Thanks for your idea. I did the search you recommned and found models that indeed did not appear in my previous searches...unfortunately, they are all EXTERNAL views, you cannot get INSIDE ... still searching!

Hey thanks for the great answers to my question! I learn something new here everyday! (and I have a lot to learn....) Thanks again! Stuart

Could you post a screenshot or something to see what it looks like? I always recommend exporting at a higher resolution. Perhaps try doubling the resolution (or even tripling) and reduce it afterwards. -Brodie

@onzki said: ... I guess I must upgrade. this may work too. Norbert

It's not a good thing to populate the right click menu too much - it will become populated by some of the plugins anyway. Indeed shortcuts are the way to efficient and speedy modelling. Keep the toolbar for those functions you use less frequently only. If you want to start with plugins, there is one that allows you to build your custom toolbar. http://sketchuptips.blogspot.com/2008/06/custom-toolbars-release-08-06-01.html I have it and am used to a workflow where there are three "stages" of tools: The ones I use most frequently: there are shortcuts for them the ones I use less frequently - I have this custom toolbar for them finally the ones that I very rarely (or almost never) use - I have them "hidden" and use the menus. Like the Freehand tool for instance.

When you have the floor plan, I would definitely keep the real wall thickness (even together with the inner walls) and pull the walls up instead of only the outer faces. It is much quicker (you need not draw all the vertical lines separately) It is way more realistic even from outside views. Single face walls always give themselves away. You say you may want to add the interiors later. That would mean a lot of additional work when you could do it much simpler in one action. Some additional suggestions: always separate your geometry by grouping it. Say you draw the outline of a house and pull it up to a bit of height to give it some foundation (and thickness for your floor). Make this a group. Copy its top face outside the group and now offset and draw your walls on this face; pull them up and then immediately group all your walls. Go on modelling in the same fahion. This will allow for much better control of the whole model both while modelling and later when presenting. Use components for anything that is more than once in your model (say the same window three times). Groups and components are very similar in nature but components have some additional advantages (maybe later in detail) Do not forget that layering - as opposed to CAD - will NOT separate your geometry. It is merely to control visibility in SketchUp. Also, do not EVER put ungrouped geometry onto any other layer than Layer 0. In fact, do not even change the active layer and always draw on Layer 0. Otherwise you mess up your model like this: [flash=640,500:34r2tjg3]http://www.youtube.com/v/fBdP499iw0Y[/flash:34r2tjg3]

@pmolson said: single click on the file in the podium render manager so it is highlighted blue. Then click on the "show" button. i can't see any file there the manager remains blank without any file.

Hi, I used C4D for a long time, but now it is so expensive that I had to change my SW. But I have collection of C4D models and I had solve how to export some models to SU. I found one solution: Basically I use demo version of C4D and Riptide plugin for Cinema. Demo version of Cinema opens C4D and is capable running plugins all the time. Riptide plugin is capable of importing / exporting OBJ very well. I don't know if it works with very last Cinema demo-version, I use older demo version and Riptide.

@okto said: @pbacot said: Your color scheme made me think of this picture from Picasa. It is from Morocco I think. Not the exact colors but shows how strong colors might be used. Perhaps someone can paint a scene like this as faux portal on the wall. that a very strong colours. and the ornament on the upside section, is very beautiful. can you tell me what it is? so ethnic.. It is Moroccan. What sort of building I could not say. Search online for images of Moroccan things like "column" you will see the use of plaster work patterns (or bas relief), geometric designs, and the wonderful uses of color. Fabrics might be a good way to introduce these designs into the decor. As said in one of Solo's links @unknownuser said: :The hypnotic style of Moroccan decorating incorporates colorful tile combinations, with unique plasterwork and painted surfaces gracing walls, arches and pathways. Extravagant taste found in paintings, rugs, pottery, woven bedspreads and unique pieces of furniture comprise the popular Moroccan motif.

Thanks guys

Hi Elisei, This is very helpful. Thank you for showing me the step by step approach. Particularly using the intersect to get the angles after it has been made 3D. I think one of the most challenging parts of being a newbie is trying to visualise the small steps to get to the end goal. Cheers Joey

The HDRI background won't appear in the Sketchup viewport. However, you can use the FIRE engine to preview it interactively. -Brodie

AWESOME Gaieus, this is great. Thank you very much. Thanks also TIG, I'll try the EEbyRails when I have the time.

There has been other pressure for a native STL export tool - the last I heard was Google are thinking about it... There are some third-party STL export tools that do work quite well, once you have your manifold solid.

You have also SimLab Composer Animation

If you slowly push through the wall you should get a tool tip that says "on face" when you get to the other side of the wall (if you can see into the opening), at which point release the mouse. Alternatively if you know the wall thickness (accurately) you can enter that in the VCB to create the opening. Tip: To create more openings in the same wall, hovver the pushpull tool over the required opening area so it highlights then double click - instant hole

Hi folks. What I would try is to use components containing a simple edge for the posts. Then, when done, I would reload with the final post component. If you prefer to use the final posts, don't forget that using X-Ray mode will allow you to snap to inner geometries inside the posts, providede that you have such geometries. This inner geometry could be a central vertical axis, for example. Just ideas.

the more easy was Podium 1.7 (just 2 cursors! ) in free version 500*500 I don't know if it's the same actually ? (seems not follow your text May be you must take a look to Blender Section Internal Renderer If you concentrate just on this subject, I believe that is not so hard And you will have a terrific result without any limite of size for 0 € / $ It's allow you to use the Collada format for a direct link from SU by Blender site [image: fde045f23a.png]

That's true. However especially this texture scaling issue is the reason why one should not scale groups/components only just a little bit (so that the different instances do not differ too much from the definition itself). Just an example: I model everything in a bigger scale knowing that SU has issues with too small scales. Now if I use ten instances of the same component and at the end I scale everything back, the texture will get distorted on each so the scale definition command is useful in this case. In the above case, the model was already messed up (some parts with scaled while other parts with normal texture) so here it's almost all the same which method we choose, neither is really "clean" any more.