Measure Tool plugin

[ahoeben 1,948]

I'm working on a new plugin that adds a simple measuring aid to Cura:

In its current incarnation, the tool lets you pick (and drag) two points and shows the distance between these points.

 

A test-version can be downloaded here: MeasureTool

Download the file and drop it onto the buildplate in Cura as if you were opening a 3d model. Then restart Cura as instructed.

 

The plugin is now available in the Marketplace.

Edited April 28, 2021 by ahoeben

[Cuq 198]

Haven't find the buton to add the smile 😁

 

[jesta192 0]

It works! Now if you can make it snap to corners on the model, and maybe make the dots transparent or swap them out with something that makes lining them up better? Pure magic!

[ahoeben 1,948]

14 hours ago, jesta192 said:

make it snap to corners on the model

That's a bit tricky and won't make it for the first official version.

14 hours ago, jesta192 said:

make the dots transparent or swap them out with something that makes lining them up better

For now I have made them small, even if you zoom in (similar to how toolhandles of other tools stay the same size when you zoom in or out)

[RogueWave 15]

Exactly what I need too......thank you for your time and effort to make 3D printing enjoyable

 

[jesta192 0]

8 hours ago, ahoeben said:

That's a bit tricky and won't make it for the first official version.

For now I have made them small, even if you zoom in (similar to how toolhandles of other tools stay the same size when you zoom in or out)

Understandable, and thanks for this!

[larthvader 1]

Dude this plugin is amazing, i was pulling my hair by no finding any RULER in the menus.

I couldn't add the package until I loaded some random .stl then it worked, restarted and works amazing.

[ahoeben 1,948]

An updated version with some small fixes should be available from the Marketplace soon-ish.

[drayson 75]

my friend, thats a functionality I was looking for since ages... 🙂

THANK YOU very much...!!!!

 

[ahoeben 1,948]

The plugin is now available in the Marketplace. Thanks for testing the preview version!

 

I have made a change in how the plugin decides which point gets moved. In the preview version the plugin would always alternate between the two points. In the released version, the plugin moves the point that is closest to the mousecursor. If you prefer the automatic alternating between the two points, press and hold the shift key while clicking.

[spacecabbie 0]

Hey absolutly love the plugin but the dots are kinda big can you resize those ?

[Steventhomas 0]

Hey guys, seems this tool has gone from the market place, any chance it will come back?

[ahoeben 1,948]

The tool is, in fact, still in the Marketplace.

 

I'm not sure if the plugin has been "approved" for Essentials users though. You may want to log out of your Ultimaker account in Cura (temporarily) and see if the plugin is in the Marketplace when logged out. The whole Essentials scheme is a bit of a nightmare for me as a plugin creator.

[Bitsilver 1]

Sorry to be such a noobie but I can't figure out how this is supposed to work. I load a model, click on the model, activate the plug in and I've got ONE dot. Where do I get the second dot from? No amount of clicking or shift plus click does anything at all? Thanks. I want to feel stupid when this is explained 🙂

 

Running Cura 4.11.0

Edited October 11, 2021 by Bitsilver

[ahoeben 1,948]

The measure tool should selectable regardless of if you have a model selected or not.

 

When starting Cura, both points are initially at the center of the buildplate. You can always see where the points are in the tool panel.

 

Clicking anywhere (on the buildplate or on a model) will move the point that is closest to the mousepointer to that location. Holding down the mousebutton will let you drag the point around (keeping it on the surface of the model or buildplate).

 

Clicking to move a point to some spot on the model, and then clicking again may just move the same point twice; if the other point is still at the origin, it may be further away from the mouse pointer than the first point. This is what the shift-key is supposed to fix; it always selects the other point than the one you have just moved.

 

Perhaps measuring two points on an empty buildplate will make it a bit clearer what is going on.

Edited October 11, 2021 by ahoeben

[Bitsilver 1]

Thank you for your reply. It seems after rebooting my computer this morning and retrying it, the function is now behaving as I anticipated it should and I do get two measuring dots. Not sure what happened there.

 

However, I do have to load something onto the build plate in order to get the left menu bar (showing the plug-ins) to appear, and then the measuring tool is active without selecting the model.  Loading a model brings up the measurement dialog and it works fine. Closing down that project leaves me with an empty build plate, and the two dots are still there but useless with no data dialog open. Of course, I don't care at that point because it only needs to work when there is something to be measured.

[ahoeben 1,948]

17 hours ago, Bitsilver said:

I do have to load something onto the build plate in order to get the left menu bar (showing the plug-ins) to appear,

Ah, yes, ofcourse. But you don't have to have a model selected.

 

As an aside, the Sidebar GUI plugin keeps the toolbar visible even when there are no models loaded. And changes a number of other things to make more sense (in my opinion).

[Bitsilver 1]

Ahoeben, thanks for that last tip 🙂

[jrsalter1 0]

OUTSTANDING JOB! Very much needed in Cura. 

Quick question, does the measurement measure from center to center of the dots, inside or outside? 

 

Thanks again! 

[ahoeben 1,948]

Center to center. The center of the dots "snaps" to the geometry.

Edited November 18, 2021 by ahoeben

[thejackburton 0]

I have not been able to get this to work. I see only one black dot and when I click on it, the model is deselected.

[ahoeben 1,948]

The plugin should work regardless of whether a model is selected. It even works when there is no model at all. Perhaps just measuring two points on an empty buildplate will make it clearer how this plugin is supposed to work.

 

On an empty buildplate, with the measure tool selected, there should be a single dot in the center. Now first click on a few cm to the left of the center of the buildplate, and then a few cm to the right of the center of the buildplate. The plugin moves the dot that is closest to the mousepointer to the position that of the mousepointer. If you click and hold the mousebutton, you can drag the dot around.

[Eth4 2]

Hey! I saw this and I apologize for asking such a dumb question, I'm new to this whole thing. 

 

How does one download the plugin? Your download was taken down and when I look it up in the marketplace It doesn't show up.

[ahoeben 1,948]

It could be that you are logged in as an Essentials user, and the Measuretool may not be "approved" for Cura Essentials users. Does the plugin show up in the Marketplace if you (temporarily) log out of your account?

 

As a plugin author I am unable to tell (as far as I know) if a plugin is available for people who have paid for the privilege of being an "Essentials" user. This can be quite frustrating.

[Eth4 2]

I believe I got it to download, but what do the numbers even mean? are they cm or mm