Moved from the Bugs forum because this isn't a bug.

Why don't you find out here: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=179%26amp;t=62468

That was my next stop but Box beat me to it. You didn't say you had painted the group and were editing it. Happy it's sorted, though.

@emilia93 said: I changed units in Preferences window but still all dimensions are in mm Please post the SKP, or a screenshot of your Model Info > Units etc... You are missing a step... NEW models open from the chosen Template. If that is set to meters then that's what a new model will use [until you change it]. Make as a new model 'Template' set up just as you want it, save it 'as a template', then set that Template as your Preferences default Template... All NEW models will use those units. Any models you made before this will use the units they had when last saved... Change those in Model Info > Units, and save the model, as appropriate...

Normally SketchUp shades surfaces as if the light source is at the camera. It does not cause shadows to be cast, regardless of settings. The "use sun for shading" instead shades surfaces as if the only light source is at the sun position. When shadows are displayed, this can produce a more realistic look because you don't have shading from one light source and shadows from a different one.

In my door scripts I create door stiles and rails as vertical members. Then I rotate rails and move them into position. This way I can use vertical wood grain for all door members. When I want to create a list of materials for a program like cut list or Cut Master I simply look at the component axis and determine Length, Width and Thickness. I used to have vertical and horizontal wood grain textures but I find a lot of advantages doing it this way (textures are half the size, skp files are smaller etc..)

Thanks for the ideas. My download of Sketchup is legit. It has been only since getting and removing a wicked virus did I start having issues. I tried repair to no avail and will now try the reinstall. Many thanks, WK

here's some code I tested on my mac... module JcB module Add_Skm def self.skm_loader # current best practice puts any added content in the User space # so first we get a handle for that [is this cross platform?]... user= ENV["HOME"].dup # then we look for SU's default folder... materials_path = Sketchup.find_support_file("Materials") # and the plugins folder plugins_path = File.dirname(__FILE__) # because the rbz will instal in Plugins, so will our skm's new_mats = File.join(plugins_path, "move_mats") # check if the user has ever made a material... usr_mats = materials_path.include? user # check if Plugins are in user land... usr_plugins = plugins_path.include? user # using the true/false returns from those if usr_plugins and not usr_mats # if we have a User plugins folder. but no User materials folder, we can just change our folder name to 'move' all it's contents... File.rename(new_mats,(new_mats.sub("Plugins/move_mats", "Materials"))) # then delete this script... File.delete(__FILE__) else # if we don't have a user plugins folder or we do a user materials folder, we need to rename individual skms Dir.glob("#{new_mats}/*").each do|f| File.rename(f, f.sub("Plugins/move_mats", "Materials")) end # but that leave an empty folder, so we remove it... Dir;;rmdir(new_mats) # then delete this script... File.delete(__FILE__) end end end end # this is a hack to make it run the same on all versions I tested v8+ result = UI.messagebox("ready to load new skm's?", MB_YESNO) if result == IDYES JcB;;Add_Skm.skm_loader UI.messagebox("Skm's have been added to \n#{Sketchup.find_support_file('Materials')}") end # I'm surprised it runs when it does, but it works for me and the skms are available from the materials Browser without a restart... and a test rbz to see if it runs on you PC...just adds one of the xtra skm folder from your example... it could be extended to add a help menu item Add Skm Collection, or similar... I think it's easier to modify then worrying about all the different versions of Windows and SU an installer would need. I can't even run SU v6 or v7 on any of my machines so I don't cater for them [although this may work on them]... For this to add a set of subfolder in a parent folder, it would need a PC conditional, as that won't work on a mac... john

Hi, I have deleted the imported object from my model and the nest has disappeared aswell. Must have been something to do with that. Anyway thanks for your interrest Unearthed.

I tried to import your DWG using the Options > Units of Meters... It imports. There are issues. because the 9 groups that are created have their origins miles away from their geometry, so the appearance is weird and any orbiting etc is awful - jittery. You have two choices. Either make each group in turn into a component using the context-menu, then immediately change its axes to a sensible corner on its geometry [context-menu again]. After doing all 9 it'll be fine. Or select the 9 groups and use 'Explode' [context-menu again] so their geometry is merged into one context, and their badly located origins are forgotten... Another possibility would be to remake the forms entirely in SketchUp - its some simple 3d geometry for one [pushpull/offset/move] and an array-copy to make the 9... [image: GbGu_WeirdGroupOrigins.PNG] [image: toZy_GoodOriginsAfterExplode.PNG]

Hi Taipi, hi folks. If you are going through the trouble of modelling inside wall beams to get an accurate count, dont forget that, cutting a hole is not sufficient. You must add some additional framing elements to account for the material removal caused by the hole, for example, lintel at the top of a window or door and extra studs on the sides and bottom too. See tis page for example: http://www.small-house-building.com/framing/window-framing/ Just ideas.

This kind of rupture has a very unpredictable shape, depending on material structure, etc... so there is no way to emulate it properly using SU. BUT... you can use a image (photo) to guide yourself in doing the shape or that rupture. Then, using the same image as texture, apply it on that piece. Just build the wall as you would normally do in reality and use real-life photos to guide you and to create textures. Best would be for rendering to use a rendering engine that support Displacement Mapping, so you will be able to create richer surfaces that way.

Proof of concept... did I say what a clever solution this was? Click the image: [image: TKMP_dashedlinesinsketchupusingprofilebuilder2.gif]

I'll PM you the exe and ahk file...

It's unclear to me how the plugin would know to use "IfcFurnishingElement" as the type in the path. There does not appear to be any way to retrieving this type using a plugin. So I'm stumped.

No problem, if you figure it out bring the solution around. This kind of stuff happens in LO to me too, but I've always figured a workaround before...

thanks for your excellent and quick help, glad to have you around! best of luck! [image: sketch_logo.png]

When I say frustrated its just that everything goes so slow. I have always wondered what it is like to control a mars rover with control delay. I could not believe selecting a texture, and hitting the delete button does not work at all any more. I have to right click and "erase" and wait about 7 seconds for it to go. Moving a texture or even something small is almost impossible. So frustration was expected and experienced. Loading the model into the renderer (8.2 million faces)takes about 6 minutes so about 12 minutes from hitting the render button to getting the first frame render. Strangely though the renders only take about 5 minutes to cycle to a good standard. I followed as much of the advice I was kindly given from this forum, and the computer I use is of a high spec so I think this is about the limit of shetchup. So basically it is just a very big model. It did test my patients though.

Nobody knows what is planned for the next version. As with every other release, nothing is disclosed until the new version is released.

If you don't want to hide the edges in the model, you could create the same effect easily by combining image exports. [image: laoo_CT1.png] [image: ZXSE_ct2.png] [image: SSq7_ct3.png]