Medeek Wall

After some further analysis it would seem that I need one additional “end” wall condition, see image below:

In this situation you have multiple walls coming together at a single location. The exterior walls constitute an inside corner however the interior wall is not a normal “tee” intersection. If one uses the “end” condition then the end of the interior wall is wrapped with gypsum as shown and the gypsum on the exterior wall is not removed. It you try to use a “tee” condition the interior wall top plate wants to remove part of the exterior wall’s top plate, so this doesn’t really work either.

I am going to call this wall condition a “terminal” wall condition. Essentially it is identical in behavior to the “end” wall condition however it does not get a gypsum wrap (interior walls), but it will also still remove any gypsum/sheathing/cladding of any wall it terminates against.

See model here:

Version 1.3.7 - 04.25.2020

  • Fixed the HTML tabs of the global settings (page 2).

Version 1.3.7b - 04.25.2020

  • Added a Global Reset button in the General tab of the Global Settings.

No more messing around with registry entries, plist files and JSON files. Just click the button and you start with a clean slate, why didn’t I think of this before.

Version 1.3.8 - 04.26.2020

  • Added additional logic to the blocking and insulation modules for short wall panels.

Version 1.3.9 - 04.28.2020

  • Added a “Terminal” end wall condition.

The principal use of this end condition is for interior walls terminating against multi-wall corners as shown above.

Version 1.4.0 - 05.01.2020

  • Enabled a second layer of gypsum for interior and exterior walls.

This update adds an optional 2nd layer of gypsum to the wall assembly. By disabling the first layer of gypsum one can create an air gap between the 2nd layer of gypsum and the framed wall.

This update also addresses a minor bug caused by the updates in Version 1.3.8.

- Warning -

This latest update will require the user to recreate their wall presets since three new parameters have been added to the wall attribute library.

View an example of double gypsum walls here:

Version 1.4.0b - 05.01.2020

  • Fixed a critical bug with the tee intersection ladder blocking with walls with no openings.
  • Added a “Rustic Shiplap” built-in material into the material library.

Updated todo list (as of May 1, 2020):

1.) Gable and Shed Walls
2.) Move the Estimating module to the new Medeek Project extension, and further develop this module as it relates to the wall plugin.
3.) Complete the Wall Join tool.
4.) Convert the Window, Door and Garage Door Draw menus to HTML.
5.) Move the Fixtures module to a the new Medeek Interior extension.
6.) Compete the standalone columns/post tool.
6b) Classical columns for the post tool.
7.) Start work on the integrated Medeek Engineering extension, start with window and door headers for vertical loads.
8.) A generic Blocking module is still a good idea in my opinion, I will need further feedback on this one.
9.) Transom windows above doors with and without sidelites.
10.) Shear Wall module which will ultimately integrate with the engineering plugin.
11.) Complete the Wall Stretch tool (75% complete as of 02/24/2020)
12.) Additional door and window types as requested (eg. bi-fold, sliding glass, double and triple single hung windows).
13.) Spend some time on the new tabs in the global settings, currently showing an Under Construction sign.
14.) Presets for Windows and Doors
15.) Making the Window and Door modules work with generic walls, not just Medeek walls.
16.) Multi-layer gypsum
17.) Stair module permutations: U, L, T etc…
18.) Further “idiot” proofing of the plugins: (zero value, nil values, checking for impossible geometry, etc…)
19.) Wall Justification
20.) Interior trim added to Medeek Interior extension.
21.) Transom and sidelites with arched doors.

Items in italics have been recently completed.

The Wall plugin has been slowly maturing over the last few months, however I am quite sure there are still a few more bugs that I am hoping to uncover and resolve.

In an effort to flush out these last remaining bugs I will be offering a “Bug Discovery” incentive program. If you find and report a bug and I then verify that it is indeed a bug in the code (not an unfinished feature/module or user error), you will then be entitled to an additional year added on to your current update expiration date of your license/serial number.

This program will also be extended to all other Medeek plugins. The credit can only be applied to the plugin(s) in which they were found.

Hopefully this will encourage users to help find and report bugs and ultimately make all of the plugins that much more robust.

Please send all bug reports directly to me at nathan@medeek.com

Please do not include any SketchUp models large than 2 MB or large video files or MS Word documents. Screen shots and output from the ruby console is always very helpful.

Prioritisation that would be most beneficial to me listed below. However I feel these then also need to be prioritised against your lists for your other plugins - a global priorities so to speak.

And I will continue sending any bugs I find to aid in their development and robustness - keep up the great work.

Per a customer request I will be including a material for HardiPlank Colonial Roughsawn siding in the next release of the plugin. It is a slightly different texture than the lap siding with a 6.75" reveal (versus 7").

If you would like to utilize the material right away you can find it attached to this model:

Version 1.4.1 - 05.12.2020

  • Enabled a tapered wrap for a free standing columns.
  • Added a HardiPlank Colonial (Rough Sawn) built-in material into the material library.

Two new parameters: Taper and Taper Offset

View model here:

Version 1.4.1b - 05.13.2020

  • Added a “Style2” hardware option (Lever & Lock) to the garage door module.

This additional hardware option added per customer request.

Version 1.4.2 - 05.14.2020

  • Added a layer for posts to the advanced layer options (Layer tab of the global settings).
  • Added a layer for blocking to the advanced layer options (Layer tab of the global settings).

First look at the blocking toolbar:

wall_blocking_su_menu_active

I will also be removing the Fixtures toolbar from the Wall plugin, this toolbar will become part of the upcoming Medeek Interior plugin.

wall_fixtures_su_menu_active

The blocking tool will not only be available for use with the Wall plugin but also the Truss and upcoming Floor plugin as well as any generic wall or roof.

My intent is to have the blocking tool place the blocks within the wall panel assembly/group. However would there be a case where the user would want to create the blocks as stand alone entities outside of any wall, roof or floor assembly?

This is, admittedly, a stretch!

I’m building in extra storage in my tiny home design by leaving some stud bays open on one side, with what might be considered blocking in that bay only acting as shelves.

While this blocking is still between two studs, it differs from what most would consider blocking in that there is not blocking horizontally across the entire wall assembly, but multiple blocks vertically separated within a signal stud bay.

So I don’t know if this qualifies as a “case” you might be looking to include. But you DID ask!

And it is NOT a feature request for Medeek Wall! It’s so easy to add myself - and so rarely used - that I’d FAR rather you work on other things - like Shed walls!!!

1 Like

Definitely yes! I routinely create “notched” blocking for corner stud configurations. Also, rafter blocking where LVL and I-Joist assemblies are utilized (especially beveled configurations).

1 Like

Also of interest would be the ability to decouple objects (components, groups, raw geometry, etc.) from the extension. For example, the ability to isolate a single blocking plate (created by the extension) for editing and then coexisting with companion extension produced geometry. Currently, if geometry (produced by the extensions) is manually edited, the changes will be removed upon a regen operation. The workaround being rather drastic as depicted in your video:

My workflow, using the complete set of extensions, is to model the overall project, ignoring items like shed roofs, sliding/pocket doors, stacked windows/doors (differing widths) etc., followed by decoupling walls and roofs, finishing with manual edits. Of course, at the expense of not being able to further use the flexible editing associated with the extension.

Keep up the great work, knowing that for some of us, the Medeek extensions are the primary reason we use SketchUp. :grinning: :mask:

1 Like

I probably just need to have it notch out these blocks at the corners, let me look at that.