Benefits of Pro over Free?

johnsenior1973

What does SU Pro offer over the Free version? Do the people who bought the Pro version think it is worth $500?

sorgesu

If You are a professional, the abilty to export to a 3D model format other than SKP would be of importance to you.
Exporting in DWG and DXF, for instance is not available in the Free version.
If you are a Piranesi user, exporting in the epx format is not available to you.
The entire Layout Program is not available to you and the new Style Builder is not available to you.
In addition, you are unable to change the model location from the default Boulder, Colorado and this will impact your shadow studies. However, this can be overcome there is a free ruby script available that will allow you to do so.

remus

All you really get when you buy the pro version is the exporters.

Personally i tihnk its only really worth it if you work in an environment where you need to be able to switch between apps easily, even then its possible to convert GE 4 files (which can be exported from SU free) fairly easily using blender.

pilou

GE is Google Earth ?

remus

yep.

thomthom

@remus said:

All you really get when you buy the pro version is the exporters.

Personally i tihnk its only really worth it if you work in an environment where you need to be able to switch between apps easily, even then its possible to convert GE 4 files (which can be exported from SU free) fairly easily using blender.

And High Quality print.

Gaieus

@thomthom said:

And High Quality print.

No Tom, that is now included into the free version as well (regardless of what the SU Guide indicates). In SU 5 these things were the difference (missing from the free version):

Sandbox tools
Print options (only limited to screen resolution)
animation export
Model location (in Windows)
3D and 2D vector exports
Now only the two latter are the difference - with kmz being a 3d export option for the free version as well - and Jim has a script for model location in the free version.

twharvey

@sorgesu said:

In addition, you are unable to change the model location from the default Boulder, Colorado and this will impact your shadow studies. However, this can be overcome there is a free ruby script available that will allow you to do so.

What is the ruby script called? Or is there a link to it?

Thanks,
Tom

watkins

Dear Tom,

Good morning! I see that you are another early riser.

You can find Jim's most excellent script here:

Plugin: Model Location

* This plug-in was made for SketchUp version 6 Free because it lacked the dialog (which Pro had) to change these settings. This has become ...

(sketchuptips.blogspot.com)

Take time to browse his other offerings. He is both industrious and generous.

Kind regards,
Bob

twharvey

Thanks, Bob. Yeah, seems the older I get, the less I sleep.

Tom

Gaieus

Hi Tom, Hi Bob,

@Tom - I know you often model for GE. Note that whenever you take a snapshot from GE, it will also get the location precisely. The script for the Free version (or the Location tab for the Pro verswion) is only important when you don't take the snapshot - i.e. not modeling for GE.

twharvey

Thanks, Gaieus.

John Sayers

the advantage of Pro over free is you can use it professionally and charge for your work.

Gaieus

John,

Since SU 6 came out, there is no "non-commercial" limitation on SU Free either.

John Sayers

thanks for that info - it would have been very hard to police anyway.

Julius

sill nobody answered to the question: "Do the people who bought the Pro version think it is worth $500?"

remus

I'd say, yes it is worth it if your a professional and you need to be able to export models easily, otherwise it's not worth the money.

juju

I suppose it depends on what you use it for. It is really only something you can answer for yourself, all the necessary guidance to make that decision have been given in previous posts.

solo

The answer is simple really, most folk that bought the professional version were indeed using it in a professional capacity and in doing so their workflow would probably require exporting and importing over several other apps in order to deliver the final product. I cannot comment about the Layout feature as I have never had the patience to deal with it and it never yielded anything productive in my hands.