[REQ] SketchUp LOCK
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Does anyone know if a SketchUp "LOCK" ruby exists, or whether one can be made? The idea being to disable a SU drawing so it can not be modified.
Alternatively, is there a SU veiwer that can veiw SketchUp models, retain and enable adjustment of shadow settings, and also the annimation settings.
This would be very helpful when submitting shading diagrams for approval to other parties.
Your thoughts would be appreciated..thanks
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SKETCHUP LOCK,
I know you can lock groups and components in SU, but is it possible to lock the whole file so it can only be viewed with certain toolbars remaining operationable? This has been covered before but on the Google site, and the answer was that Google didnt want to do this(I think)as it when against Googles policy to have all models freely distributed..blah blah..blah...
However when dealing with the bureaucrats (when seeking approval to obtain permission to build)sometimes passing on a SU file can be very dangerous, as it is so very easy to modilfy the location of the building/s etc, which can often effect shading lines on adjacent properties etc..and in turn effect the outcome of the job.
IF this is possible some toolbars could remain open to adjust ie the Views, Shadows, Camera, Section, Walk, and tapemeasure toolbars could all remain functionable?
OR/ Is there a free program which can views SU files (other than the SU viewer) and also retains shadow information etc.
There is Hypercosm, but dont you need to have SU pro to view anyway, which defeats the purpose? I havent looked into this so maybe someone its possible. -
It would be nice but no. There isn't a way to lock a SKetchUp model to prevent others from modifying it. There is a viewer but if someone has downloaded the free version, they can change what you send them. The alternative is to send them image files, a PDF or an animation.
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Or you can use the 3D warehouse, have a look here http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=271&t=13047
Mike
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YEs, you could put the model on 3DW but once it is downloaded onto a computer with SketchUp, it can be modified. The sharing/collaboration thing only controls whether or not you give someone else the ability to overwrite your file on 3DW with their version of it.
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I know its not really a solution, but to make messing around with your model a lot harder you can always explode everything and then explode all the curves in the model.
This makes it near impossible to do anything too serious with it, especially for large models.
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Remus, you're bad. I like it.
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haha and for good measure intersect everything after exploding and rotate by half a degree
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With Observers put directly into the Model it would be possible for a script to watch for actions other than simple viewing ones like Pan/Zoom/Print/etc [e.g. Save/Save_as/Copy/Paste/etc etc] then the script would auto-close the Model with a warning dialog - '...Naughty, naughty...'. Unfortunately you'd need an associated script to do this. You could issue you SKP [set to be 'read-only' on it's 'export'] rolled up within an installer [PC or Mac versions] that would also put the observer script disceetly into the plugins, before opening the file... Clearly it's readily hackable - changing the SKP from 'read-only' and (re)moving the script avoids the issue...
Perhaps in future versions of SUp a 'make-read-only[with-password]' flag could be set on export/saving so you could protect your intellectual property...
.
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I haven't tried the 3D Warehouse collabaration, but according to Gaieus here http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=13176&start=30 you can also control who gets to download your model so you wouldn't have to worry about anyone making any modifications.
Mike
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Can you not use the SketchUp Viewer?
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@tig said:
With Observers put directly into the Model it would be possible for a script to watch for actions other than simple viewing ones like Pan/Zoom/Print/etc [e.g. Save/Save_as/Copy/Paste/etc etc] then the script would auto-close the Model with a warning dialog - '...Naughty, naughty...'. Unfortunately you'd need an associated script to do this. You could issue you SKP [set to be 'read-only' on it's 'export'] rolled up within an installer [PC or Mac versions] that would also put the observer script disceetly into the plugins, before opening the file... Clearly it's readily hackable - changing the SKP from 'read-only' and (re)moving the script avoids the issue...
Perhaps in future versions of SUp a 'make-read-only[with-password]' flag could be set on export/saving so you could protect your intellectual property...
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Tig,
IMO your solution sounds a little too much like putting a virus to the recipient's computer...
Also, the protection would probably not survive exporting the model to some other format and importing it back - maybe even not saving the model to an earlier version of SU.
Until Google implements a read-only version for the SKP file format, I would use a 3D PDF or a series of still images, or a panorama image file.
It is the same with CAD software too. AutoCad, for instance, only has a password protection to prevent/enable the opening of the file.
Anssi
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Isn't it enough to just set the file to Read Only from Explorer? That or SketchUp Viewer? Just seems like a bit of overkill with all this other stuff. Or am I missing something?
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@thomthom said:
Isn't it enough to just set the file to Read Only from Explorer? That or SketchUp Viewer? Just seems like a bit of overkill with all this other stuff. Or am I missing something?
You can always "save as" after setting that - or copy all the geometry and paste it into a new file.
Even if that's disabled somehow, you can always export a model into some format and then import into another model so it is not so easy.
Some solution would be to create another format (like pps for PowerPoint presentation only) which could only be viewed in the SU Viewer where you obviously cannot export or save from.
But everything can be cracked.
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I saw this software a while back in a CAD magazine and contacted the company to see if there was any planned future support for Sketchup. I was basically told there was not enough of a request for it. They did say if there was enough interest it might be something they would consider supporting. I do know people who use it and swear by it. If you like what you see please write them as I would also love a way to have far more security control of designs after they are sent out.
http://www.pinionsoftware.com/Products/Overview.php
Scott
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