@tommyk said: I do extensions and renovations using Sketchup and LayOut exclusively. I make the following models: survey model (of existing) - simply modelled. design model - for finishes, furniture layout, and discussions with client construction model - for technical putting together of buildings I have in the past tried to put all those models into one, using layers for demolished walls, etc, but it soon got tedious, and I work in the above way now. Keeping models separate also has the advantage of keeping model sizes down and therefore your modelling speed up. I don't use another 2D CAD program at all. I do my sketch plans on tracing paper, then go straight to Sketchup to get my accurate drawings. That's like the way I've outlined below. I do sometime split the model into different parts but I'm always afraid of not keeping the main information centalised as I can get mixed up between version changes. I might take particular sections of the build and show them separately but the central model is paramount.

For future reference this is the sort of thing you should draw directly in Layout. No need to make scenes, or send to layout or scale etc Just draw it full size and print it. Here is a version drawn in layout in a few minutes. [image: yM5e_Tape.jpg] And then printed and checked for accuracy. [image: IJEm_TapePrint.jpg] It took longer to create this post than it did to draw and print it.

@mark beattie said: Good day, Within a Layout file I've exploded certain viewports to adjust linetypes/weights but, after I try to snap any dimension to these lines, they seem to be reading more the size of the paper than any previous assigned scale. Can anyone help with this? Thanks, Mark If the Sketchup model was inserted as say 1:100 and you explode it, next time you want to dimension the exploded model just set the dimension up as auto-scale 1:100

@davewong said: I need more sketchup's layout pattern fills. More varieties, like wood-grains pattern, earth/ground patterns etc etc. May I know where do I get more of it? I have no time to draw them myself You can easily create them directly in LayOut! Open a document and set the dimensions of the page to say 200mm x 200mm with NO margin and ensure Print Page Colour is unchecked. Suggest you set the grid as 5, 10 or 20mm so you can reference each edge where the texture will tile. Draw your texture with lines of required thickness and set line ends to round or square to ensure they pass the edge of the page. Export as PNG as this will provide an alpha background. Import back into layout as a hatch to check. Adjust line weights on the original and export and test again. Layout is the ultimate tool to create textures!!!

First thing to try,Close SU and Layout, Find the install file .exe, probably in your Downloads folder. Right click on it and choose Run As Administrator, then when the option is given select Repair and follow any prompts.

In a isometric perspective, done correctly, we should apply a reduction in every edge. That reduction is the same for the 3 edges, and it's 0.816, that you can calculate why, but it's that number. In LayOut, simply prepare a custom scale with that number (1.0 mm = 0.8166 mm). It exist differences between an isometric sketch (no reduction) and a isometric perspective (0.816 reduction on every edge). Now you can print and mesure correctly your isometric drawings. I hope it helps someone.

Thank you so much for the trick. This is very helpful, Dave.

Are you asking how to get the area enclosed in a shape you've drawn in LayOut? If so, there's currently no way to do that in LayOut. If you draw that shape in SketchUp and insert it into a LayOut file, SketchUp will provide the area to LayOut and it can be displayed via Auto Text in a label. What version of SketchUp are you using? Your profile says you are using 2017 Make but if that is true, you wouldn't be using LayOut.

OK Thanks.

Thanks for reminding me, I had actually forgotten that

Ahh.... That's all different then. A couple of other questions, then. Have you upgraded to 2019.2? When you installed SketchUp did you right click on the downloaded installed and choose Run as administrator or did you just double click on it to get it to run? Maybe update your profile?

How about sharing the file so I can see what you are working with?

Thank you, sir.

According to the user's profile they wouldn't have LayOut anyway. It's probably posted in the wrong place but I wanted to make sure before I move it.

@unknownuser said: When I go to styles and select Construction Documents... Any ideas? First thing: Don't change the style in LayOut. Set the desired style for the scene in SketchUp. Avoid doing anything that results in the scene showing as modified in the SketchUp Model panel. As for why half your model is disappearing, it's hard to say without seeing it. Upload the LayOut file so we can take a look and give you an answer.

You're welcome and you are right. If you use layers and scenes correctly in SketchUp you can easily employ stacked viewports to give you even more control.

Ok great, thank you!

Maybe something like this? [image: hzBW_Screenshot-7_6_20194_20_01PM.png]

I was thinking of pdf reduction, which (I guess) is trickier.

Within Applications, then Utilities, you should have a program called Activity monitor. Open this, then right click on the symbol in the dock and change the dock icon to "Show CPU usage". This is quite helpful to see what programs are maxing out your CPU at a glance. Also while you are within Activity Monitor, select "Memory" and look for "Swap used" at the bottom. If you are maxing out your RAM at any point, it will be using part of your hard drive as RAM. This keeps the computer running, but can slow down the computer massively. You can also get an idea as to what programs you can close to free up RAM. Some internet tabs - especially websites like Google Maps and YouTube can really eat into your RAM.