Not sure if you got this problem solved, stumbled on this thread searching for something else... The below thread might be something you are interested in... Plugin called component array (By sdmitch)- http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=40244 He did some further modifications for the plugin to suit my post on that thread too. Alternatively put a [REQ] in the plugin directory for a variation on the component array?

Don't use "Last scene saved". Use the actual scene that you set up. The reason being, you may have just slightly rotated the scene out of orthagonal view. If so, you are seeing how it was last saved. That would reak havoc on your dimensions.

Thanks Tig, I've tried to save to C:, to Desktop, to a zip drive, plus trying the save as LO 1 and 2. Unfortunately the backup.layout is 20 minutes older than the main file, so while it is 'only' 20 minutes lost, it's still frustrating as, if it happens again, I'll know this'll be the outcome. In the end I got the sheet as I wanted it and exported it to a nice .pdf (and a .dwg) and now I'm going to unplug it from life support we need a smilie with a black armband for such occasions. cheers, nigel

Any update on this>?

Heavy model, so I disabled automatic refreshing. Took too long.

Thanks, that plugin is fantastic!

Just making the Fonts box larger made the fonts appear?

Thanks!

Thanks TIG, what a great day. I had done that, but it wasnt working. However after looking again, I realised I was using a different template that for some reason I had not changed the notation style. Now everything is just how I want it. Thanks again All.

OK, I understand the issue you are after but I do not understand the "pain when changing the model to match the site plan". Could you elaborate the whole workaround you are using?

What I discovered is that when you dimension from the first point to each successive stud you will start to get numbers that overlap since by default it places the dimension in the center of the two end points. If you double click on the dimension you will drill down to the native parts (for lack of a better word). At this point you can grab the text and drag it to where you want it. Pretty painless work around and the number stays linked to the lines in case you move them later.

Wow, you guys are great, thanks for the quick, insightful replies. I keep seeing light at the end of the tunnel only to be smashed by the falling debris... Something that would have taken me 4 days max drawing by hand has taken me 2 weeks, and still not done... but my clients look at the model NOT the orthographic drawings in the end... so I gotta figure a way thru this... just not cost effective currently. I have evolved into the main model, the framing model, the parts models and the "assemblies" i.e. bits and pieces that show how things are to be constructed, like layers of the roofing assembly, plywood, roofing felt, flashing, drip edge, roofing, etc. Biggest challenge is how to "keep it simple" when in fact buildings are getting more and more complex and the building department wants more detail, particularly hold downs and connectors... I will endeavor to post more of my work, on my 4th full set of working drawings... and want to work on a list of "what I have learned and what I seek to learn" regarding best practices... till now... this has been a very long tunnel.. thanks again aloha red

I was just curious, I picked one that looked professional but had to change from metric to imperial and their were lots to choose from, hard to tell what they looked like from thumbnails.

These would be plans for the architectural review committee, so accuracy of scale is very important. I am not changing sheet sizes at all. They are still D size. I was hoping for a simple setting in preferences, but I do not see any. Currently my work flow goes like this to achieve the scale change. After I set it up once, my other project went really fast - about 10 minutes. Draw a line from a point on the reference model, for insertion of the paper space items once re-scaled. Set the reference model to 1/8" = 1'-0" Left to right highlight all paper space items (including the line drawn in 1 above) and upscale by 2.5 (1"=20' up to 1/8" = 1'-0") The example I show is incorrect scale at 1" = 10' While the paper space items are highlighted, group them. Reset the insertion point of the highlighted group to the end point of the line drawn in 1 above. Shift highlighted group to point on the reference model where the line from 1 above originated prior to scaling. General clean-up

A. You can change the sheet size in page setup. Then you have to move the contents of the LO file to center on the smaller page as you want (do this with a copy of the LO file). I tested printing to pdf. Of course if you have a large solid SU window or object it will cover the smaller page on screen, but it's doable by making a rectangle to represent the page and checking under "Pages" window. B. LO changes the printable area by the page setup window so there is no direct "reduce to fit option". What's not on the white space won't print, on Mac anyway. You can print to pdf full size then print to a smaller sheet in "Preview" or "Acrobat". In other programs I would find that I could adjust the percent scale in Page Setup and the smaller page would encompass more of the image. Adjusting the scale in page setup doesn't seem to do anything in LO.

The style syncing seems to have been the problem. Upgraded anyway. Thanks.

I would suggest you spend some time reading the help files. You'll probably learn a lot about LayOut that way. In a nutshell, though, you can scale your SU views in LO in the SketchUp Model inspector if the camera is set to Parallel Projection for that scene. Yes, you can create your own templates. Make the needed set ups in a LO file and, as in SketchUp, go to File>Save as Template. The yellow exclamation mark indicates the sketchUp view needs to be rendered. Right click and choose Render or hit the Render button in the SketchUp Model inspector.

Printing from layout is slow. I always generate my pdf, then print.

Sonder, Thanks for the reponse. It only happens with the layer toggled to appear on all sheets. I can turn the visibility on or off but when closing the file it doesnt save the visibiliy. What I have done is gone back to having layers appear on a single sheet (like a construction grid) and copy it to the sheets I want, that seems to work OK. Thanks

Thank you very much, you've all been a big help. And now finally i can use sketchup for drafting, except from modelling.