AutoCAD Clean-Up Ruby Scripts

redrafting the edges. Perhaps the most effective way to heal faces is to delete and then redraw the edges. This ensures that the edges are connected at the endpoints. Because drafting new edges in SketchUp can be quick, you do not need to find the exact location of a distorted edge. Deleting and redrafting the edges at intersections is the best approach; these are the prime locations where anomalies reside (Fig. 18-16 through Fig. 18-18). Fig. 18-16: Delete the edges at the line intersection This technique is particularly useful and then redraft the lines. This ensures that the edges are connected efficiently. with arcs. Imported arcs are broken into single faceted edges. Selecting the edge adjacent to an endpoint, and then deleting it and redrafting it, is the best place to start.

Fig. 18-17: In this instance, the top-right intersection contained the anomalous edge. Deleting the edge revealed that it was not correctly attached to adjacent edges. Fig. 18-18: Drafting the new edges to the connecting endpoints heals the entire face.

Method 2 centers on four custom Ruby Scripts collectively known as CAD Clean-Up Scripts. These four scripts allow you to fix almost all the distortions in an imported AutoCAD base and then generate all the surface area faces with a simple click of the mouse. A fifth Ruby Script is useful when you are problem-solving specific situations that arise with stubborn linework.

With almost any site plan, the process is the same. Although there are some limitations and problems that go along with this method, the results yield a Flatwork Base with minimal effort.

All the scripts are available at www.smustard.com (Fig. 18-19). These exceptional scripts were created by Todd Burch, and it cannot be overstated how useful they are.

Fig. 18-19: The Ruby Scripts are available at www.smustard.com.

With the exception of Make Faces, all the scripts cost between $10 and $20 (USD). They are worth the investment and have been tested to work with SketchUp 7. Once they are installed into SketchUp, most of the scripts are located under the Plugins pulldown menu (Fig. 18-20). The Make Faces script is located under the Tools pull-down menu (Fig. 18-21).

If you really want to work with AutoCAD files, these scripts are a must. The design professions are driven by contract and billable hours. Most site plans and other drawings are drafted in AutoCAD as part of widely accepted design process. Using this method and scripts allows you to quickly create site plans and building models. In some cases, the creation of a Flatwork Base can be done in minutes.

The basic premise of using these scripts is to select all the edges of the imported AutoCAD file and apply the scripts in order.

Extend Close Lines This script will extend lines to connect to the adjacent

Fig. 18-20: The CAD Cleanup Ruby Scripts are located in the Plugin pull-down menu.

Fig. 18-21: The Make Faces Ruby Script is located under the Tools menu.