Sorry for the late reply chaps. Thanks so much for all of your input, I really appreciate it. I'm sorted now after a meeting with the web people, I'm exporting (as Gai suggested) high res images via SU, TWR and TWR alpha mask and the web geeks are over the moon with that, so that's good enough for me. Thanks again.

Hi There Following all the help I had on this (thanks again!) I've successfully modelled and completed the project. Ive posted the renderings in the gallery if anyones interested there's a link below thanks again http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=39465

Hi there, I'm trying to fight myself through this tutorial but I get stuck where the bolt is joined with the thread. When I create a bolt with a radius that matches exactly the distance between origin and the left edge of the thread profile I loose a lot of faces when doing a union of bolt and thread using the boolean tools (ocscoolean doens't work for me in make 2015 edition) How is this supposed to be done? Thanks for your help. Jens AutoSave_screw try 9.skp

@3dmodellers said: @honoluludesktop said: It appears to me that SketchUp will forever be linked to its roots, that is a easy to use architectural building modeler. I think it would be even easier for architectural modeling if curves are introduced (A sketchup newbie still thinks that the curves are real till he sees the 'input sides' option. By that time he has already spent 3-4 days into sketchup and gained some level of proficiency). Also, import and export to and from other softwares would be seamless and it would not split the 3D max models into ten thousand triangulations. While it has little to do with SketchUps roots, many of the curves in the Architectural built world are segments of straight lines. Curved masonry wall, curved building faces, etc. Even concrete, which is considered an organic material, is built from plywood, or steel sheet forms. As an Architect, I have not had any problems with the absence of curves in SketchUp. I like the price, its ease of use, its support base, and the user programing language. I was a beginner once, and too crossed that bridge, but the problem with maintaining 2 versions of SketchUp databases (one with line segments (free,) and one with curves (pro)) is real. @3dmodellers said: @honoluludesktop said: It would double (I think) the physical size of every new model in the Warehouse, and on Google Earth. Wounder if that could be a problem? I think the size of the NEW files would actually be smaller. Suppose with the CURRENT sketchup if you have a curvy architectural model worth 10MB, then with the NEW sketchup the file size would hardly be 4MB. I recall the subject of my quote regarded going from 32 to 64 bit hardware. As follows: @honoluludesktop said: It may be the reason that Google has resisted the move to a 64 bit application. It would double (I think) the physical size of every new model in the Warehouse, and on Google Earth. Wounder if that could be a problem? However, if Google provides curves, along with curves of segmented lines, provides both free and pro access to one database, ease of use, low cost, etc., what is there not to like about curves? Nothing.

You may also have problems with the French usergroup. See this post (I have added you to that group): http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=84113#p84113

@dsarchs said: I usually use a texture for glass in Sketchup as a stand-in for a bump in rendering programs (Thea). No glass is perfect -- slight warping and imperfections. I usually use water textures scaled much larger (5 or 10 times larger than I would use it for actual water) and then a VERY slight bump setting, just to subtly bend and warp reflections. That's exactly my process... (rushing off to patent office)

@earthmover said: It's our job to provide a client with an emotional connection to the space and present design intention. Great quote, Adam

This is what I have. But SU does not first look here for the components. I have since removed the sample components from the Google folder and it seems to be going to the D drive now.[image: QSuW_components.PNG]

@patrickbateman said: I consider myself a good sketchup modeler but nowhere near as advanced as some of the stuff on here. I just started a position where I do a lot of sketchup work for a [anchor= goto=http://www.edgedesign.ae/2016/02/28/dubai-architecture-firms/:fhp7w6k7]Dubai architecture firms[/anchor:fhp7w6k7](I was mainly hired because of my sketchup skills and experience). I am trying to get as advanced and efficient as possible and am looking for new techniques, must have plugins, extensions, and general things to make my life easier and models looking better. There are so many ruby plugins I don't know which ones I should install. Right now I am using SU Podium extensively for rendering. I have been playing around with Land F/X and haven't really explored it yet but I have been using it for CAD cleanup before importing to sketchup and it works well. When working with topo I have had to go back and forth between CAD and sketchup a lot since editing topo in sketchup is difficult so I find myself importing topo, running sandbox tools, then going back to cad to fix things and doing it again a few times to get things right. I'm sure there's a better way. I am really impress after reading your work and experience your write in your post that you do lot of sketch up work for a landscape Architecture. I am pretty sure after you visit on the above given blog you can suggest us some different thing and different work that we can do in our Blog.

The scroll-wheel is hard-wired to use Orbit - even inside a custom tool. There are already 3rd pary tools like 'nudge' [Smustard.com ?] that are a 'move' tool extension that nudge selected object using the arrow keys etc...

http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=36208

Thanks Tig, thats a very comprehensive answer covered all I could think of and a lot more. I see that your from the north of England, I'm from the midlands and at 5:30pm 90f heat index of 104f I'm ready for fish and chips and a pint of mild ale. (just a dream), thanks again. John

To find the Plugins folder for this MAC SUp installation just type or copy+paste this into SUp-Menu > Window > Ruby-Console <enter> Sketchup.find_support_file('Plugins') There are some pre-loaded 'examples/utility' scripts in Tools that are auto-loaded from there and need activating from Window > Preferences > Extensions. Any Plugins that you add should go in there or for complex zipped sets extract into there keeping any files that are in subfolders in the zip file in the same subfolders in Plugins etc... Read each script's instructions... Some Plugins also come as Extensions and will need a one off activation. Others might not appear in the Plugins menu but under perhaps the Draw or Tool menus, some have a Toolbar [activated under View > Toolbars] to run them either in addition to a menu item or sometimes as the only means of running them; whilst others only appear in the right-click context-menu when a suitable select has been made. A few others are 'helper files' - like 'progressbar.rb' - and only add functionality to other scripts whilst never appearing separately as themselves, or tools are used so rarely that you type a command into the Ruby Console to run them, rather than have any menu entries..........

Yes, you do, Rich. @mitcorb said: "...those who tried." Yeah, I can be trying at times. My wife tells me I am, too.

Excellent! Thanks all for you help

"Google SketchUp for Dummies" by Aidan Chopra is an excellent text, and I love his writing style. Also check out his videos on YouTube and the other SketchUp tutorials there. "Google SketchUp for Site Design" by Daniel Tal is also a really helpful book.

Thank you both for your help. John

OK, I'll test it. Do you mean that I should leave DCs for this kind ob problems?