SketchUp 2017 Wishlist

utiler · 18 Nov 2015, 04:18

Ok, gets get started on the next version:

LineTools
Custom linetypes [dashed, centre, dotted, etc]

As with CAD programs in general, I really think that SketchUp users would benefit from being about to create and use custom linetypes.

Layers
SU10 - Ability to nest Layers

IMO, this is one of the main focuses of future releases should productivity be a priority.

I posted a while ago about how Layers and the Outliner could be brought closer together. http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=40338
I know there are users that might use Outliner and love it however it's only really useful in 'working' not setting out your presentation with scenes, export to Layout, etc..

Firstly, I use SU and LO for Architectural presentation so manipulation of geometry is paramount. For a long time now, I’ve tried many different ways of setting up my layer structure to try and facilitate the different ways of modeling / output for each project. It was only recently that I realized that this is the answer!!!!
Let’s consider this:
Leave Outliner as it is for those whose use it. Hiding a group in Outliner and then saving the currently scene means it is hidden, period. Try going to any other scene and it is not visible. This has no use for saving to and exporting scenes to layer.

Re-work the Layer Manager UI to be similar to Outliner in that groups and components that are assigned a layer have the ability to be ‘nested’ to a parent layer.
See adjacent example:

This allows the user to at least have some control over his / her layer/geometry structure visually as well as being a lot quicker to alter visually. Not to mention if I'm in a group, create another group and want to assign it to a new layer that I should be able to click in the Layer drop down and do so. This automatically creates a new layered named as required and 'nested' within the parent layer group. You would even have the ability to move layers from group to group as required to be included in grouped visibility control.

Maybe as with Outliner double click on a nested layer and you’re taken straight to the group/component on that layer and start working.

I’m sure you’ll agree; this would change the way we work in SU significantly.

Now let’s put it into workflow:

Say I have modeled a project on a site and want to export a ground floor plan. I cut sections where required and create a new scene called same and save. Now I want to create a first floor layout. If I don't want my site to show beneath in the first floor layout I can turn off the parent 'SITE' layer....BAM! No scrolling through the layer dialogue clicking here and clicking there to isolate geometry. The fact that the nested layer function avoids a global alphabetical search of the layers list it is much easier to see how your model is layered as well as a much quicker way to manipulate visibility.

I would love to hear from any of the Googlers’ about their thoughts on this.

BTW, obviously I have used the Outliner Manager to communicate this idea so no toggles for visibility, current active, color [never used it], etc are shown. These would be as they are I assume.

Linetypes

Really need to be able to create custom linetypes [dashed, centre, etc...]
Relying on exporting to LO and exploding is just laborious.

There'll be more but these are what comes to my mind...

JQL · 18 Nov 2015, 10:31

SCENES

Manage scenes as Utiler would manage layers.

UV MAPPING

Better UV mapping features
Specially UV unwrapping

Rich O Brien · 18 Nov 2015, 11:21

A publicly listed roadmap of development would be nice.

juju · 18 Nov 2015, 14:59

@rich o brien said:

A publicly listed roadmap of development would be nice.

+1

pbacot · 18 Nov 2015, 16:26

Just an idea. Not a biggie. What if you could find (and / or) open any layout file which references a SU file --from within the SU file.

JQL · 18 Nov 2015, 16:28

@pbacot said:

Just an idea. Not a biggie. What if you could find (and / or) open any layout file which references a SU file --from within the SU file.
Useful!

pbacot · 18 Nov 2015, 16:48

Also I would like to see trays for Mac just as in Windows. It MUST be possible to clean up the UI! Same for LayOut. Every session requires clearing up all the windows.

JQL · 18 Nov 2015, 22:38

@numerobis said:

import improvements

better texturing tools

multicore support (yes, this is the way processors evolve now - since a few years)

high poly support

faster ruby script execution! (it's just a joke, that you have to watch a counter when you round some edges, where another app can do this instantly...)

faster explode or copy/paste

disable/configure snapping

an advanced camera without these unbelievable stupid huge frustums and guide lines (clipping problem?) or simply a camera with numerical input for the target hight (or simply the same value as the eye level if a flexible value is too much )

a usable, more direct or intuitive version of dynamic components with usable stretch and move options like in dynamic blocks in acad for instance

a camera that can use/display shift parameters of the camera in render plugins

These should be feasible right?

@numerobis said:

Quads

sub-D modeling

better proxy display modes for referenced objects of external renderers - not only a box

non destructive and parametrical modeling using a modifier stack or node graphs. Maybe we'll see a ruby... this seaems to be to only way this program will evolve in the future (as always).

...

oceanembers · 24 Nov 2015, 14:28

Modulus operator in Dynamic Components. Please. It would make some of my formulae infinitely less complicated.

Lushi · 25 Nov 2015, 12:03

I wish there was a tool that will facilitate the creation of floors from sketches of lines, like revit

utiler · 26 Nov 2015, 01:13

@oceanembers said:

Modulus operator in Dynamic Components. Please. It would make some of my formulae infinitely less complicated.

What's a modular operator?

ashscott · 26 Nov 2015, 09:27

@utiler said:

What's a modular operator?

One of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulo_operation
(I still have no idea)

Doesn't Simfonia Animation Tools have a modulator function so you can create wave signals (possibly completely unrelated).

Wishlist for SU 2017:

FEA (just kidding, but not really)
To incorporate this into the software: http://sketchucation.com/plugin/803-coastalconcepts_editflag
Some way to not have segments in arcs
STL export
+1 for publicly listed roadmap of development
Regarding the nesting of layers - isn't this effectively BillyBob's [url=http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=53906:36c9x8qg]Layers Panel Plugin?[/url:36c9x8qg]

JQL · 26 Nov 2015, 11:30

@ashscott said:

@utiler said:

[*]Regarding the nesting of layers - isn't this effectively BillyBob's Layers Panel Plugin? [/list]

The problem is that jiminy had to come up with so many workaround methods to create Layers Panel, that even he got confused and eventually stop supporting it, in order to have time to create skatter.

I believe he'd gladly welcome a native solution to this...

JQL · 26 Nov 2015, 13:05

I'd say JBB-Layers Panel is as usefull to me as it is to you!

ashscott · 26 Nov 2015, 13:13

I'm impressed that he even got it to work as someone who was teaching himself Ruby as he went.

I cannot say how useful it has been using Layers Panel in conjunction with scenes to create complex construction documents in Layout.

I arrange every view I need as a scene in sketchup with the appropriate layers on/off (some models have 30+ layers so doing this without Layers Panel is extremely error-prone), send to layout, place the scenes, dimension and add notes, export, build.

Its standard functionality in photoshop etc yet does NOT add any unnecessary complexity to a new user

EDIT: Grammar

HornOxx · 26 Nov 2015, 20:11

I´ve just copy pasted my little wish from the SketchUp 2016 Wishlist

I want an improved 2D pixels export - regardless of the width/height-size of my currently used SkUp viewport. (As if I would adjust the output resolution within any render plugin)
I want that other SkUp users with their own viewport sice can export exactly the same file resolution as I do. Interacting by repeating the same output results with other users would be so much easier ...

Even if there is a plugin for that, SkUp should at last be able to do this "out of the box"

jiminy-billy-bob · 26 Nov 2015, 21:11

@jql said:

I believe he'd gladly welcome a native solution to this...

I'd very much indeed.

I'll soon make it completely open-source, so that anyone can update it, even try to make money out of it, whatever.

sketchuh · 27 Nov 2015, 06:25

Guys, Trimble Won't improve anything you wished here, since we are only 0.0001% of the market...haha.
But Plugin authors are the best here! Thank you all for the great plugins!

HornOxx · 27 Nov 2015, 07:38

@sketchuh said:

Guys, Trimble Won't improve anything you wished here, since we are only 0.0001% of the market...haha.

well written

@sketchuh said:

But Plugin authors are the best here! Thank you all for the great plugins!

I agree!

ashscott · 27 Nov 2015, 09:00

Speaking of which, I'd pay someone to clean up Layers Panel and make it as robust as possible - I just can't pay enough to make it worthwhile - on the other hand, if there were a number of us willing to pay...