SketchUp 2016 Wishlist

eneroth3 · 6 Dec 2014, 18:26

What about not adding new native tools that are similar to the existing and might be confusing to new users? One of the best things with Sketchup is that you can just launch it and start using it by guessing what tools do based on their icons. All other 3d modelers and lots and lots of the image editors I've tried are absolutely impossible to do anything at all with without having another person that already kinows the program tellig you what to do. By keeping down the number of tools users easier understand what they all do and start learning how to combine them. Cylindes, cubes etc are easily created with circles, rectangles and npush pull.

jeff hammond · 6 Dec 2014, 19:16

@eneroth3 said:

What about not adding new native tools that are similar to the existing and might be confusing to new users?

what happens when they aren't new users anymore?

move on to more capable apps or be happy that they weren't confused 5 years ago when first opening the application?
(even though in all reality, they were confused when first opening)

there's definitely a trade-off which needs to happen in sketchup.. after all, it's "3D for everyone".. i get that.. but to say 'no new tools' is leaning a bit too far to the wrong side (imo)

driven · 6 Dec 2014, 19:27

@jeff hammond said:

... but to say 'no new tools' is leaning a bit too far to the wrong side (imo)

I read it as nothaving 3 options for e.g. 'arc', but having 3 separate 'arc' tools...

but maybe I read it wrong...
john

eneroth3 · 6 Dec 2014, 19:47

I think more options for existing tools are great but too many but high number of similar tools might be confusing. Also push-pull is the foundation of most Sketchup modeling so introducing users to that as early as possible might be better than having seperate box and cylinder tools.

jeff hammond · 6 Dec 2014, 19:57

@eneroth3 said:

. Also push-pull is the foundation of most Sketchup modeling so introducing users to that as early as possible might be better than having seperate box and cylinder tools.

oh.. were you responding to someone's wish in the thread stating 'put box/cylinder/etc tools in sketchup"?

if so, i agree with you.. leave those out

eneroth3 · 7 Dec 2014, 10:29

@jeff hammond said:

@eneroth3 said:

. Also push-pull is the foundation of most Sketchup modeling so introducing users to that as early as possible might be better than having seperate box and cylinder tools.

oh.. were you responding to someone's wish in the thread stating 'put box/cylinder/etc tools in sketchup"?

if so, i agree with you.. leave those out

I was thinking more generally but those 2 are the best examples. I might have beena bit unclear yesterday because I was quite tired but what I meant is that the large and small toolset should be kept as simple as possible. New tools in their own toolbar such as the solid tools are great (more of that please!) but too many tool icons visible when starting the program for the first time makes it a lot harder to learn.

Speaking of cylinders and boxes specifically there is a plugin by the Sketchup team for this already.

Anton_S · 7 Dec 2014, 10:45

I wish for better graphic effects: shaders, sun, sky, stars, clouds, and better fog!

I bet SU will attract million users with natural visual effects.

jeff hammond · 7 Dec 2014, 13:25

@eneroth3 said:

I was thinking more generally but those 2 are the best examples. I might have beena bit unclear yesterday because I was quite tired but what I meant is that the large and small toolset should be kept as simple as possible. New tools in their own toolbar such as the solid tools are great (more of that please!) but too many tool icons visible when starting the program for the first time makes it a lot harder to learn.

yeah, I see what you're saying. when I tried bonzai3D a few years ago, it had 3 different selection tools all under one selection icon.. thought that was pretty weird/confusing.

@Anton.. I think it's already attracted smthng like 40million people

ccaponigro · 7 Dec 2014, 16:18

Schedules Schedules Schedules...with attribute extraction and automatic updates.

schnydix · 7 Dec 2014, 19:41

A Polygon descaler without destroying the texture.
i importet some animals from 3ds for my zoo no way to navigate with the models.
Other programms can handle millions of polygons and stay liquid includet Shadows and so.
Dear Devalopers out there we have the jear 2014 speed up SU min 200 Times is realy possible
with up to date hardware.
esense3d

james49 · 13 Dec 2014, 16:17

Export ALL layers to dwg.
Export hidden lines as vector lines.

james49 · 13 Dec 2014, 16:38

Export real circles to dwg.

TIG · 13 Dec 2014, 20:33

@james49 said:

Export real circles to dwg.
If you export a 3d DWG/DXF - then its Arcs and Circles ARE true CAD equivalents: also its Layers are respected.
In an equivalent 2d export to DWG/DXF any Arcs and Circles are segmented - and also everything is moved onto Layer 0...
It's a basic 'life-style choice' - either 2d-graphic or 3d-geometry...

bsfranza · 14 Jan 2015, 10:02

one real simple thing that bugs me for years now...

_the esc key should NOT close any of the windows like entities layer etc...
in a usual workflow you have that windows open but need to use the esc key alot for escaping nested groups components etc... so every once in while i close on of the windows which is just well .. argh=)

_other then that bring back the save toolbar options

_more advanced use of opengl would be mega cool..may it be working and faster transparencies ..- intel had a nice tech paper about that already some years ago... or soft shadows or whatever..

_inside layout match the standart keybord shortcuts from su

_last one would be a big plus for enabling plugins for layout..

greetings

TommyK · 15 Jan 2015, 10:34

I would like one addition to an existing tool:

The scale tool - currently scales by a factor.

I wish:
- That it can be scaled by absolute distance. It would work thus:

You scale some objects, and to get it accurate, you type into the VCB how much you want to scale by:

scale by number only (eg. [2.5]) - it scales by factor alone, as happens now.
scale by number followed by a dimension unit (eg [300mm], [1'], [12"], [0.3m]), it "scales" by the absolute dimension.

That addition would feel quite sketchupy to me. It would save me time by not having to draw a construction line before a scale.

Box · 15 Jan 2015, 10:59

Tommy, it does do that, if I understand what you are saying.
Grab the middle scale handle and pull then type 1.67m and it will scale to that.

Rich O Brien · 15 Jan 2015, 11:07

@box

makes me think he is referring to a new method.

Similar to the absolute input for the line tool eg [3',6',9']

but the 4th input has me puzzled?

baz · 15 Jan 2015, 11:14

I think he means: want to scale object to 300mm? , input : 0.3m.
Which as you both point out, SU does already.

Box · 15 Jan 2015, 11:58

It's the Square bracket that has me wondering.
Either Tommy will go D'oh or we will.

TommyK · 16 Jan 2015, 12:24

@box said:

Tommy, it does do that, if I understand what you are saying.
Grab the middle scale handle and pull then type 1.67m and it will scale to that.

DOH!

BTW - you can ignore the square brackets

I didn't know this. I tried it out and looks great (since when did this feature exist?). However, it doesn't quite do what I had in mind. So to save face, I amend my original wish:

I wish:

That it can be scaled by adding/subtracting absolute distance. It would work thus:

You scale some objects, and to get it accurate, you type into the VCB how much (add or subtract) you want to scale by:

scale by number only (eg. [2.5]) - it scales by factor (tick)
scale by number followed by dimension (eg. [2.5m]) - it scales the entire object to that dimension (tick)
- scale by adding or subtracting dimension unit (eg [-300mm], [+300mm]) - it scales the object by adding/subtracting the inputted dimension to/from the original size.

I realise that [-300mm] would clash with the current interpretation of that inputted text. Perhaps [--300mm] would work? Maybe confusing.

In any case, if this feature existed, I think I would use it more than scaling the entire object to an absolute dimension.