I think it just might work, plot-paris. Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try. Best, Jim

Oh, I was taking this a different way. I'd like to see the physical size of an object SOMEWHERE, in Object Info, , Component Browser, the bottom of the screen, or something. Sometimes I make something or see something and it takes a bit of work to find out how big it is physically. Thanks, Jim

Yes, even though I update the style to have no textures or transparency SU still turns them on. ECS might close the Material Window, but it's still annoying that it pops up in the first place. Wether I have to use the mouse or keyboard to close it, it's an extra step I'd like to skip.

tell the line number, and I will try to help Some topics have ben renamed, either to be more clear in a few words, or because they were mixed with other topics in the same message. Topics have been erased because they are included in 7.0, such as dynamic components. Marc

nice idea Jim. I was also thinking the other day it would be nice also to be able select a function so that faces do not close in. Then if drawing in 2D (eg: construction detailing) may read better and be faster to work with. This coupled with your idea may be a solution to drawing in 2D (with perspective turned off that is). Maybe a 90deg page rotation tool in the 2D direction could work also? I have to leave the working out of this to someone else ofcourse, but what do you think? CHeers Jeff

In the sketchup.rb file, there is a method defined called "require_all(path)" All you need is a one-liner in your plugins folder: require_all("//path/to/network/plugins/folder") Assuming the network drive is mounted.

Hehe thanks for the training, seems to be an "okay" function @ John, totally agree... If this should be the "o so great SU7" where everybody's waiting for I would consider to say "Google Fails". Okay the new functions are nice but it wasn't really worth waiting IMO. Also they didn't work on any of the SU-users their needs... But meh, hopefully 8 would be better.. And long live Ruby in the meanwhile ^^

Right on, Plot Paris, I always love your creative input and responses. I was getting a bit frustrated with sketchup (only a tiny bit), when I wrote the last post, I was in a very tight dead line and had to work with a file from a larger architect firm, that I don't want to mention here. I do work with huge master plans and having some layers is kind of unavoidable. I agree, in modeling exclusively on the default layer and separating only by colors. Still I'm insisting on google to fixing the nasty camera bug, I can work and handle around it, but don't really want to.... Anyway despite the little bugs, sketchup still is the greatest tool I've ever worked with, so thank you for giving us this great tool google.

You are going to need a more advanced CAD program like solidworks or autocad. There is nothing available that I have ever heard of. Although you could measure the area of the surface and multiply that out manually.

Screw it, lets go for a whole SU operating system. All other apps will sit on top of it and be fully integrated.

thats true, Gaieus. but unfortunately you don't see any connection from parent-component to sub-components. so if you expand, your component window is clattered with items as before...

I tried it; it is not quite what I´m looking for. I found quite interesting the polyline tool and the IRender. Thanks again for the link.

I think this is a good idea. and to control it you have a "display line style" toggle button, like you have an X-ray button at the moment. and in addition to that an option would be useful, where you can set the style to "show hidden line segments", meaning, that with a dotted line for example the dots are shown black and the space inbetween is displayed light gray. otherwise it could be difficult to model (and find little gaps that prevent faces from closing) while having "display line style" switched on. usulally you would model without this feature in any case and when you start texturing the model, you "texture" the line styles as well. so you need to be able to apply line styles like materials.

remus is right. I just checked it to be entirely sure. you can even draw several lines in a row (complex poly lines to close a face). as long as you keep holding down the shift key (starting when your cursor hovers over the face) it will continuously refer to this plane as drawing plane...

Well, ever since I've seen his activity there

@alz said: I wish there was a way to simply rebuild the whole Context Menu. Or if not possible, then allow plugin context menus to be places at the top, instead of the bottom. If you want to get crazy, how about a radial pie menu? Or if not possible, a quad menu (4 context menus cornered to each other... similar to what 3ds MAX has). Each quad would be devoted to a commmon action, like Current Selection, Object Management (layers), Tools, Editor (axis, globals, etc.). BTW, I did find if you simply rename your ruby script, you can change the order where it appears in the menus. For example, if you want options in Zoo.rb to come before Ape.rb, then rename them to 00_Zoo.rb and 01_Ape.rb. +1 for this. fully agree-

So that is what flight path is for! I should have guessed. Yeah, I have weld already- brilliant plugin, very useful- the find faces feature on it is very nice. Thank you very much Gaieus...

Well, you can already export your "section slice" from File > Export > Section slice. It will export as dwg or dxf. As for capping, ou could use TIG's SectionCutFace plugin.

Well, because I am waiting for Sketchup 7 to arive.. Been waiting so long for it.

My workaround is converting the groups to components. Which cutter up my component list.