I like your approach, TIG. It's more 'process-aware' than what I proposed. Thanks!

Robert, you're quite welcome. Check them periodically because their stock changes so new images will be available from time to time.

That's a good idea. I've always done this on a hit and miss quest myself.

And, this runs on iPhone too... scary! I was able to load up a complicated framing model on my 4s last night and spin it around.

@unknownuser said: TIG The Unlock function was not available in the context or edit menu. Not even grayed out. It did not come back until I shut down the computer and restarted. Ken OK, I understand that, BUT when it's 'gone' from those locations is 'Locked' tickbox still available in the Entity Info Window [in its expanded format] ? Or has the function simply vanished ? This suggests a corrupted SUp installation not a Script problem to me...

That's what I just figured out. I'm working with some people that are use to having a visible grid, so I created a grid object (group). I've locked it to prevent it from "opening", but it'd be best if it wasn't even selectable (but allowed snapping to). (I wish SketchUp had a grid option like Banzai or other editors -- I know people frown on that here, but it's very handy for certain developments and quickly knowing what the current unit snap is).

That's right! I remember that plugin now (but forgot what it was called). Thanks TIG!

works with fredoscale!

Thanks Patrick, really interesting method.

TIG, Great explenation of x-refs in CAD. External References are one of the most powerfull features of all of the different AutoCAD flavors. Multi-discipline teams / offices could never survive without them. That being said - I have never seen a topic and concept that so confuses a typical CAD user more than x-refs, and their proper use. This 2 pages is a a good reminder of why I am so damn glad we migrated to Revit this past year! Dean

@jean lemire said: However, I made a test and created a group containing a rectangle with a dimensioned side. When I select the group from the outliner, only the dimension shows. The rectangle stays invisible. This is strange and meybe is a bug. That's the behaviour I tried to describe. We run into the problem all the time, because the group containing a dimension is part of the procedure that we developed for our designs. Have a look at the thread Scaling of distorted ground floor layout and you'll understand how we arrived at seeing these weird dimensions.

XRay mode seems to be a good 'solution' to a problem resulting from trying to get coincident 2d surfaces to behave in a very precise way when by definition they may not be able to: one on top when there is actually no top even if sometimes it seems like there is, or at least that's how it seems to me. But with the X Ray you can see and snap to your drawn lines on the back side of the image. Does drawing in XRay allow you to do what you want to do?

@jennk42 said: I am using Sketch-up 7.1 and have been building a model of the first floor of a hotel. I worked all day today and just noticed that a bunch of parts of it are missing! And it isn't something I could have accidently deleted because it is multiple parts in different locations on my model. For example all my light fixtures, flooring in another part etc. Some of it is stuff I did today others yesterday. Does anyone have any idea what could have happened? I checked and made sure all my layers are on and I made sure to un-hide everything. Like I said I would have had to go in and manually select all these things and deleted them. And everything was fine when I started working this morning. I am desperate because this is my final project for school and I am on a deadline. Thanks! jennk42 1)If you have auto save and backup set you my be able to find a "correct" file. Do a search for xxxx.skb. There are several ways to open this type of file. One is change name to xxxxx_A.skp and it will open 2) Layers does not isolate geo so if you have items on a hidden layer then it can be deleted if you are not careful with your selection 3) Make max use of components and the outliner to see what things you are selecting, hidden items will not appear here either

@mike lucey said: Would it not make sense for Google SketchUp to employ / sub-contract some of the passionate bright lights in the SketchUp Community to get SketchUp development back on track and possibly change the slogan, '3D for Everyone' to '3D as it should be'. Or, that they concentrated on the core, getting it up to date, and opened SU up even further so the community could develop all these features that we want but cannot do currently. Like better UV tools, animation enhancements, and dare I say, fixing the shadow bug. (Yes, I know its a legal matter but I've never seen any other Open GL application with this bug so there must be ways of getting around this?)

Welcome, to one of the best sources of info on SU I know of. Much, much to be learned here.

This is not an answer, but I had this happen when I had a USB pocket storage device plugged in during an autosave.

do you have this checked? [image: aqEM_Capture1.JPG]

That seems like a nice work-around, Jean. @unknownuser said: SceneExporter will export the scenes in your model to a jpeg image I personally would like some very functional scene manager plug-in helpers, or perhaps better work-around functionality in myself.