If you are disciplined enough you can turn of your auto-save. Before you do, check to see that it is actually the file save slowing you down. It is going to happen if you have complicated geometry and many texture images. Opening another SU session will either crash your box or slow you down to dead stop.

this is an old explanation about observers, but still relevant... @unknownuser said: Observer is one of a set of new Ruby classes provided as part of SketchUp 6.0. "The Ruby Observer Mechanism is designed to allow Ruby scripts to be notified when objects change in the SketchUp application or model. For example, you can create an observer class that "listens" to when SketchUp quits and then performs some action." "Create a Ruby class of a specific observer type, such as AppObserver, override the desired methods, such as onQuit, and add an instance of the observer to the applicable objects in your Ruby script (using the add_observer method for that object). Refer to individual observer interfaces for further information." There are 16 observers, to run routines when various things happen to the model, entities, etc. A lot of plugins use observers to speed up their response time when in use, others monitor your every action and 'take notes'... If a plugin is watching for new materials, new geometry or new layers, etc... it can really slow down any imports... some have 'on save model' observers that check for changes each time you save or autosave your model... if you do a search for 'Sketchup Observers' you'll find lots of posts about issues of clashing and failing... john

Absolutely no offence taken - it was indeed in my (mis)understanding of what I was seeing. It is now much clearer, and your clarification just sets out very well what I clumsily sort-of-worked-out by experiment and observation in a variety of cases. I think I was further confused when Chris's plugin seemed to be getting the same unexpected results as I was, and by a rotation I was doing of a view.draw_polyline about the reported face.normal which seemed to be visually wrong - it was actually rotating the polyline in the face plane, about an axis apparently NOT visually normal to it! However, since the only thing that was really bothering me was that when I tried to do a view.draw_line for the normal, it was in the wrong direction, I now understand why, and have fixed it. Thanks again for your helpful comments. Has anyone ever done a Tutorial about programming Ruby Tools in SU? I haven't found one, and have done almost all my learning from reading the sample code for CLineTool, and reading and re-reading the API documentation, which is very thin on real world examples and sample outputs. It's been hard work, though ultimately I've got something that now works for rectangular profiles. Next challenge - to extend it to arbitrary profiles of mouldings. A bit like a simpler version of the Profile Builder plugin from Dale Martin and SMustard - indeed, perhaps in comparison just a poor thing, but mine own, as one of Shakespeare's characters says.

Displaying layered transparencies is a bit harder (more calculations) for render engines. Have you tried changing the style settings to transparency - nicer ?

SDmitch slection tool is just the thing I need.. The S4U's selection tool is way too good... Couldnt believe I missed them, could have saved me lots of precious time. Thanks Box & Unearthed...

nice idea Shep

Excellent! Seasons greetings to you, too.

Well I ended up exported XML in Twilight and then altered the material.

this can be done with the standard sketchup system too... you can split a model into components and then have a folder where the components are stored. you'll need to be strict with checkout of the components or have them assigned to certain individuals though. then the large project model can have the components updated to show revisions or changes. Though I'm sure the plugins will help greatly in this arena.

Search this forum for the voxelize plugin. It's also in the PluginStore.

Get the pro version of SketchUp and do it in LayOut. It would be ideal for that. Or use different image exports from SU and put them together in an image editor. If you're going to stick to doing it directly in SketchUp, it sounds like you've already worked out the solution.

Hi everyone. My problem is about Export to Autocad. I draw my project in Sketchup and I export to Autocad with 2d. When I use in Sketchup, Export>2d>Autocad lots of line seems. Can you help me pls? [image: Sketchup Export Options] [image: When export to autocad.] There is my sketchup file.

Nice! Thank you! This will come in handy for sure.

Thanks Mac1, I´ve already solved the issue with adblock. This site became much slower now though for some reason.

I agree with steve that your best option is to upgrade SU to v15... if you really want to go back on the os, I would go no further then Mavericks... One thing you could try is un-install the faulty SU and move a copy of the working version from the other mac... it may work... john

Thanks! Starting to understand how this works now.

Sometimes we overlook the simplest means. Thank you.

@jethies said: Can I render inside of Sketchup with a trial version?...Do I need a render plugin to render inside the program? some views in SkecthUp are 'rendered'... you can add/modify materials, turn on shadows/fog, use a variety of styles... but it's does not have internal photo rendering without a additional plugin. you can export with materials using a variety of formats... john

Lofting! That's the word I needed to remember... now what was I asking about? Oh yeah; curviloft by Fredo. Does a lot of astonishing things and I might even be able to work out how to control which one it does for me http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=248195#p248195

Thanks Box, that did it! Also made it very obvious that I had a few faces reversed.