Instant Wall

Overview
Features

Walls, colonnades, arcades, balustrades, railings, fences, curbs, hedges, raised walkways, trellises.
Modeling options: 3D, 2D-face me, or 2D hide lines.
Supports all SketchUp units: Metric, Feet/Inches, etc.
Drop to terrain elevation or follow input line work elevation.
Choose from many preset profiles for columns, wall caps, etc... or create your own profile.
Apply aligned materials.
Create custom style library.
Menu options supported with images.
Can make a single closed loop or an open curve. X and T intersections are NOT supported.
An internet connection is required in order to execute this script.

Selection:

Basic Wall Creation

Output:

Groups added:

Instant Wall

Installation

Windows installation is shown here, however it is identical for Macintosh

The download files are located under theFiles tab on your account.
If you have purchased Instant Wall after 03/2014 you will find a single installation file:
InstantWallInstall.rbz. If so install according to RBZ Installation. If you purchased previously, install
according to ZIP Installation.

RBZ Installation
To install a SketchUp Ruby plugin script with the .rbz format: We recommend logging into your computer as an
admin before installing any Ruby scripts. This will make the installation go more smoothly and ensure that files get
installed in the proper places.
1) Select Window > Preferences (Microsoft Windows) or SketchUp > Preferences (Mac OS X). The Preferences
dialog box is displayed.
2) Click on Extensions. The Extensions panel is displayed.
3) Click on the Install Extension button. The Open dialog box is displayed.
4) Locate the Ruby archive file to install (.rbz).
5) Click on the Open button. The Ruby plugin appears in the list of extensions.
6) Close and restart SketchUp

ZIP Installation
1. Download both files: InstantWall.rb and InstantWallFiles.zip.
2. Copy InstantWall.rb to your Plugins folder.
On a typical Windows platform, the path is C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 8\Plugins)

On a typical Mac platform,the path is Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp

8/SketchUp/plugins)

With SU2013 under Mac OS 10.8, I found the Plugins folder as follows: open Finder window then
click on the GO menu, hold down the option key and click on the Library folder, then navigate to
Application Support/ SketchUp 2013/SketchUp/Plugins. If you still can not find your Plugins
folder on the MAc, please consult online Sketchup and Mac resources.

If you are using Su7 or earlier on a Windows platform, skip steps 3,4 and 5. Instead, right click the downloaded file
InstantWallFiles.zip and extract the contents to your plugins folder.

3. Start Sketchup. From the 'Plugins menu, select Vali Architects/Install InstantWall.

4. Navigate to your downloads location and select 'InstantWallFiles.zip and click Open

5. Click Yes to install the Plugin.

The folder /InstantWall will be created in your Plugins folder.

6. Close and restart SketchUp. The script can be turned on or off under Preferences/Extensions.

To run the script, from the 'Plugins menu, select Vali Architects/InstantWall.

Instant Wall General Settings

Style Libraries

See InstantWall-Styles.pdf for more information on styles.

Show Icon menu for style libraries

Geometry Creation Modes: 3D, 2D, and 2D Hide Lines

3D

2D

Single surface and Face-Me elements for

background and entourage

2D Hide Lines

For background and entourage.

Prevents heavy black lines.

Materials

Before running the Instant Wall, paint the materials that you wish to use on something in the model.

Wall 3 texture orientations:

Default

Align with Slope

90 deg to slope

Wall Base

Wall Cap

Pilaster

Plinth

Pilaster Cap

Post / Rail

Infill

Voussoirs

Instant Wall

Infill

Geometry created on top of wall, between or on top of pilasters, or between posts

Infill Types

Solid

Vertical Boards

Horizontal Boards
Vertical Pipes

Horizontal Pipes

Baluster1

Baluster3
Baluster2

Baluster4

Wrought Iron Picket 1

Wrought Iron Picket 2

Arch-Elliptical

Arch-Pointed

Use Picket Component

VA_sample_baluster

Arch_Segment

Use Picket Component example

1. For this example I created a
picket component.

2. I made a balcony outline and enclosed it in a group.

3. I set the following parameters

4. Here is the output:

Infill Parameters
Top

Relative to Datum for Infill setting under

Misc Paramters

Botttom Relative to Datum for Infill setting

under Misc Paramters

Thickness / Diameter

Example: Baluster-1 profile, Thinkness / Diameter= 6

Width of Board

Spacing

Example: Baluster-1 profile, Thinkness / Diameter= 2

Layout

Pier Width For Arches

Rise For Elliptical and Pointed Arches

Spring Line Height For Arches

Subtended Angle For Segmented and

Round Arches

Instant Wall

Misc Parameters

The script takes a selected group as input. The group must contain a line or series of connected lines
which may form at most a single closed loop. The script locates arch-spacing, pilasters, steps and/or
fence posts at each line break. The number of line breaks may be increased by selecting the Shorten
Segments or Add Steps parameters.

Slope / Step

Add Steps

All styles can be modeled as sloped or stepped.

Attempts to add as many steps as

possible based on the Step Increment parameter

Drop to Terrain

Sets elevation for bottom of wall and pilasters

For the next 5 model images I started with a

group enclosing 3 connected lines suspended
over a sloped terrain.

Set bottom of pilasters at terrain elevation.

Set bottom of pilasters or wall breaks at input curve

elevation

For retaining walls. Sets beginning and end of wall

at terrain and interpolates a flat slope between
them

Extend Bottom

Option to add depth to wall and pilasters. Required for retaining walls. Often useful for other sloped conditions.

Additional Depth

Shorten Segments

Adds intermediate wall breaks and pilasters between and in addition to the breaks in the input curve

Pilaster Rotation

Several options for pilaster rotations.

Datum for Infill

Arch Precision

Sets baseline height for added posts, rails and infill panels.

Number of arch segments

Circle Precision

Number of circle segments for round posts, pilasters, rails, etc.

Voussoir Parameters

Instant Wall

Pilasters

Pilaster Types

Distorted
Square

Square Tapered

Rectangle

Round Tapered
Round

Column1
Column2

Tuscan
Fluted

Use Component
VA_Sample_column

Pilaster Dimensions

Use Component for pilaster example 1

1. I inserted a lamp post from the
components window.

2. I created a terrain and road using the sandbox tool and

InstantRoad. Then I created a group containing a curve to for
the lamp post locations.

3. In the InstantWall menu, I chose Use

Component for the pilaster and chose
the lamp post component.

4. The script copied and oriented each post. (I had to open

one of the lamp posts and rotate its internal elements 90
degrees so the lamps will all overhang the road.)

Use Component for pilaster example 2

1. For this example I created a
post component.

2. I made a raised platform and created a group enclosing the

outer edges.

3. I set the following parameters

4. Here is the output:

Plinth

Plinth Dimensions

Pilaster Cap
Pilaster Cap Types

Square

Radius Edge

Mushroom

Pyramid2

Pyramid

Crown
Pineapple

Ball

Coved
Stepped Radius3

Stepped Radius

Stepped Radius2

Stone
Ogee
Chamfered

Qtr Radius

Domed

Pilaster Cap Dimensions

Double / Paired Pilasters

Instant Wall

Posts

Post Types

Square

Round

Square Tapered

Round Tapered

Column2
Column1

Tuscan

Fluted

Use Component
VA_Sample_post

Use Component for post Example 1

1. First you must create or import a
component to use for the pilaster. Here I
inserted a light from the components
window.

2. I created a terrain and road using the sandbox tool. Then I

created a group containing some connected lines.

3. In the InstantWall menu, used I chose

the preset styleWall Stepped 3.

4. Clicked Make Wall to create the geometry. The script

located and oriented a light on the top of each pilaster.

Under the Parameters drop down menu

I checked POSTS, Use Component and
selected the light component.

Use Component for post Example 2

1. For this example I used a
custom post component.

2. I made a raised platform and created a group enclosing the

outer edges.

3. In the InstantWall menu, I made

the following settings to a new style.

4. Heres the output geometry with materials added.

Post Parameters
Height

Width

Taper angle

Reduce Spacing

Adds intermediate posts

between pilasters or wall breaks.

Max Spacing
posts

Reduce spacing between added

Rotation

The post rotation will match

Pilaster Rotation setting under MISC
PARAMETERS (Exception: When Reduce spacing
is selected, all post will align with wall)

Instant Wall Quick Start

Lesson 1. Use Preset Style.

Choose style from STYLE drop down menu.

1.1 Draw a line or a few connected lines, enclose in a group, and select the group. (Lines
can be horizontal or sloped but not vertical. No X or T intersections)

1.2 Choose Plugins/ Vali Architects / Instant Wall / Make Wall

1.3 Make a selection from the STYLE drop down list.

1.4 Click MAKE WALL.

1.5 The output should look something like this:

Lesson 2. Preset Style from Icon Menu and apply aligned Texture
2.1 Paint a texture to some object in the model.

(The script can only apply materials that have

already been used in the model. So I made a small rectangle and painted a brick texture on it.)

2.2 Draw a line or some connected lines, enclose in a group, and select the group.(A
single closed loop is OK. It doesnt matter if there is a face in the group it will be ignored.)

2.3 Choose Plugins/ Vali Architects / Instant Wall / Make Wall

2.3 In the Instant Wall menu, click the

button to display the wall style icon menu.

2.4 Make a selection from the icon menu.

2.5 Click MATERIALS and select a material for Wall Cap

2.6 Select a material for Pilaster Cap and click MAKE WALL

2.7 Heres the output. The brick pattern is oriented according to the elements.

Lesson 3. Follow sloped terrain

3.1 Create a terrain. (The terrain does not need to be active: It can be in a group or component.) Create
a line or connected lines, enclose them in a group and select it.

3.2 Choose Plugins/ Vali Architects / Instant Wall / Make Wall

3.3 Click MAKE WALL

(The current settings are saved for the current SketchUp session and also saved
In Model library. If you closed SketchUp after Lesson 2 you will need to select a wall style again)

3.4 Heres the output.

Lesson 4. Change Stepped to Sloped

4.1 Click Undo or create a new input group as per 3.1. Select the group and open the
Instant Wall menu. Click PARAMETERS to expand the menu.

4.2 Click Slope

4.3 Click MAKE WALL

(Either scroll down or select HIDE PARAMETERS)

4.4 Heres the output.

Lesson 5. 2D Face Me

5.1 Click Undo or create a new input group as per 3.1. Select the group and open the
Instant Wall menu. Click 2D and click MAKE WALL.

5.2 Heres the output.

Horizontal and sloped elements (Walls, Arcades, Rails, etc.) will be modeled flat.
Vertical elements (Pilasters, Columns, Posts, Pickets, Balusters) will be modeled as face me components.

Instant Wall

Rails

Rail Types

Rectangular

Radius Edge

Round

Mushroom

Ridge

Ridge2

Crown

Coved

Stepped Radius

Stepped Radius2

Stepped Radius3

Ogee

Chamfered

Qtr Radius

Rail Parameters
Number of Rails

Multiple rails option is

available for Rectangular and Round rail
profiles. Other profiles allow only a single rail

Width / Diameter

Vertical Thickness

Example: Mushroom profile, Width= 3, Vertical Thickness = 3

Top Rail Height

Measured from Datum for

Infill setting under Misc Parameters

Example: Mushroom profile, Width= 5, Vertical Thickness = 2

Bottom Rail Height

Measured from
Datum for Infill setting under Misc
Parameterss

Rail Continuity

Applies to sloped
condition. The warp option is only available for
Rectangular and Radius Edge rail profiles.

Instant Wall

Wall Styles

With Preset Wall Styles, the script can be used without the need to learn parameter settings

Wall Styles are saved sets of parameters.

Libraries are groups of Wall Styles.
When a style is used in a model, it is entered into the In Model style library ands saved with the file.
New styles are easily created by saving a modification to an existing style.

Wall Style Libraries

Wall Styles

There are 7 libraries. They are displayed in the LIBRARY drop down list.

A style is chosen from the STYLE pull down list for the selected library.

Style Icon Menu

Styles can also be chosen from an image menu by clicking.

Arcades, Colonnades library

In Model library
yet.

Railings library

- Displays styles that are used in the model. Its empty because I havent created a wall in this model

Misc library

User Defined

library - Its empty because I havent created any custom styles yet.

Walls, Fences library

World Architecture

library

Create New Style

Example

1. I made a group enclosing a center line for the wall.

2. Selected the preset style Wrought Iron Brick 1 and edited a single parameter -changing from a stepped
condition to a sloped condition.
3. Created a new style named Wrought Iron Brick 1-Sloped.

4. Created the wall and zoomed/panned to the view I want to use for the new style icon.

5. Selected Manage Wall Styles from the Instant Wall menu.

6. Selected Save User Style.

7. Selected the new style Wrought Iron Brick 1-Sloped and clicked OK.

8. The new style Wrought Iron Brick 1-Sloped is now displayed in the User Defined library and will
available to all SketchUp models and sessions.

Manage Wall Styles

Save User Style: Creates Menu entry as described above.

Delete User Style(s): Erases saved User Styles and associated icons.
Export to File: Exports style to an external file
Import From File: Imports external style file
When a style is used in a drawing, that style - including any changes made to it will be saved with the file and displayed in
the In Model library. If a change is made to a preset style (but not given a new name) the preset style will be redefined
and saved for that model only. This allows a model with customized styles to be saved as a template file. The next 3
methods permit modifications to these style definitions in the model.

Delete From Model: Removes selected styles from the In Model library and restores preset style definitions.
Restore Default Styles: Removes ALL style definitions in the model. (Empties In Model library and removes any
changes to preset styles that have been saved in the model.)

Rename Wall Style Rename a style in the In Model library. If the style name to change matches a preset name, the
preset style will be restored to default.

Instant Wall
Wall Type

Walls / Arcades

Wall Parameters

Base

Wall Cap

Rectangular. Can warp

Radius Edge. Can warp

Mushroom

Ridge

Ridge2

Crown

Coved

Stepped Radius

Stepped Radius2

Stepped Radius3

Stone. Can warp

Stone_Rough. Can warp

Chamfered

Hogsback

Ogee

Qtr Radius

User component Profile

VA_sample_wall_cap

Wall Cap Parameters

Wall Cap: User Component Profile Example

1. Create a 2D face and select it. Open the
Create Component window.

2. Name the component and click Set Component

Axes.

3. Set the axis to the point where you want the

wall cap to centered on the top of the wall.
Orient the z or blue axis perpendicular to the
face.

4. When running InstantWall, choose Use

Component Profile and your new component for
the wall cap.

Here is the custom wall cap created for both a sloped and a stepped wall using the component created
in steps 1-4 above.