SketchUp 2016 Wishlist

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 19:02

This might have been already discussed somewhere but I find a bit weird the way Sketchup displays colours of surfaces. It uses the different shades of the same colour for surfaces at different angles to your view and this is OK and normal as it gives you a clue about 3D aspect of your model. But I find that contrast between those shades is exaggerated. I got used to it (though never entirely) but not once happened that the client stared at the darker shade of a certain colour asking to change it - not realizing it's the same colour he/she likes/sees on the other surface!

See the image. (For those ones who want to check it: RGB - 222, 230, 255)

P.S. Actually, none of these shades are close enough to the original as the frontal surface is too bright. And don't try to apply shadows too this...

driven · 3 Apr 2015, 19:26

@aureus said:

... But I find that contrast between those shades is exaggerated. ...

you can adjust the contrast, what do you have it set at?
john

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 19:36

Good to know, where's that option? (SU2014)

I know to adjust it for shadows (Shadow Settings - Light, Dark) .

driven · 3 Apr 2015, 19:48

I think you want "UseSunForAllShading" unchecked in the 'Shadow Settings' dialog...
toggle it and you can see the difference of your 'Light/Dark' choices better, set 'View' >> 'Shadows' off when you do it...

john

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 19:56

@driven said:

I think you want "UseSunForAllShading" unchecked in the 'Shadow Settings' dialog...
toggle it and you can see the difference of your 'Light/Dark' choices better, set 'View' >> 'Shadows' off when you do it...

john

John, the image was from the SU model which has all that what you say. "UseSunForAllShading" was unchecked and the shadows were off. If on - all the surfaces would be pretty dark thanks to that 'overhanging'.

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 19:57

Actually, you were right, there's a way to fix it. The "UseShadowForShading" should be CHECKED but "Shadows" should be OFF (View-Shadows-Off).

And DARK level should have much more value than LIGHT (in this case meaning less contrast). Upon installing SU it's usually vice versa /Light-80, Dark-45/ though it should be different: more like about Light-45 (or 30), Dark-80.

An interesting combination.

Thanks.

driven · 3 Apr 2015, 20:38

I normally set it in ruby code so I should of checked ...
I set it to gives me an unshaded 'green screen' view when exporting images...

john

driven · 3 Apr 2015, 20:55

@aureus said:

Does having "UseSunDorAllShading" checked all the time slow down work in any way?

I don't think it's as bad as 'Shadows'...
btw.. I removed my code block because I'm still deciding on the final setting's, 100 100 is probably better for zero shadows...
would you mind deleting it from your reply?
john

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 21:02

@driven said:

I normally set it in ruby code so I should of checked ...

           Sketchup.active_model.rendering_options["BackgroundColor"] = (Sketchup;;Color.new(0,255,0,255))
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["UseSunForAllShading"] = true
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["DisplayOnGroundPlane"] = false
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["DisplayOnAllFaces"] = false
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["DisplayShadows"] = false
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["Dark"]  = 100
>                     Sketchup.active_model.shadow_info["Light"] = 0
>                     Sketchup.active_model.rendering_options["EdgeDisplayMode"] = 0

gives me an unshaded 'green screen' view when exporting images...

john

Anyway, you're obviously much more into this than me. Does having "UseSunDorAllShading" checked all the time slow down work in any way?

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 21:13

@driven said:

@aureus said:

Does having "UseSunDorAllShading" checked all the time slow down work in any way?

I don't think it's as bad as 'Shadows'...
btw.. I removed my code block because I'm still deciding on the final setting's, 100 100 is probably better for zero shadows...
would you mind deleting it from your reply?
john

Surely not that bad but if does slow down work, then better to be unchecked with large models prior final exporting images. As for large models and smooth work - I skipped SU2013 but when I installed 2014 I noticed a very nice difference compared to SU8: one big file which took SU 203 seconds to open was an easy task for 2014 - only 17 seconds! The same computer and system. I don't know what they did but they did it excellent!

But let's return to the wishlist.

It's not the biggest thing but right now moving from editing complex components and groups back to the whole model is making me pretty annoyed...
I wonder if one day this could be a bit easier... Right now you need to click somewhere out of the box of the group/component which can be hard if it's bigger than your window.

jiminy-billy-bob · 3 Apr 2015, 22:50

Use the Outliner ?

Aureus · 3 Apr 2015, 23:18

@jiminy-billy-bob said:

Use the Outliner ?

Yes, so far that's the fastest way. Simply I forget to keep it open, when I have some other windows open.

One another wish: don't make it licenced for montly subscription. Just in case you (Trimble) considered that like some other software manufacturers (Adobe for example).

pbacot · 3 Apr 2015, 23:29

There's a plugin called "Backout" or something like that. I wanted this too but now haven't got it installed. Pulls you out of all components. I want the opposite to: Go all the way into context of clicked object. Boom in, edit, boom out without all the click/wait steps.

TIG · 4 Apr 2015, 12:33

@pbacot said:

There's a plugin called "Backout" or something like that. I wanted this too but now haven't got it installed. Pulls you out of all components. I want the opposite to: Go all the way into context of clicked object. Boom in, edit, boom out without all the click/wait steps.
Isn't that built-in ? As the 'Outliner' ??

pbacot · 4 Apr 2015, 21:18

Someone just mentioned Outliner. I was pointing out the plugin as another answer to the question Actually I don't know how outliner would help when I am looking at a house full of nested components. I would first have to search for that component (if it isn't a group) in a list... bleah. Let me double click (plus modifier key) on a face and be able to work on it right then ...is what I mean. And why not use the Backout plugin method with a keystroke rather than go to a special window simply to enter the root context?

driven · 4 Apr 2015, 21:40

you can 'Backout' with the 'Esc' key, and 'in' with simple mouse clicks?
what am I missing?
john

Aureus · 5 Apr 2015, 02:09

@driven said:

you can 'Backout' with the 'Esc' key, and 'in' with simple mouse clicks?
what am I missing?
john

Not missing anything.

You're right again. The ESC key does that work the with no need for any plugin (not you have to keep Outliner open).

All you need is to press it as many times as steps you've made when going into a certain group/component.

So for example, if you're editing a group which is inside a component which is inside another component which is...inside another group which is inside another component which is...inside another component (don't laugh - if you model a tree, you know what I mean)...then you need to press the ESC key five times in a row and voila - you've been pulled out. Luckily, it takes a 0.5 sec for those ones with quick fingers.

pbacot · 5 Apr 2015, 02:46

Esc only take you out one level. Going out is relatively fast, though you just hit the key until you realize nothing is changing any longer. Double "clicking in" is slow depending on the speed of the model.

Once a house model is assembled there are often many modifications or maybe you just want to change the muntins on a window. If you have used components to an advantage there will be many instances and nested componnets. "Clicking in" often needs a third click to discover you still need to click in more to the level you want. Redraws in a complex model for each click slow it down. Sometimes you can't tell if the view hasn't changed because of some subtlety or you've miss-clicked. At last you've arrived at your geometry and forgot what you came for...
There's enough opposition to improving this, that apparently it must be non-problem to most. After years of CAD my patience for mouse clicks must be wearing thin. Case closed.

pcmoor · 5 Apr 2015, 05:46

@pbacot said:

I would first have to search for that component (if it isn't a group) in a list... bleah.

From my experience when you select the component or group in the drawing the highlighted entity shows up regardless of its position in the outliner list, clicking once on each expanding button in outliner reveals the nestings, easy to select, copy ,move, explode, outer shell, etc.even multi-select.... then one click completely out. No sore repetitive strain with multi clickings and escapes. Outliner makes it easy, no need to look it up unless you cant actually see it on the drawing, then outliner would show it even if it is hidden

pbacot · 5 Apr 2015, 16:03

Thanks for the reply. Like I said, searching in a list. I don't see how that improves upon multiple double-clicking on an object that is "in plain sight".