Marionette and material takeoffs

[AlanW 514]

Been thinking and realised that material takeoff of objects created by Marionette is so easy.

The network has all the geometry to create the shape or item, all you have to do is extract the information.

Attached it the start of a full take off setup.

Stay tuned.

Fence_Sq_or_Circ_001+Worksheet_v2017-170720.vwx

[AlanW 514]

Just a little bit of an advancement to give you the idea so you can try your own with any network. You shoulb be able to calculate volumes, areas etc etc.

HTH

Fence_Sq_or_Circ_001+Worksheet_v2017-170721.vwx

[Marissa Farrell 453]

Hey Alan!

 

You and I should take the time to set up some records to simplify this even more at some point, that way you can create a report database without having to write the worksheet out yourself  

[AlanW 514]

I am up for this. This has huge potential and become a real force and useful tool. 

[AlanW 514]

Light bulb moment! Woke up and this. You can even get material takeoffs even if you don't build it with marionette. You use Objects by criteria.

I love Marionette.

This is rough but shows the power of Marionette.The spreadsheet wont auto update  after you change but am sure we can sort this out.

There is also the obvious issue about orientation of reading data from object but sure its not insurmountable.

You can name all your object parts and the name can be pulled out to align with the takeoff.

Will play more to try to build a workable solution.

MT_170721_6.35.vwx

Edited July 20, 2017 by Alan Woodwell

[BCE 10]

@alan

Thats pretty cool 

you might want to add Obj get volume

Applications Insitu concrete & Formwork

Edited July 20, 2017 by BCE

[Bernd Lützelberger 3]

Thanks for sharing and congratulations to that light bulb moment, what an amazing potential shown there!

 

 

[Pat Stanford 1,331]

Be very careful with the Width/Length/Height functions in the worksheet. They respond to the 2D projections of the object, not the actual object size.  So if you have an extruded rectangle with the sides parallel to the X and Y and extruded in the Z direction you are fine. If you Rotate that object, you will end up with the dimensions of the bounding box (maximum-minimum dimensions) instead of the actual object dimensions.

 

The idea of using a marionette object that stores the X/Y/Z dimensions in a record.field format that can be accessed from the worksheet is actually probably the best option.

 

Even in Vectorscript it is difficult to get the dimensions of a random 3D object. Using Marionette to create plywood "pieces" will likely give you more ability to get the proper sizes than manually creating the object and then trying to access the dimensions.

 

 

[AlanW 514]

@Pat StanfordYes this will be the issue with W/L/H functions being based off the working plane and orientation. So this is a little challenge to set up an if/then etc maybe??? that will find the 3D properties and it may not be the W/L/H function but may be another. There are a few nodes to choose from and thinking if none available then create a node that will search for the correct orientation and return the 3D parameters.

Thats the fun thing here, there is a idea and now to solve the challenge. Thanks for the warning and welcome all your comments as you have a wonderful grasp of VS and logic. and greatly value any comments good or bad. Only way to learn.

Thanks.

[line-weight 682]

Alan W

What criteria are you envisaging using? Having a special class for things you want included in the takeoff, or something? Would there be a way of setting the criteria to "all objects within group named x" or something like that?

[Pat Stanford 1,331]

8 hours ago, Alan Woodwell said:

@Pat StanfordYes this will be the issue with W/L/H functions being based off the working plane and orientation. So this is a little challenge to set up an if/then etc maybe??? that will find the 3D properties and it may not be the W/L/H function but may be another. There are a few nodes to choose from and thinking if none available then create a node that will search for the correct orientation and return the 3D parameters.

 

It will be easier to collect the required information from a Marionette object than from a generic solid. You can draw the MO in line with the axes and then rotate as needed. With a generic object I don't know of a scripting way to "unrotate" an object that you don't have previous knowledge of to determine what it is. This is especially true of an object that could have been rotated in multiple planes. Think of a diagonal brace. While it could be made from the same sheet goods as the rest of a cabinet, it could be parallel to the back, parallel to the side, or have a funky diamond shape and not be parallel to any axis. Since Marionette has to have the data to draw it in the first place, you will have better luck getting that data out. If this were a generic solid (or even an addtion/subtraction etc.), trying to figure out how it is configured/constructed to generate a BOM is nearly impossible. More information is required.

 

BOM for IKEA type objects is probably reasonable. Cut List may even be possible. 

 

BOM for a bent wood Cafe or Windsor chair (built from groups/symbols) is possible. Cut list for all of the manually modeled pieces will be next to impossible to script.

 

I like the idea of the project, but it has to have limits. Don't burn out trying to force things that are too difficult for the benefit.

[AlanW 514]

@line-weightHi the criteria is preset in the VW program so would use these. 

http://developer.vectorworks.net/index.php/VS:Function_Reference_Appendix

@Pat StanfordHi thanks for commenting. Won't burn myself out, if I can't get it I let my subconscious do the work. Will have to think harder, as for diagonal bracing would test out using the axis as this would probably be the cross section. Maybe the solution lies in setting some parameters for drawing object first. Who knows, all part of the fun. Maybe I am dreaming, but I like dreaming. Someone way back when dreamed about flying.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Alan Woodwell

[BCE 10]

Thanks Pat

I've been using extract surfaces for simple solids

It seems to be reliable enough and has other benefits relating to boundary conditions 

OT importing BIM objects is proving to be rubbish 

Edited July 21, 2017 by BCE

[line-weight 682]

13 hours ago, Alan Woodwell said:

@line-weightHi the criteria is preset in the VW program so would use these. 

http://developer.vectorworks.net/index.php/VS:Function_Reference_Appendix@Pat Stanford

 

I don't follow.... what is preset to what?

 

I get that there are lots of criteria to choose from - was just wondering if you'd thought of ones that would be useful to use in this application.