Measuring plugin

[fieldOfView]

A tool plugin that meassures points (x,y,z from center of build plate) and distances (both along axes and diagonally). Could be part of meshtools, could be a new plugin.

[TinkerGnome]

Great idea, and quite a lot of details to consider...

I think it should at least offer several "snap functions" (like CAD programs) to be of any use. Like "endpoint", "midpoint" (of edges), "center" (of circles) and such.

And (automatic?) constraints like "measure parallel to a certain axis" (resp. in a certain plane), a possibility to measure the diameter/radius of circles and arcs and things like that.

Sigh... I know, there are only vertices and polygons, but it would be pretty useless to measure distances between (more or less) random mouse positions in 3D space.

And it would be great if the created dimension is visualized like one is used to from CAD programs. And if it updates itself if one scales the part afterwards or if one moves parts around...

Sorry... but... you asked 😃

(just a quick example)

[fieldOfView]

Haha, I should have seen that coming.

The first version of this plugin will be - to use your words - pretty useless. At best meassuring distances between random mouse positions in 3D space. There simply is no information about radii and center points in the polygonal data that Cura reads. There will initially also not be a way to measure layer data, including generated support, geometry with a horizontal offset, etc; only the original polygonal data will be used for measuring. We'll see how it goes from there.

[TinkerGnome]

Sure, one has to start somewhere...
I'm only collecting ideas - no pressure!
😛 😛 😛

I still think that one of the existing (free) CAD programs would be the better (and specialized) tool for measurements. But i accept that not everyone is willing to train themselves for another software just for this special purpose. 🤷‍♂️

BTW: Cura already displays the dimensions of the bounding box. In many cases that's good enough as an indicator for scaling.

[fieldOfView]

Note to self: The depth map created by PickingPass does not seem to have a high enough precision :-(

[gilshahar7]

i would love seeing a measure plugin, even if its only between two mouse clicks!

[fieldOfView]

I'm working on it, but my initial implementation does not give me enough precision.

[fieldOfView]

There is an initial proof of concept that now gives me the precision I need here:
https://github.com/fieldOfView/Cura-MeasureTool
It is far from a tool that is ready for submission to the Marketplace, but there's a start.