Architectural layer name conventions
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True, thanks guys you're both right there are a few plugins that offer that option. I'm going to have to take a look at Jiminy's Layer Panel thread; I have seen it but never DL'd it as it seemed a little over the top..
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@utiler said:
True, thanks guys you're both right there are a few plugins that offer that option. I'm going to have to take a look at Jiminy's Layer Panel thread; I have seen it but never DL'd it as it seemed a little over the top..
Layer Panel is a fantastic idea and a needed functionality, however the actual extension is quite buggy and unstable (at least on a Mac). I gave up using it after too many frustrations, as much as I had wanted a hierarchical layer manager. Maybe it's more usable on a PC?
JF Add Layer is a great little plugin that solves the new layer visibility issue, but that doesn't help with the larger problem of simplifying layer management with models and/or workflow that require more than a few.
It would be nice if Trimble would acknowledge/address the multiple feature requests on this issue over the years, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Doug
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@db11 said:
Maybe it's more usable on a PC?
It's very useful in PC.
I've noticed some bugs of deleted layers not updating inside LP but they are being deleted from Sketchup's native layers.
Also I believe LP requires a common workflow between all users of the same files or changes won't be read and the Layer's panel organization might get lost.
However one of the latest Jiminy updates adressed that issue by using an History system wich is very effective at restore lost organizations.
The thing is that there's so much workarounds Jiminy had to do in order for the functionallity to be there, that I believe he got lost inside his own plugin. He is, therefore one of the main defenders of this kind of workflow being adressed by Trimble themselves.
It would be great and it is being discussed here at Sketchucation Sketchup 2017 feature requests thread.
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who has experience with Didier Bur's Layer Manager?
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A quick way to update multiple scenes that have similar layer arrangement is to simply select the scene, in the scene manager tray, select all scenes that have a similar layer arrangement, then toggle on then off the "visible layers" selection. Then all scenes will update automatically.
The same goes for any of those variables listed in the "properties to save:"
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@db11 said:
@utiler said:
True, thanks guys you're both right there are a few plugins that offer that option. I'm going to have to take a look at Jiminy's Layer Panel thread; I have seen it but never DL'd it as it seemed a little over the top..
Layer Panel is a fantastic idea and a needed functionality, however the actual extension is quite buggy and unstable (at least on a Mac). I gave up using it after too many frustrations, as much as I had wanted a hierarchical layer manager. Maybe it's more usable on a PC?
JF Add Layer is a great little plugin that solves the new layer visibility issue, but that doesn't help with the larger problem of simplifying layer management with models and/or workflow that require more than a few.
It would be nice if Trimble would acknowledge/address the multiple feature requests on this issue over the years, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Doug
You're absolutely right, Doug. There are a lot of workarounds from fantastically generous script writers in our community but at some point I believe Trimble needs to acknowledge some fundamentals require work. And layer management is one of them....
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I've often used VisMap2 when I had a project with many scenes and layers.
Martin Rinehart. Updated for SketchUp 2015 by Jim Foltz
ext.version = "v2.1"
http://www.martinrinehart.com/models/rubies/vismapdoc.html -
@unknownuser said:
A quick way to update multiple scenes that have similar layer arrangement is to simply select the scene, in the scene manager tray, select all scenes that have a similar layer arrangement, then toggle on then off the "visible layers" selection. Then all scenes will update automatically.
The same goes for any of those variables listed in the "properties to save:"
This seemed to go unnoticed in here, but it's the best way, apart from Layer's panel, to update layers.
Managing scene's properties is very easy with these settings once you figure out how they work.
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@bob james said:
I've often used VisMap2 when I had a project with many scenes and layers.
Vismap is great, especially for animation/walkthrough models where there are a ton of scenes and a lot of layers.
It could use a bit of an interface refresh (it can get tedious checking/unchecking boxes), but it's an incredibly useful extension. -
@jql said:
@unknownuser said:
A quick way to update multiple scenes that have similar layer arrangement is to simply select the scene, in the scene manager tray, select all scenes that have a similar layer arrangement, then toggle on then off the "visible layers" selection. Then all scenes will update automatically.
The same goes for any of those variables listed in the "properties to save:"
This seemed to go unnoticed in here, but it's the best way, apart from Layer's panel, to update layers.
Managing scene's properties is very easy with these settings once you figure out how they work.
I understood what Nick was saying, JQL but how would you handle say a scene with only contours on it when you've introduced a number of new layers? You'd still have to activate that layer and turn off all the new ones. [and any other scenes for that matter....]
PS
[I like to have a separate layer for this as I can scale back my colour to say grey so that it visually sits behind the main subject]. -
The Sonder 'scenes'/'Layer' trick is very useful. I wonder if there are any other little gems like this that are hidden/undocumented?
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@deanby7 said:
The Sonder 'scenes'/'Layer' trick is very useful. I wonder if there are any other little gems like this that are hidden/undocumented?
I do similar with camera, save some scenes with the layers I want / need, or the styles I want need, but select it to not update the camera, then I can toggle back and forth to get the styles, layers, etc. to update on specific scenes, more selective, and visual than Sonder's trick, and sometimes I delete those scenes as soon as I'm done with them.
Also, setup scenes where the camera doesn't move, but where key elements are on or off using layers.
I have the following scenes setup with a fast style, no camera update:work (fast style, all my geometry layers on, but sections, etc. off)
work off (fast style all layers off)
work on (fast style, all layers on)
work A (fast style, only my architectural layers on)
work T (fast style, only my timber layers)etc. etc.
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I do some scenes in every job like Mike's. Update styles and shadows, sometimes layers but not camera... besides those camera scenes like the orthographic elevations or specific rendering views.
And some scenes have only the building layers on. or hide layers that include trees, furniture, cars, and other things that slow redraw down, and aren't something that I am modeling a lot anyway.
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You guys also know that you can leave those settings blank, and what it'll do is change scenes without affecting the current settings.
So you can have a scene with an active section cut and when you change to one without section planes toggled on, it will change other stuff, but keep current active section cut.
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