A Welcome Message to New SketchUcation Members

Godmonkey · 9 Aug 2010, 21:00

Greeting!

Not new to sketch up, But i have lots to learn. I have come here to learn a lot more about this seemingly powerful program.

I and a tinkerer of sorts and find pleasure in modding computer cases. I'm a moderator on at forum that is aimed at modding computers.

After some searching expect to find me chiming in with questions and perhaps a few answers!

Thanks a bunch
GM

Mike Segroves · 11 Aug 2010, 15:36

Good Morning All:

Not new to SketchUp either, using for about 4 years on and off, but working to integrate it more into our design work.

Starting off, if someone could point me to a subforum where SU/ACAD workstation configurations are discussed, it'd be much appreciated. The Dell Precision M4300 runs SUPro7 well, but I'm looking into getting a work station that will be dedicated to the heavy end of modeling & rendering.

DreadedOne509 · 20 Aug 2010, 18:51

Hi all, names Ray, retired Army with more time on my hands than I know what to do with.
Always been interested in 3D, architecture, drawing, CGI and the like. Had v4 a long time
ago (think it was 4 anyways) and enjoyed messing with it but couldn't get past the
'beginner' stage back then. Re-found SketchUp 7 just recently and so far have enjoyed playing with it and
seeing what a lot of you all can do with it.

Looking forward to learning from you all.

-Ray

(I have real thick skin, if I post anything by all means critique honestly)

redfred · 21 Aug 2010, 03:13

hi all,

totally new to skp..using ver 7..
hope i can learn & get more info here..

thanks in advance..

mitcorb · 21 Aug 2010, 03:34

If you have been observing any prior to posting you will note that this is the friendliest, most helpful forum on the planet or above the planet or around the planet. Welcome. Many are here to help because many have helped them. Now, why would anyone want to do that?

d12dozr · 25 Aug 2010, 21:39

Welcome, Jay! Great post there

@unknownuser said:

...
So to rendering and animation, materials (and animated materials), light sources, bump maps, UV mapping, and other such. I have gathered a list of products to look into (in no particular order), of which I've already played with a few: IDXrender, Podium, V-Ray, Piranesi, Shaderlight, Kerkythea, Thea Render, fryrender, Indigo Renderer, Irender nXt, Silex, Artlantis, LuxRender, LightUp, and Vue.

The final output doesn't have to be quite at the level of photo realistic, since by the subject matter people will know it's not really photography (and some of the products only exist as models anyhow). Still, the closer the better.

About that list: I'd be glad to hear of something I've overlooked (via pm would be good, but suit yourself).

For animation I've been poking around with Proper Animation, SketchyPhysics, and Sketch Talk++ with Ruby Console Pro - mainly focusing on SketchyPhysics. I'm surely open to suggestion on those too...

Have you looked at Twilight Render? It will actually render SketchyPhysics animations, which is a unique ability among Sketchup renderers I believe. See this post for an excellent example

carlm · 28 Aug 2010, 21:07

Hi - I'm a woodworker, pretty new to SU. I think I'm having an "if I knew what it was called I could look it up" problem; it has to have been asked and answered a zilllion times but...

If I design, for example, a table -- all the joinery, dimensions, etc. -- and then my client wants it to be shorter/wider/taller/whatever, how do I insert/remove a slice from the middle? If I use the Scaling tool, everything stretches or compresses, so if for example I make it longer, the legs go oblong, the end overhangs increase, even the end aprons get thicker in proportion...

I think I want to create two section planes and then move them together or apart, but maybe that's how wome other program does it.

Thanks, -Carl-

Gaieus · 28 Aug 2010, 21:26

Hi Carl and welcome to SCF!

The Move tool will be the one to use here (maybe in different, separate steps however).

With a left-to-right selection box, select one half of the table (in my example). This way you will only select what is fully and completely inside the selection box.

See how only things on that side are selected - now with the Move tool, start stretching (or shrinking) the middle part. Make sure to do this along a convenient direction (like an axis in my example).

You can lock the Move tool on the axes with the arrow keys;
left = green,
Right = red,
up/down = blue.

Then there is always Fredoscale of course but first learn it the native, SketchUp way...:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=17948

carlm · 28 Aug 2010, 21:48

Gai- Thanks! In action this doesn't look like it should work, but it's exactly what I needed! I expect I missed this in the tutorials last summer... Locking the movement direction really helps to avoid 'unexpected' results! Thanks again, -Carl-

dealduck · 30 Aug 2010, 05:19

Hi, I introduce zalie from Indonesia and want to know much about the Sketchup ... yes please be guided

georgeo · 6 Sept 2010, 13:54

Hello everyone, I'm called George desenhiosta designer furniture. I'm new to forum and want to learn a lot with you. Thanks Gustavo

NicolasM · 8 Sept 2010, 14:39

Hello !

I'm new to SU and already having problems

You can visit my models at http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?viewer=0318254298444948657821582&scoring=m

Shears,
Nico.

TIG · 9 Sept 2010, 20:49

@nicolasm said:

Hello !
I'm new to SU and already having problems
You can visit my models at http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?viewer=0318254298444948657821582&scoring=m
Nico.

Ask some specific questions and we'll try to help you...

ALFRED · 17 Sept 2010, 19:56

Hello! My name is Pavel, from Russia. I am a new user of this forum, and me am very difficult to be guided here as english I know isn't very good yet. Say me please, in what topic would be possible to ask a question on a plugin which to me it would be desirable to use or offer idea about creation of a certain plug-in to the advanced users writing plug-ins? I am not able to work yet with it.

Gaieus · 20 Sept 2010, 08:23

Hi Pavel and welcome!

I am not sure what exactly you want; a plug-in to help write an(other) plug-in???

zitoun · 21 Sept 2010, 20:17

Hello there !

I'm currently trying to have a miniature plane flying in front of the camera in a small room (Airfix Dogfighter like...) and I'd like to thank a lot Pixero and Fredo whose work is VERY handy.

I manage to have some kind of nice curve for my camera motion, I now need to see how I will animate my plane relatively to the camera... Scripts is the way to do that, I think.

Anyway, thanks a lot and continue the good work !

stada · 22 Sept 2010, 11:49

Hi there!

For an introduction you could go to the Official SU blog, since I am the most recent "Featured Modeler" in this blog. I was watching an online video about the Sketchup Basecamp (I dream to be there once). In the speech this SketchUcation site was mentioned. I had been visiting it already but registrated only today.
I am a fanatic Geo-modeler but want to learn more about rendering and Ruby things as well.
For dutch SUpers: I have a weblog.

Thanks,
Dick Stada

Gaieus · 22 Sept 2010, 12:40

Hi Dick and welcome! Nice to have some more geo-modellers aboard!

We have a dedicated "GE Subforum" under the main SU Forum if you are interested.

ALFRED · 22 Sept 2010, 21:58

@gaieus said:

Hi Pavel and welcome!

I am not sure what exactly you want; a plug-in to help write an(other) plug-in???

I would like to express idea in a topic, but I do not know what, and whether there is it, on a writing of plug-ins pluginsmakers for a writing of those plug-ins, hope you me understood? Thanks.

Gaieus · 22 Sept 2010, 22:12

Okay, I think I understand. You have an idea and would like to ask if somebody could write a plugin for that.

I think best would be to go to the Plugins Forum and start a new topic with the [REQUEST] word in the subject. Just like this one for example:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=30931