Posted by Sandra Winstead, SketchUp Team
Have you ever opened a SketchUp file that you didn’t create, or imported a model from another application, and found that it has hundreds of needless hidden or softened lines separating coplanar faces? Wish you could get rid of them with a simple ruby script? Now you can!
First, set up a few variables:
def variables
@group_list = []
@component_list = []
@delete_these = []
@model_list = Sketchup.active_model.entities
end
Then write a method that determines if an edge is 1) hidden or softened, and 2) bordered by two co-planar faces. If the edge meets each of those requirements, it is added to @delete_these list.
def delete_soft_lines(e)
# Determine if the edge is soft or hidden, and if it is bordered by
# two faces.
if ((e.soft? and e.faces.size == 2) or (e.hidden? and e.faces.size == 2))
# Determine if the two bordering faces are coplanar.
# Note: This will only catch cases where the front faces are pointing
# in the same direction.
if (e.faces[0].normal.dot(e.faces[1].normal) > 0.999999999)
# Add the edge to the list of entities that will be deleted.
@delete_these.push(e)
end
end
end
Now create a method to find all the edges in the model, including edges that are embedded in groups and components:
def traverse_model_entities
# @model_list will not be empty until all of the groups, components
# and edges have been traversed.
while @model_list != []
@model_list.each do |item|
# Determine if the entity is an edge, group, or component.
type = item.typename
case type
when "Edge"
# Determine if the edge should be deleted, and add it to the
# @delete_these list.
delete_soft_lines(item)
when "Group"
# Add each of the entities in the group into the group_list
# array.
item.entities.each do |entity|
@group_list.push entity
end
when "ComponentInstance"
# .entities can be called on a Component Definition, but not on
# a Component Instance.
# Use the .definition method to access the Component Definition
# that the instance belongs to.
item.definition.entities.each do |entity|
# Add each of the entities in the component into the
# component_list array.
@component_list.push entity
end
end
end
# Update the @model_list so it contains only the entities that were
# embedded in groups or components. These entities haven't been
# counted yet.
@model_list = @group_list + @component_list
# Clear out the group and component lists so they're ready for the
# next level of sub-groups/components.
@group_list = []
@component_list =[]
end
# The edges that need to be deleted have all been added to the
# @delete_these list, so erase those entities from the
# active SketchUp model.
Sketchup.active_model.entities.erase_entities(@delete_these)
end
Finally, add a “Delete unnecessary edges” item to Tools menu, and pop a dialog letting you know the edges were deleted:
def delete_edges
variables
traverse_model_entities
UI.messagebox("Edges deleted.")
end
UI.menu("Tools").add_item("Delete unnecessary edges") {delete_edges}
