Plugin for SketchUp
From RandomControl Wiki
The RandomControl plugin for SketchUp runs in both SketchUp 6 and SketchUp 7.
As for operating systems, right now all versions of MS Windows (from Windows XP onwards) are supported. A MacOS X version is also planned for the near future.
You can download this plugin through the plugin web page
Contents |
Installing
If you have previously installed an old version of the FRYRENDER plugin for SketchUp, make sure to remove all files that start with fry_ from the SketchUp installation directory. Old versions of this plugin used a different mechanism to work as an exporter, and if those files are not removed they'll create a duplicated FRYRENDER export mechanism, which can cause a complete malfunction in the plugin. Said fry_* files can be found in both [sketchup folder]\Exporters and [sketchup folder]\Plugins. Please make sure to remove all of them. After this, we can begin the installation process.
To install the plugin you just have to download the installer from the plugin web page and open it. It will automatically detect the installation paths for both SketchUp 6 and SketchUp 7, but you can select another directory if you so choose. After this, just click install and all the files will be copied to the SketchUp folders. The next time you open SketchUp you will see a new RandomControl entry under the Plugins menu. This menu will allow you to control every aspect of the plugin. You will also see a new toolbar with several icons that will allow you to modify every aspect of the scene in a fast and easy way.
Rendering
To render an image in FRYRENDER, all you have to do is click the export button (
). When you do this, all the geometry and materials in the scene will be processed, a .fry file generated, and FRYRENDER will load that file and start rendering your scene.
You can change all the rendering options from the Render Settings dialog, which opens by clicking the render settings button in the toolbar (
).
Cameras
The current camera settings can be configured in the Camera Properties dialog, which can be launched by clicking in the camera settings button in the toolbar (
).
Included in the plugin are two tools to ease the selection of z-clip and camera focus distances. These are the z-clip tool (
) and the Point Of Interest tool (
).
The z-clip tool, once activated, shows a rectangle in the screen as well as a distance. By clicking at a point in the scene at the selected distance, the z-clip distance for the camera will be set.
The Point of Interest tool works in a similar way, displaying just a pointer and the distance to the camera. Just click in the scene and that distance will be set as the focus distance for the camera.
In both z-clip and focus distance, you must remember to activate those options in the Camera Properties dialog for them to become active in the render.
Materials
The plugin includes a material browser that offers a way to directly edit the fryrender properties of any material in the scene. You can load this browser by activating the materials browser button (
).
Once it opens, you can use it just like the SketchUp materials browser and paint bucket.
By double clicking on each material thumbnail in the fryrender materials browser, you can launch the Material Editor, where you can modify your material or choose one from the materials library.
Environment
All the environment settings can be configured using the Environment Settings dialog. This dialog can be invoked by clicking the environment settings button (
) in the FRYRENDER toolbar.
Instances
Instancing can be created by either configuring it directly through the Object Properties dialog, or by using the proxy tool.
To change the object properties, you must select an object in the scene and then click the object properties button (
).
To create an instanced object using the proxy tool, you have to activate the proxy tool button (
) in the FRYRENDER toolbar while a Component Instance or Group is selected. It will then ask for the number of triangles to display in the SU viewport instead of the original mesh, and create an instanced FRYRENDER copy of the Component or Group.
These two buttons appear grayed out when no object has been selected.
Scenes
This plugin supports the SketchUp "Scenes" mechanism, that allows for camera positioning and then animating the camera as it moves from one position to another.
Animations
This plugin can export animations by using the SketchUp "Scenes" mechanism, so to export an animation you need at least 2 scenes in your model.
Once you have several scenes, you must select "Full animation range" or "Custom animation range" in the "Animation" option in the Render Settings dialog. Now, when you export your scene by clicking the export button (), an entire animation will be generated. Remember to set the number of passes or maximum time per frame, or else FRYRENDER will stay forever improving the first frame of the animation.
