@thomthom said: Not sure how things work in Maxwell, but if you use V-Ray for Sketchup, which runs from within SU and doesn't export anything this is a good aid to set the HDRI position as there are no visual aid provided. VfSU simply asks for offset values. Mate maxwell is the same, studio (the standalone app) will allow you to position your background visually, though reflection, refraction and illuminaton channels are all by trial and error and lots of both! For many the best way to avoid the excessive testing is to use a chrome sphere in the scene to replace the subject, run a test to see on the reflections where the location is and then adjust to correct, delete the sphere and unhide all other for the render, to get the reflections good enough to see this can take some lengthy render times! I'm just reversing this process to speed it up and get accurate results first go!

Thanks for clarifying. Its been a while, I had forgotten exactly how that worked. Chris

You should take a look here: Mirror or Reflection. On our new SketchUcation Tutorials (needing a new registration) Simulating a Reflection in Google SketchUp by Eric Lay(boofredlay) and a good explanation on Official Google SketchUp blog here: A time for reflection by Tyson Kartchner simon

Yes, we're not talking about simply turning on hidden geometry.

try this... http://www.vray.com/free_vray_tools/vismat_material_collection/index.shtml and try to google "vismat downloads"

@thomthom said: You can change the number of edges and arches before your extrude them by using the Entity Into window. You can also set the number of sides when you draw circles and arches. Type "8s" in the VCB to make 8 sides, etc etc. I did'nt realize that, thank you. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks for all you guys' help

Well, you say that the stamp tool is not an ideal solution - however all your description (what you want to achieve) is about how the stamp tool works and what it does. Is there really 4 metres difference in that building? As I can imagine, such a building wouldn't be placed on such a terrain with all the terrain built up / dug into around but the building itself would be somewhat on a sloping foundation. Note that you can always stamp a slanting face or even a collection of (joined) faces that are not coplanar - the only thing you cannot stamp is a face perpendicular to the terrain (i.e. basically vertical faces). See what I mean in attached: [image: 3Ywb_Stamp.jpg]

Ya, that's what I used to unfold the cone. It didn't do it in this simple model, but in the model I'm working on, the texture turns black after making it unique and the "texture" selection is unavailable from the right click menu.

Duh.... Thanks, i switched from PC over a year ago and still am stumbling.

@solo said: I explode the text component and makes groups of the individual letters. Thanks Solo, that was the point I was not clear with.

I thought of that, but there's a lot of them in there and I'm not sure what ruby file do what function in some cases?

Simone, Thanks for the reply It is on a PC hard drive, I open Sketchup Pro then open Layout, I then save the file before pressing the send to Layout button, I then get the error telling me to save the file first. I hope this helps many thanks Paul

Thank you solo. With 360 segments, my circles look, well, like circles.

I have and use this plugin http://www.alexschreyer.net/projects/plugin-loader-for-sketchup/. I use the following Plugin folder layouts. Plugin – This is where I store every plugin that I want to run automatically. Also I have plugin in this directory that I wish for the Plugin-loader to install and not be loaded automatically. These plugins, I remove the file type .rb, just leaving the file name as “GetLines” not “Getlines.rb.” This way, the plugin remains in the plugin folder, but will not be loaded autmatically. But will load with the plugin-loader, because "plugin-loader" adds the file extension, “.rb”. And the plugins that I wish to be loaded by the “plugin-loader” that I have chosen to remain in the plugin folder, I will remane by adding a number the front to the name, such as “1 – Getline.rb”. This will put the plugin at the top of the plugin in folder so I don’t have to hunt for it down in the directory. Other plugins I move to one of the following directories below, selecting it from the “plugin-loader“ when I wish to run the plugin. Works like a charm. Another thing I do, is I rename the plugin, i.e. Getline.rb may be renamed “To Get All Loose Lines– Getline.rb”. Note, I usually have the original name after the “-“ so I always know what the original plugin name was for future reference. I do this reference annotation renaming so I have some hint of exactly what the plugin does. I have not found a plugin that would not run from plugin-loader that I have rename by this method. My directory loayout, and I am thanking Didier Bur for the layout from his web page. 000 Steel Beams Angle 001 Animation – Scenes – Camera 002 Architecuture 003 Geometry – Drawing 004 Editing 005 Material – Colors – Rendering 006 Selection – Layers 007 Survey - Terrain Contour 008 Text 009 Files – Import – Export 010 Google Earth 011 Misc 012 Zip – Zar – Scripts 013 Script TXT Files 014 Data Files for Script Testing 015 Plugin exe Install files 016 Script Tutorials Hopes this helps. I know it cleaned up my drop drown plugins list. Ken

Look at this thread for the missing skm's... http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?p=146308#p146308

I completed your questions, but then wasn't too sure if my answers, or lack of answers would help you. Decided to post anyway. Sketches become Cadd plan. The Cadd plan is used to create a 3d model (with sub blocks of all interior and exterior elevations). The Cadd model is further organized as blocks (SU components) to organize textures. The model is ported to SU for visualization, and presentation. Typically some kind of animation, and quick renders. All design revision are done in Cadd then ported to SU (as revisions to components) so that the Cadd database is preserved for production drawings. I find this process faster then designing in SU in order to port to Cadd. I do not depend heavily on plugins, and try to use SU as it was created to aid in visualization, and presentation. Various render, and post processing software. Nothing, except for a small library of components, and materials that I like to use. Inexpensive software, intuitive interface, and easy to use. Photo match, shadow, and style features. Don't know if its a weakness, but it would be nice if some of the editing tools were more like my Cadd system (especially the stretch window, better window controls inside a command, and selective unselect). Also nice if SU could dde with a spreadsheet, but not if it slows the app down.

Hi Powel, hi folks. Try using Soften/Smooth on some edges. Just ideas.

Welcome skuser. Check out these posts: How a Pro Builds a House in SU pt 1 How a Pro Builds a House in SU pt 2

Hi Jean Thanks for the scene tip. I haven't used scenes yet, but it sounds like now is a good time to start. I found some advice over on the Podium forum too regarding sections, and I've just downloaded the zorro ruby, so hopefully that will sort out the sections issue. Thanks all.

This is the toolbar in question: [image: eXbW_Views.png] You can activate it (and many others) from the View menu > Toolbars. You can also get any of these "Standard" (top, front, right etc.) views from the Camera manu > Standard views. Those menu items do the same as the toolbar buttons except there is an extra menu item: "Bottom" (which you rarely use therefore they omitted it rom the toolbar to save space I guess).