UTC Setting and Chronolux...

Preamble: questions about how UTC setting affects insolation duration and shadows in an active model keep coming. That's right it is not an obvious question, so finally I decided to write some more or less detailed explanations in this regard...

Chronolux 1.2.1

First of all this new version was adapted to Extension Warehouse requirements. Plus it has some significant new features and numerous minor fixes.

Lss chronolux 1.2 features overview from Кирилл Баннов

Here is a list of related links:

• LSS Chronolux Home Page
• LSS Chronolux page at Extension Warehouse
• On-line copy of Help System

The best way to install new version is to do it from Extension Warehouse window right in SketchUp2013.

SketchUp 2013 and Extension Warehouse

You might probably already know about new version of SketchUp and its brand new feature called 'Extension Warehouse'. Well now we all have a place to get cool stuff from. Hallelujah!

Here are some reasons to get extensions from Extension Warehouse only:

• it is a place where only serious developers may post their applications, because each candidate has to be approved before he will be allowed to post anything to Extension Warehouse
• all extensions have to pass quality assurance test before publishing in Extension Warehouse, so all of them safe guaranteed and meet some certain quality standards
• installation process from Extension Warehouse is easy and safe: now no one need to extract files and folders manually, just click "Install" button right in SketchUp's Extension Warehouse window

You might want to hear some more details about what exactly 'quality' means. Well here is some guidelines for developers published on 'Developer Center' page:

Extensions offered through the Warehouse must be:

Useful: The extension should provide some useful functionality for SketchUp users.

Unique: Extensions must not simply duplicate existing features or services of the SketchUp client—they must significantly extend some core feature or add entirely new functionality.

Functional: Extensions must install and operate as advertised. The extension should not cause SketchUp to crash or perform slowly.

Safe: The extension should not, through the developer's malice, cause damage to the user's data nor to their operating system.

Documented: The extension should be documented. The SketchUp team will not document your extension for you.

Supported: The extension's developer should be available to answer technical support questions after users have installed the extension. The SketchUp team will not offer support to your users.

Packaged properly as an RBZ Archive: RBZ files are nothing more than ZIP archives of ruby scripts and other assets with a particular, internal folder structure. More on that below.

That's why it was decided to adapt all previously released LSS tools to Extension Warehouse requirements. And we are very glad to announce that LSS became approved publisher at Extension Warehouse and two extensions already successfully passed quality assurance test and were published!

Here is a link to LSS Store at Extension Warehouse: http://extensions.sketchup.com/ru/user/2681/store

And published extensions are:

• LSS Matrix 
• LSS Chronolux

Chronolux ver. 1.1 for SketchUP

Version 1.1 updates.

New features:

•  Interactive Resize Tool
•  Pick Test Surface Tool
•  Pick Window Face Tool

Updates:

•  Global Settings dialog
•  Time Settings dialog

Fixes:

• Refresh command works properly even if test points were added inside a group
• Report maker generates report without duplicating information about SVF and WVF

Overview of New Features Demo Video

Visit LSS site for more information and download.

Chronolux 1.0 Beta for Sketchup 8M1

Description: Extension for Google Sketchup written on Ruby. Its goal is to test insolation duration and SVF.

Usage:
1) install the program using installer or unpack files from zip-file:
- "chronolux_ext.rb" and "Chronolux" folder unpack to Google Sketchup "Plugins" folder
- "chronolux.strings" and "chronolux" folder from "Resources/en-US" unpack to Google Sketchup "Resources/en-US" forlder
2) enable "LSS Chronolux Toolbar" Sketchup Main Menu>>View>>Toolbars>> LSS Chronolux Toolbar
3) open a Sketchup model, where insolation and/or SVF testing is to be made (model has to be geo-located)
3) add some test points to perform insolation and/or SVF testing

ver. 1.0. video:

 

Terms and Definitions

Duration of Insolation at a given point is the time period while direct sunlight reaches the test point.
Insolation is the solar radiation that reaches the earth's surface. It is measured by the amount of solar energy received per square centimetre per minute. (Note, that Chronolux does not calculate insolation, but only its duration).
SVF (sky view factor) is the extent of sky observed from a point as a proportion of the total possible sky hemisphere. (A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY).

ver 1.0 beta 1
fixes
- resource file (chronolux.strings) has a proper syntax now
- some patches were added in code to avoid encoding issues in localized versions

Visit project web-site for more info: http://sites.google.com/site/lssoft2011/