Ok thanks for the information - at least I know now it is not my fault which is usually the case. @tig said: OR... use my tool http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=HolePunchTool to add associated reveal geometry to a hole-cutting component... I'll check that out.

If it helps after so long, here's the model with the Simplified Chinese text intact. reedplates-text.skp

Well, if you are patient enough, it finally worked. I think it is just the size of the model that made it run so long. I found the offending part and am in the process of fixing it..........

You are right about trying to use it on Linux. I will be loading a Win Os within the next few days. Sketchup will probably be the only reason I install Windows. For now I will try to uninstall it on linux and reinstall later. BTW is that a Tasmanian Tiger??? Thanks for your help! Rich

The 2D image export in Skup (Win) is always related to your used width-height ratio of your SkUp viewport - yes, this is very annoying. I also have this problem very often when colleagues work with my files. If you render with any external renderer or any render plugin that all doesn´t matter since you're free to set your desired certain aspect ratio. For exporting single images within SketchUp Pro (Win) you can use the Animation Export. There you are free to set your aspect ratio, regardless of your current Skup viewport sice. Within the animation export you choose export "image series" (I don´t know the English naming here) instead of choosing export "animation"... (Unfortunately, this export function does not have the possibility to control antialiasing) I hope this evasion helps... PS: I do not know how SkUp(Mac) behaves in this matter [image: FldD_Animationsexportoptionen.jpg]

Or try these ones, Bruce. I made them last week in Xara which has some cool options for altering line types.... DASHED-light.style DASHED-Medium.style DASHED-Heavy.style

Toposhaper by Fredo6 ?

@oceanembers said: I wonder if there's a plugin to give all containers the default material? There is a plugin that takes the material out of instances (components/groups) paints the faces directly with it in one go. That would solve it... It also has a lot of other practical but dangerous tools: Thomthom's Material Tools

@juju said: will something like this be of help? http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=normal_map_maker That is pretty cool but it's for normal maps wich are usually created for rendering. I believe this has something to do with real maps (topography, geography, that sort of stuff)... Are your maps color coded somehow? There is a color to height plugin somewhere but I don't think it would be accurate enough for what you need.

Thank you, That is very helpful. All the best

I uninstalled my license to transfer it to my new computer, but the "license has been used on too many computers" popped up. I always make sure I uninstall my license when I move from PC to PC. I'm worried that they'll respond to me by giving me a link to purchase more seats. how did this happen? did it not notify the servers that I uninstalled my license? Rich

For a glue / hole cutting component the blue is always that way--it won't work otherwise. Or you could do this: Make another component of the jambs that will be inside the main window cutting component. Be sure to leave the edges in the main cutting component that describe the cutting outline. Reset the axis for the jamb component how you like and texture. I usually make window components that are just the cutting edges plus various nested components. that way any part can be switched out or modified without wrecking the main cutting component. If that is really not easy to change the texture, then get a texture plugin like Fredo's thru-paint, but I suspect the answer is to make the first prototype window right and you have it right from then on. if this isn't the answer, perhaps you can post a sample problem file

I did check my plugin, but I can't reconstruct the control points, because I use a direct formula for Cubic Bezier. It would require significant work to modify the algorithm (patch of Bezier curves). Why do you need the control points in your game? Fredo

So that's a 'no solution' for #2 for now. Kind of relieving though. I thought it was me..... Thanks for your reply!

You should be installing it using the SCF Plugin Store tool so the files get put in their proper locations. Or, at the very least, download the RBZ file and use Install Extension. I think you should be able to clear the Temp folder entries.

reinstalled and install from SU now.

Thank you. I can sleep now.

Everything is working nicely now, thanks for the help and suggestions. I installed 8 first, then 2015. I can just double click on a model if I want to open it in 8 (I still save all my work as 8, for various reasons), or just right click on it and select Open with Sketchup 2015 when I want that. I use my C drive only for the OS and programs, so I wasn't worried about all my Sketchup stuff (actually that's what it's called, Sketchup Stuff, my largest folder, 265GB, 347,927 files, 9,769 folders) or anything else, just some of the stuff on my Desktop. I had some folders there that would have been almost impossible to rebuild from scratch, plus there was my Thunderbird Local Folders file (144 local folders). I was really lucky to find a program that let me recover all that stuff. I guess I was getting complacent, I never had a hard drive crash so completely like this one, I was always able to pretty easily save the files I needed when a drive started going South. Now I include such files in my backup plan. I tried a number of backup programs before I found Syncback Pro, been using it for years now and it works really great. I can setup a new profile in a minute or two. I too use a 1TB WD black for my backups, only connected to the computer when I do my backups. I also regularly backup to my backup computer, which also has a 1TB WD Black which is connected when I do backups. Plus, everything is backed up to my laptop. So I think I'm pretty much covered there. Backups of my backups everywhere. Yeah, I are a bit paranoid. I never have more that one computer connected to the internet at a time, and only when necessary (I only use hard-wired modems and routers, and I have them connected to the AC through remote controlled outlets, so I just click a button to connect to the internet and click again to disconnect, no sense giving the bad guys any more of a target than I have to ) I might give an SSD another try eventually. I've been eying the Samsung 850 Pro 512GB (MZ-7KE512BW), not cheap but looks promising. Maybe I'll just let the technology cook for a couple more years. Anyhow, thanks again for the help. Much appreciated

@pbacot said: a "remove lonely vertex" plugin should clean it up. e.g. CleanUp³ by Thomthom. If they are not coplanar and not welded, you can have a look at Thomthoms select curve plugin.

Driven, im surprised. I like very much how i set the button/focus accessibility on my system and havent suspected that feature to interfere with SU. Its like you said: turned off, Su behaves again like expected. Thanks for helping.