -75.0.mm, 50.0.mm ) )
	step_glass_insert.when_arrived = lambda { |e|
	glass = Hierarchy.rebase( glass, tractor_base, Geom::Point3d.new(0,0,303.0.mm) )
	}
	step_last_scan.when_arrived = lambda { |e|
	glass = Hierarchy.rebase( glass, bed, Geom::Point3d.new(0,600.0.mm,603.0.mm) )
	program.chain(
	Chain.MoveDir( grip_base, :AXIS_Z, 40.0.mm, 400.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( glass, :AXIS_Z, 30.0.mm, 100.0.mm ),
	Chain.MoveDir( glass, :AXIS_X, -1.0.m, 600.0.mm ) )
	}
	program.run( Sketchup.active_model, 0.1 )

view raw stage02.rb hosted with ❤ by GitHub