I've just posted an updated Antoinette sketchup file with matching gcode in the Single Wing Plane thread

I was using PhlatScript 9.18 with vtabs

I am using a 1.5 mm diameter bit

Gcode generation didn't seem to work, gave plenty of errors,
"Exception in millFlatEdge undefined method '>' for nil:NilClass"

There is an output, but in Mach, it seems to be doing only non-cutting travel.

Can someone take a look?

 

I am posting this to document what I consider to be an inefficiency.

I created an su file which contains a welded line that runs up and down in 1/4" increments with the intention of milling out a square pocket to serve as a carrier for a 1/16" sheet of plywood.

The resulting CNC file jumps all over the place rather than cutting a line from the starting point thru the ending point. The z axis takes the dremel up so the gantry can reposition at the other end of the piece, cuts a line and then raises the dremel and moves back to the start rather than processing one continueous cut like the su drawing represents. Attached files 12x6carrier.cnc (6.4 KB)Â 12x6carrier.skp (62.5 KB)Â

 

Flash,

Did you use the centerline tool prior to welding the edges? I can see the same results as you with the file you sent, but if I clear all edges and then re-apply the centerline tool, it generates g-code perfectly. Give that a try.

Pete

 

No, I created the edges first, welded them together and then applied the centerline tool.

I just now again did what you tried and yet I still get the random paths.

I am puzzled. I can send you my tools folder zipped up if that helps.

 

Interesting. Sure, send it along and I'll take a look at it.

 

ummm, I think I discovered something. I have been using the right click mouse functions to clear edges and apply centerline.

Just for grins, I decided to apply the centerline tool from the top tools menu at the top of the page. When I applied the centerline with it, the cut path changed to a continueous line!

 

ummm this is strange... Now when I try to repeat what I did before, it doesn't work again and I get random paths.

 

Okay, I've narrowed in on it now.... It works if you select the centerline tool from top tools menu and then left click on the path, but if you right click and select centerline from the context menu, it produces the random cut paths.

 

Ok, Flash - thanks for narrowing it down! That pointed right to the problem. Here is the fix.

Pete Attached files PhlatboyzMethods.rb (19.8 KB)Â

 

One more note: the menu item "Order Selected Edges" is intended to do what the Weld script does - that is, to re-arrange connected edges so they are not dis-jointed. This will help find a complete edge path when using the centerline tool. Give it a test if you can, but note that it does not work on edges that have multiple join points.

Pete

 

Ahhh! Good to know. I did not realize that. Thanks for the quick fix! You are da man!

 

Hi JBourdon,

It looks like you applied the v-tabs to Phlatboyz edges that are already grouped. Try exploding the groups before applying the tabs. Granted, it shouldn't be giving you that kind of error, but those are the kinds of bugs that we need to work out. Thanks for pointing it out.

Pete

 

thanks pete!
I will recreate the paths without grouping first

 

Pete, will there be an easy way to erase the phlat-lines and or the tabs?

Yoram

 

Hi Yoram,

You can erase *all* phlatboyz edges, as, I'm sure, you already know, which includes inside cuts, outside cuts and tabs. If you just wanted to erase the tabs by themselves, it would be easy set up a command to just delete those edges that are marked as tabs. But you probably are looking to restore the original edge the way it was prior to placing the tab(s), right? That becomes a little trickier because the original line segment has been broken into possibly multiple pieces and to restore it back to it's original edge would mean to iterate through all the current edges and to somehow figure out which edges have to be joined back together.

For instance, if I have an edge like this:
|-------------------------|
and two tabs are placed on that edge, it becomes something like this:
|----|====|-----|====|----|
If all you want to do is replace the tabbed edge with an inside or outside edge it will still be split into multiple edges:
|----|----|-----|----|----|
Which could cause problems if you want to re-tab the edge. But if you want to restore it back to the original edge then you have to test each edge and see if it lines up with the next edge and if it does, then replace both edges with one edge. Then do this iteratively through all edges.

So, as you can see, it will take a little thought to do it right.

Does that answer your question?

Pete

 

Not really, Pete. What I had in mind is this. I made the old style tabs by mistake and would like to change it to the V tabs. I now have to go and erase all tabs, with the move tool I have to repair the lines and make new tabs. Just as one example.

I know I can erase the lines, but if I have a model where I want to erase ALL the Phlat lines, to be replaced with line for a different bit-size, for example, that is a lot of work. A button that would erase all Phlat line at one time would be nice.

Pete, you did a great job on the script. I really pull my hat of for you. I hope you don't take my request as criticizem (SP).

Yoram

 

I am getting
"Exception in millFlatEdge undefined method '>' for nil:NilClass" also.
I know JBourdon is having the same problem.
All of my Phlatedges and tabs were done prior to grouping them up for G-code output.
I am using V tabs for this cut

 

i did with no grouping first, and no error

 

Ok, Yoram, I think I understand what you are looking for and I think it would be fairly easy to have a menu item that replaces one type of tab for the other. Or, even better would be a method that replaces a type that you select with another type that you select.

On the same line of thinking, there could be a menu item that erases edges of just the type that you select. Both are good ideas.

Pete

Ps. No, I didn't take it as a criticism - this is just too much fun!

 

Do you mean that I will click on a outside or inside line, any where, and select it and then press a menu button and it will erase all those type of line? That is exactly what I was looking for.

As for the tabs. I would like to also be able to change the setting of the new tabs (as in depth) before they replace the old ones.

Yoram

 

I had this issue tonight, oddly I also had issues with the script trying to jump all over the place, I corrected that issue (cut past and re-zero, then used find stray lines) and the error method '>' went away.

Another issue I'm having is the parameters box shows no text at all. I believe this is a linux issue, and if anyone else is having this issue who is running linux please give me a shout! (Or maybe this is more wide spread??)

 

I see this IS a repeat problem.
I JUST updated wine, I'll report back if these issues went away.

EDIT
I spent ALL night trying to fix this problem, it is certainly with wine. There might be a registry hack that can allow html rendering to be done, but I am at a loss.

I have no idea on how to update these parameters until this gets working. Can anybody come up with a work around instead of inputing these options through sketchup? (It shurts to ask, because you guys worked so hard on this code!!)

 

So, how do I permanently change the Default appearance and color of the Tabs? Whether "T" or "V"?
I have a very tough time finding them on the drawing - How about making them thicker?

 

It's been awhile since you asked, but I hope this helps. Open up Constants.rb in your Google SketchUp 7ToolsPhlatboyz folder using any text editor. Look around line 133 at the very bottom. I'm sure you can figure out the rest from there.

The color is saved in the sketchup file for the phlatedge at the time it is created (a cut is made in sketchup). That means if you change a color it won't be different in your existing save files until you delete and recreate the cuts.