Sketchup Plugin Closeopens.rb
SketchUp Plugin CloseOpens.rb: How to Easily Solve the Most Common SketchUp Problems
If you have ever imported a CAD drawing into SketchUp, you may have encountered some problems with creating faces. Sometimes, the imported lines are not perfectly connected, leaving small gaps that prevent SketchUp from forming a face. This can be very frustrating and time-consuming to fix manually, especially if you have a complex model with many open segments.
Fortunately, there is a plugin that can help you with this issue. It is called CloseOpens.rb, and it is developed by Todd Burch from Smustard.com. This plugin looks for lines that are supposed to touch and don't, and then draws a line connecting the open segments. This is one of several good CAD cleanup scripts that can save you a lot of hassle and improve your workflow.
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How to Install and Use CloseOpens.rb
To install CloseOpens.rb, you need to download it from Smustard.com and place it in your SketchUp plugins folder. You also need to download another plugin called ProgressBar.rb, which is required for CloseOpens.rb to work. ProgressBar.rb shows you the progress of the script while it runs.
Once you have installed both plugins, you can activate CloseOpens.rb from the Plugins menu in SketchUp. You can choose to run it on your whole model or on a selection of entities. You will be prompted with an option to save your model before the script runs, which is recommended in case something goes wrong. The script will then start and find all open ended line segments in your model or selection. It will draw lines between the two closest open segment endpoints, until no more open segments can be closed.
When the script finishes, it will report its success via a popup message box. You can then inspect your model and see if any faces have been created or improved by the plugin. You may need to erase some unwanted lines that the plugin drew, or run other cleanup tools such as EraseStrayLines.rb or MakeFaces.rb to further optimize your model.
Benefits and Limitations of CloseOpens.rb
CloseOpens.rb is a very useful plugin for fixing common problems with imported CAD drawings or poorly drawn models. It can help you create faces where there were none before, or make existing faces more accurate and consistent. It can also save you a lot of time and effort that you would otherwise spend on manually closing gaps and connecting lines.
However, CloseOpens.rb is not a magic tool that can solve all your modeling issues. It has some limitations and drawbacks that you should be aware of before using it. Some of them are:
CloseOpens.rb may draw lines that cross other lines, which can create unwanted geometry or interfere with existing faces. You may need to erase these lines or use other tools to fix them.
CloseOpens.rb may "lop off corners", meaning that it may draw lines that cut off parts of your model that are supposed to be there. For example, if four lines are supposed to make a rectangle and one corner is not closed, this plugin will close off the rectangle, but you will be left with a five-sided polygon instead. You may need to redraw the missing corner or use other tools to correct it.
CloseOpens.rb may not work well with complex or irregular models, such as contour/site drawings or organic shapes. It may draw lines that do not make sense or are invalid for your model. You may need to use other tools or methods to deal with these types of models.
CloseOpens.rb may take a long time to run on large or detailed models, depending on your computer's performance and memory. You may need to wait patiently or split your model into smaller parts before running the plugin.
In summary, CloseOpens.rb is a great plugin for solving some of the most common problems with SketchUp models, especially those imported from CAD drawings. It can help you create faces where there were none before, or improve existing faces by closing gaps and connecting lines. However, it is not a perfect tool that can fix everything automatically. You still need to use your own judgment and skills to inspect and edit your model after running the plugin. You also need to be aware of the limitations and drawbacks of the plugin, and use other tools or methods when necessary.
We hope this article has helped you understand how to use CloseOpens.rb and what it can do for your SketchUp modeling. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy Sketching!