@davidboulder said: If your model is simple architectural shape, but with a lot of underlying detail. You could export jpegs and then make a photo-matched version. Can add in as little or much detail as you would like. If you want to get more accurate textures then instead of appying through PhotoMatch, you can jsut export matching elevations and use those to texture yoru building. That's a funny method. Wouldn't really work when using photoreal render software... I think Google could add 'proxy objects' to their export routines. The Render engine developers would be happy. It would be nice if Sketchup would provide these developers with a better platform to code their apps. (Or make Sketchup itself adapted to cope with higher poly objects...)

Chris, That is exactly what I was looking for! You just introduced me to styles, I will need to play with these now. I would never have looked there, thank you! Adam

Anssi, I wish I would have thought of that....great solution! Will try all those tricks, Thank you. David, The time has come for me to learn Layout. Excited about hybrid mode too. SketchUp has completely changed the way i work and expanded my abilities as a designer. Can't wait to see what Layout can do. Thanks for helping.

Well in case it can help someone else out, I got it to work by exporting to a preferences.dat file then importing that file. Somehow that made it work so go figure...it's just nice to have my shortcuts back.

Here's a free one, just used it today. It's faceflattener019.rb http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=10599&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=face+flattener -Brodie

You can find it here: http://sketchup.google.com/download/previousplugins.html It was written for V.5 and is pretty long in the tooth, but still works in 7. You need to place both the Camera.rb file and the folder called Previs in your plugins folder You will then find the options in the Camera Menu to "select camera type" and "create camera" along with a few other options.

The method depends on if you have 3d, or 2d CAD files. If 3d, then the polylines must be turned into SU surfaces. If the file is 2d, then it must be assembled into a 3d model after importing, then converted into surfaces. If in either case the CAD drawing is made up of 3D Faces (connected polylines, 3 to 4 coplaner sides), then each face will import as a surface. Yes you can import the file as a component, and use it as a reference, or for parts to build your model.

@unknownuser said: then perhaps you are on Vista without Admin rights and the system has shunted them into a compatibility sub-folder ? I found this an unexpected Vista issue with SU for components and templates, but I think from his profile he is using XP which should not be an issue (providing he has not setup different user accounts with different permissions). I wonder if he is using the 'save as' in the component browser to save it to his own directory outside of the SU Components folder (in program files), and is not then either moving the directory into the SU components directory, or not loading it as an external library.

Hi Burkhard, hi folks. I tried with SU 6 and SU 7 and the Rectangle Tool adjust to the new axes. Just ideas.

Hi Joseph (and welcome), Have a look at this topicwhere there are two different solutions - except that it's a wine bottle.

@al hart said: @unknownuser said: ...As an aside - Is anyone aware of a good way to develop applications for Windows and Mac at the same time? Does the Mircosoft .NET tool do this, or is there some other tool we should use? afaik .NET is Windows only very common in this area is Qt from Nokia (formerly Trolltech) hth, Norbert

Also, even if ou upgrade, you can go on with your old projects in SU 6 to make sure there is no problem.

About rocks you will find some ideas here

PM me with details, I will see how i can help.

I guess it could be done with DC's (not that I could do it )

Fran, The problem of face selection seems to spawn from earlier ATI Catalyst drivers - simply update to current version (8.11) and the problem is fixed. Without any hardware acceleration this problem shouldn't occur (which indicates, Fran, that you already have a graphics card?)

@remus said: Could i ask what a global is? It's like an infinite plane or a skyglobe background image. Thrax; watermark are the only "real" solution for globals in SU unless you want to build a skydome of real geometry around your model and apply some sky texture for instance. I can imagine that many of the models you've seen were applied some post processing in PS or such.

Okay, glad to hear that (and indee the best way to learn and never forget again) but for the sake of others, could you share the olution?

So, Ref; Default layer zero; It's a greedy DEFAULT layer that you cannot delete ... zero cannot delete anything, or move its contents into your current layer. Solution; - Keep the 'entity info' window where you can see her. (Always! ... not unlike 'properties' in AutoCAD) Ditto layers window. Again, always there. So: Go to your model; define components by select-dragging top left to bottom right over just one component. Go to your newly opened 'entity-info' window and click on the drop-down arrow, by layer, and choose the (appropriate) layer, (Not Zero,) With each. If in doubt - go to Layers and type in an 'add' to make a descriptive layer. You'll see what we mean when you get there. But just in case it's even more complicated ... maybe you have inherent components that are not entirely sure which layer they belong; If you don't mind exploding and re-componenting (although expensive on file size,) the ultimate fail-safe is to have absolutely everything in the layer you want; if its got confused; 'explode' and re-layer. Anyway, ref your question; Is there logic re secondary layer ... yes.

Thanks. I forgot to mention, I put a better version of it in the Scripting forum (Plugin - Surface Plotter). Among other things it fills in the surfaces bounded by the lines. I am also working on a plugin that can do parametric surfaces (like spheres, spirals, etc.)