Turkshead tying program

[tallwine]

You will need the latest version of Firefox to view this. Go to http://data.oreilly.com/jallwine/knots

No interweaves yet but most anything else you want to do with a turkshead is there.

Let me know what you think.

-Tim

[DerekSmith]

Hi Tim,

Wow, brilliant utility.

How about some help files - for example, what does the Coding field do?

Derek

[tallwine]

Help is on the way soon. Coding refers to the overs and unders. It determines the look of the knot. Try \\// and parts = 7 and bights = 6 for example.

[DerekSmith]

Aha, I thought it was the letter V so I had been trying other letters to no avail, but using \ and / I have been 'playing' for best part of an hour now.  I can see this thread blooming into a 'recipe' collection of "try 11 7 /\,\/"  (the  ',' is there to denot a space between the two \ \ characters).

You have probably created the definitive TH designer tool.  With ready access to such an easy to use tool, I am sure the glory (or maybe gory) of THs will blossom and many, many folks will be encouraged to make some of these lovely finishes.

A little Googling for 'Tim Allwine' has listed a certain Senior Software Engineer with a Nautical and Knottical background, would this be your good self by any chance?  I noticed the impressive table of decorative knots at the Maker Faire 2006, and I guess that if this is you, then the knotting world is lucky to have a Software Engineer who has a knotting fettish and can turn his hand to create such a landmark utility.

As a software engineer, you will be well aware of the situation, that once you start to give tools to folks that they find useful, it is not long before they start to inundate you with requests for embellishments.

Well, in case you have not already thought of them, here are three for you to consider.

First, the facility to 'fix' a chosen number of edge crossings into a single over/under configuration in order to ensure a stable final knot.

Second, the facility to create a library of settings, so if I discover a particularly attractive setting, then I can save it to my library and then share my library with others (probably on this thread).
NB I have noticed that if I create a TH and then put the page into my bookmarks then the details go with it - nice touch as a means of sharing patterns i.e. http://data.oreilly.com/jallwine/knots/?show_colors=true&strand_width=20&over_color=red&coding=%2F\%20\%2F

Third ask and the biggest one - what are the chances of having the utility 'Stand Alone', so that it can be used even when the user does not have internet connection?  I have noted that if I Scrapbook the page, then it no longer works so I cannot use it if I do not have a live internet connection.

Enough for now, thank you so much for this excellent creation, I am off for another 'play'.

PS. Mel, could we put a link to Tim's page onto the Guild website please?

Derek

[DerekSmith]

Hi Tim,

What is the logic behind the Coding function please.

The coding string \/,//,,\\,\/

gave this layout http://data.oreilly.com/jallwine/knots/?show_colors=true&strand_width=20&over_color=red&parts=20&coding=\%2F%2C%2F%2F%2C%2C\\%2C\%2F

The spaces (,) seem to be all important and give rise to highly complex systems.

Derek

[DerekSmith]

Hi Tim,

Sorry, me again.

In long runs i.e. a 47 x 6, is there any way of denoting that the cord makes n turns before finishing up at its destination pin?  in the exapmple

http://data.oreilly.com/jallwine/knots/?show_colors=true&strand_width=5&over_color=red&parts=47&coding=%2F\%2C%2C%2C%2F%2F%2F&bights=6

it makes three full turns before mating up with pin 6.

Also, in this example, although the graphic seems to be correct in that the very last run from top pin 1 should go O1 U4 O4 U4 O4 etc. the tabulated last run list goes from top pin 1 U4 O1 U7 O1 U7 O1 U7 O1 U7 O1 U7 O1 U1 to bottom pin 1

Am I reading this wrong??

Derek

[DerekSmith]

OK, learning on the run...

Strike the above request for turn count, I have just spotted that using the half cycle function it is easy to step through the sequences and it is immediately clear how many turns to make on long THs.

Derek

[tallwine]

Ah, I just tried to attach a zip file but the web site doesn't like zip files.

[tallwine]

Go here:

http://data.oreilly.com/tim/knots/knots.zip

Unzip the file. Use your browser and open the file index.html and you should be all set to go off line. You can also use this code to make up a page on this/your web site. This code is free, have at it.

[Knot Head]

Ron Edwards,
Center Zig Zag 25pX6b
Coding; \/\/\/\///\\\///\/\/\/\

http://khww.net/gridmaker/?parts=25&bights=6&coding=\%2F\%2F\%2F\%2F%2F%2F\\\%2F%2F%2F\%2F\%2F\%2F\&strand_width=28&swap_bight_order=true&over_color=peru&miter_color=peru&sobre=true&height=280&width=600&under_color=peru&orient=horizontal

Gives this output;


This is one awsome tool. I love it.

[DerekSmith]

This goes a little better and ties that loose edge in.

http://khww.net/gridmaker/?parts=25&bights=6&coding=\%2F\%2F\%2F\%2F%2F%2F\\\%2F%2F%2F\%2F\%2F\%2F\%2F&strand_width=28&swap_bight_order=true&over_color=peru&miter_color=peru&sobre=true&height=280&width=600&under_color=peru&orient=horizontal

Centre ZigZag 25 x 6
Coding;  \/\/\/\///\\\///\/\/\/\/



Derek

[DerekSmith]

You see Tim,

It is starting already, folks will want to swap designs and today it is just a little clumsy.

The facility to simply name a design and drop it into a catalogue is going to be be very useful indeed so that whole catalogues can be exchanged through the forum.

BTW, thanks for the 'stand alone' version.  I unzipped the files and folders and put them into a folder on my memory stick, then put a shortcut onto the laptop desktop to the htm file and bingo -  it works a treat.

Derek

[tallwine]

So play with saving and managing your bookmarks. It will be these bookmarks that can be used and shared. We'll look into making this easy.

[Knot Head]

Thanks Derek. I did'nt see that.

[DerekSmith]

Thanks Tim,

Yes, I already have a number of new folders in my bookmarks sidebar for different families and styles of designs and have been renaming the bookmarks to make them more meaningful.

I thought I was on to a winner when I simply tried to drag the bookmark folder onto the desktop, I had the small + icon indicating that windows was going to make a copy of the folder on my desktop and of course, I could then have sent that to other users.  Unfortunately, when I dropped the drag, nothing happened until the third try when Firefox died on me.  At least it was a consistent fault that I repeated a couple of times.

I guess I will just have to make do with pasting the full urls into a text file and share those until you dream up something better.

This is one powerful tool

Thanks
Derek