There isn't any way to enumerate the menus and toolbar buttons plugins has registered?

Good link Marcus.

yea - if you can set north angle for illustrational purposes, you should be able to set the timezone. Of the two - timezone doesn't affect the model location.

Thanks remus. I think this will give me a head start. Cheers!

I'd have the 'site' as a model - with nothing inserted into it. I'd have several site-option models: these would each have the 'site' inserted as a site-component. If you change the 'site' in its original model file you can then reload the site-component in any of the site-option models and it updates. If you change the site-component within a site-option model do not export it back out and overwrite the original 'site' UNLESS this change affects every option [at which point all option users must reload it to be in step] - if it's an option specific change then you must leave as it is in the site-option model and then remember never to update it from the external 'site' model again - you could of course then export an option version of the site if required. For each site-option you'll have a number of building models etc which are also external model files. You'd insert them into the appropriate option-site model as components. If you edit any of these in their original model files you can reload them into the appropriate site-option model. If you change the component within a site-option model AND it is a permanent change then export it back and overwrite the original [you could always make a backup copy of the earlier version first, in case you want to 'revert' later on]. You cannot have the site inserted into a building model because a reload of it into another model will bring the site with it - however, you can change building component within the site-option model and export it, them reload into another file... At its extreme you could have a site-option model for each site option version for each building [the other building would be inserted for context but never edited] - you edit the ONE building component and export it - a central site-option model would have all such building models inserted as components and reloading them will update all into this central site-option... All of this is pretty complex and needs to have a written document so users understand what they are doing and can do - unfortunately it's impossible to legislate for someone accidentally updating the wrong component in the wrong model and exporting it, overwriting something and reloading it elsewhere.... Setting it up this way separates both the 'site' and the 'building' models for the options but needs some pre-planning...

That is odd. Try opening SU first by double clicking the SU icon. Then from within SU, open up your saved model. See if that helps. If so, it might have to do with special observers the plugins try to load, and if they are failing on loading a saved model, this might be a bug that should be reported. Chris

There is a thread somewhere around here, maybe in the extensions forum about this. And they started with Left 4 Dead export only, but I think their tools now work with any of the games. Or rather, they always worked with any of the games, but at first you had to own L4D to be able to download them. But I tihnk they are freely avaliable to everyone now? Anyhow search the Extensions forum and this should have a topic there. Chris

@pghstone83 said: I'm trying to insert a set of steps on to the back porch of a house. How do you set it up before pulling the object into the design? I figured it was like attaching the roof but no luck. Also, does anybody know a good plugin for vinyl decks and steps? See this link for tuts on steps http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sketchup+steps&search_type=&aq=f. Don't think there will be any difference for vinyl vs dimensional lumber unless you are looking for some thing which brings in the actual dimensions or the ref plugin does that. You can add vinyl to your component library Sorry did a search for Archiland after writing the above but the link should stiil show the process

There are millions of images available that you can then use as textures fro SUP material/SKM files https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=padded+upholstery+texture&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=X74dUuGjKaKV0AXLtYHQBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1440&bih=763 Here's a quick example [poor since its tiling is off]... Quilted#4_DimGray_25.skm [image: etlb_33_1.jpg]

All the styles you have "tried" so far have been probably accumulating in your file (also this is why it may be "bloated"). Especially sketchy styles tend to be big in file size as they can contain considerable size raster images. Try to purge your file under Widow > Model info > Statistics.

@jim57 said: Or, even more obvious, make a checkbox in the Scenes dialog box that addresses this. in the Scenes window you will find an option called "Active Section Planes) which lets you save the desired active section for a scene

@martinrinehart said: Any contemporary desktop PC has all the power you need for SketchUp. (This does not apply to rendering programs, which like lots of power.) For good SU results you'll be happy with 2GHz CPU (single), 2GB RAM. SU doesn't eat a lot of hard disk space. Tell the vendor that the graphics card has to be SketchUp compatible. Most are. For Windows you want XP Pro. 7 is almost as good, Vista is slowest but SU can tolerate it. When buying a PC, there is an inverse relationship between price and support. Shop a bargain basement vendor like TigerDirect and you are on your own for support. Get an Apple and you've paid for, and will get, good support. Buy a PC at your local store and expect a little, but not too much, free support. Save money on your PC. AMD is cheaper than Intel. With the money you save, buy a good monitor. 24" LCD, 1920x1200 resolution. Couple of other considerations. As background I designed and built my own PC a few years ago because I was sick and tired of the never ending changes by Intel and MS then trying to force one to buy a new computer. So also think about: Do you want lap top or desk top; Do you want to be able to modify or expand the performance down stream. Like more memory, different video, larger hard drive etc. If so this probably means a desk top vs lap top; Get as much memory and USB ports as possible within your cost constraints. I think 2GB is on the low end for a general purpose machine as well as a 2 GHz processor. I have a 3.2GHz and 4GB of memory for a design that is now almost 3 years old. Get big Hard drive if possible Good monitor is right on; Good video system within your cost constraints. Sketchup only states Open GL ( Graphics Library) rqmnt. of like ~1.4 while a machine you buy now should do better than that 3.0 or better. If it is higher than this make sure it is downward compatible to the 1.4. Some lap tops are short in this area so make sure it is Open GL compliant and not just compatible; Do some reading on like CNET and PC World for their evaluation of various machines; Stay away for windows VISTA. Windows 7 is out but I think it is still too early to tell how good it really is. When you buy from say like Dell, HP etc their Windows is what is called a OEM version so you do not get direct support from Microsoft but, must go through them. Make sure you buy from some one with a good track record on customer support. Ref # 6 above. If you don't want Win 7 and have to buy VISTA check to see if the OEM's are offering a downgrade package to Win Xp. Some where because of the VISTA problems. Lap tops are nice for portability but, given the reliability of electronics is tied directly to the operating junction temp of its parts a desk top will usually be more reliable for the same performance. They usually have more fans and space for better cooling etc. that laptops . Good Luck

Gaius— Wow, that is way cool (for an annoying popup window). Thanks, Gai

@tig said: You could probably find a suitable free model on the 3D Warehouse that would do ? http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?q=helicopter+huey&styp=m&btnG=Search&reps=2 http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=5ae11b134934f08a643ae903098a314&prevstart=0 ??? Perhaps you could do a bit of adjusting, simplification etc... Then use Slicer ruby to make the slices - it even lays them out for you to cut out - and 'bob's your uncle' http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=16694#p16694 Bob's your Uncle: roughly translates to 'there ya go - that's all there is to it!' Just press this big red button that says 'Launch Missile', and "Bob's your uncle".

@gaieus said: Let's not talk about "images" (they are 2D raster file formats like jpg or png) but "models" that you can download from the warehouse. See the screenshot - whatever you download from the warehouse into your "In model" (temporary) library, you can simply drag and drop into the secondary window > libraries (that is on your Hard Drive) Thanks for your help Csaba!

Glad to help.

@jim said: @alexdobras said: where's the exporter now ? :-s The download link is here, but the plugin is for version 6 and hasn't been maintained for recent versions. t might work with Version 8, or it might not. http://dl.google.com/sketchup/gsu6/plugins/sketchup6webexporterwen.exe works fabulous! thanks Jim!

zoom extent drawing export open in Mac Preview app. choose print choose either print entire image or fill entire paper depending on drawing [image: Uqc2_box-SketchUp.png] [image: iOGg_Print.png] [image: nviX_Print2.png]

Thank you very much Tig. Great help.