Changing layer visibility in several scenes at once

plot-paris

hello everybody,

I am currently working at quite a big model with many different options for construction elements. I use scenes with the same camera view and different layer sets to compare the various designs.

but if I now create another layer, with a fifth option for example, I want it to be hidden in the views of the previous four options. unfortunately the newly created layer is visible in every scene by default. my only chance is to visit each scene, uncheck the fifth layer and update it.

Is there an easier way to do this; for example to change one atribute (like the visibility of one layer) in several scenes at a time?

it would be great, if you knew a faster way - for it would safe me a lot of time.

Jean Lemire

Hi folks.

I would try these steps:

1 - Set your layers visibility as you want it for all the Scenes to be updated.

2 - Open the Scene manager window.

3 - Click on the first scene.

4 - SHIFT click on the last scene to select the whole bunch.

5 - Click on the Update button (the two circular arrows chasing each other).

6 - In the pop-up window that appears, check only the Visible Layer property.

7 - Click the Update Button (the one with the Update text).

In step 4, you may omit the last scene to avoid having to come back to this scene and setting the visibility of the last layer to on.

Just ideas.

plot-paris

thanks Jean. this is a quick way to update multiple scenes at once (and quite a useful think to remember for my future work).

in that specific case I want every scene to show a different set of layers though (scene 1 - layer 1, scene 2 - layer to, etc).
so unfortunately it doesnt help me to set all scenes to one layer set. what I need, is the possibility to select specific scenes and change just one atribute in all of them at once (for example visibility of layer 5) without overwriting all the remaining layer visibilities (for they are different in each scene).

Gaieus

If in the scenes dialogue you can select all scenes by using the Shift+Select combination, you can use the Ctrl+Select combination to select multiple scenes but not all. Should wor with the updates, too.

plot-paris

doesnt solve my problem either, because I have a different combination of visible layers in every scene. for example:

                        scene1 = layer1, layer2
                        scene2 = layer1, layer3

now I create layer3 for a another option of my model. so the scene will be:

                        scene3 = layer1, layer4

but when I created layer4 it automatically shows up in scene1 and scene2 - I just want it to be visible in scene3 though. now I have to change and update the first two scenes seperately. Ctrl + Select or Shift + Select will not help me there, because if I update the layer visibility of several scenes at once, everyone of those scenes shows exactly the same set of layers. and that is not what I want.

watkins

Dear Gaeius,

I am very keen to see more appearing in the Tips & Tricks folder, so could this thread be condensed into something a little more compact and posted there?

Good stuff often appears in the Sketchup Discussions folder, and the logical thing would be for threads to end with a summary (description or Sketchup tutorial) for the Tips & Tricks and/or Modelling folders.

Regards,
Bob

Gaieus

Yes, we do that quite regularly - let's wait till this issue has a solution. Maybe some brilliand tip/trick comes out of it.

sorgesu

I don't think it is reasonable to expect SketchUp to understand that you want a layer that didn't exist when the scene was originally created to be anything other than the default "visible".

You can however change your working habits. When you are working on a very complex model and you know you will be requiring several layers, create a bunch of them in your first scene. Create 20 or 50, somewhat more than the number you think you may need. Don't worry about naming them you can start to name them as you use them. Hide all of them that you won't be using for your first scene and update the first scene.
Then as you add new scenes you can rename and unhide any new layer that you might need. You can keep on going in this way, UNHIDING a new layer scene by scene and then at the end just purge out any layers you haven't used.

You could even create yourself a template with a single empty scene tab and 5o generic layers already in place but hidden. Just use that template every time you do a complex model and you won't have to create all those layers each time

plot-paris

that is indeed an interesting suggestion. I think I will try it on my next model.

I have been working on that specific model for some weeks though (it is used to analyze different options and test their visual impact on the whole building) and am past the 50 layers even now. but with your method I could next time empty layers and reuse them instead of deleting unwanted ones (but I am afraid, I will not be disciplined enough ).

nevertheless I would love a fuction, where you for example select all these scenes, where you want a specific layer to be invisible. then click on the layer's hide button with the right mouse button and choose from a context menu "hide for selected scenes". we would of course have to test, if such an option works for other things, like shadow settings, as well (with always using the right mouse button instead of the left).

jmelvin1

@sorgesu said:

I don't think it is reasonable to expect SketchUp to understand that you want a layer that didn't exist when the scene was originally created to be anything other than the default "visible".

I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation sorgesu.

If I have created a model with many layers and scenes and have to add a new layer and scene in he middle, why does the new layer "default" to visible for every scene? That is a major inconvenience to go back and "hide" that layer on every scene beforehand and afterward.

Maybe I am just not using the tools properly? (I hope)

jmelvin1

Even more specifically, What if my scenes are completed and I discover that I want to show one of the scenes with a component moved 1 foot away from a wall to show the details of installation?

I create a new layer called "Moved Component"

I add the scene called "Moved Component"

And now the new component position shows up in every scene, including the "later" scenes when the component was supposedly already installed (2 components showing). This can't be the way this program was intended can it?

-Jeff

Edson

there is a very good script written by didier bur (Layer Manager) that can save layer states, that is, different groups of scenes that you can invoke at will. it does much more that that, of course. it is really worth a look. and it comes with a great user guide.