"best practice" advice for some SU and LO workflows
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I'm new to SU and LO. Absolutely loving them both and realising their potential. I am a structural engineer, so don't have a lot of drafting training. I have done a lot of hand drawings, and know my way around AutoCAD a little. I'm interested in the "best practice" for producing a 3D model in SU and presenting it on construction drawings using LO.
Am I correct in assuming that most of you: do all of the modelling in SU; create some views with relevant styles for sections, elevations, details etc; the in LO you use those views and do all dimensioning, notes, show section marks there? ie no dimensioning or text really needs to be done in SU?
I'm particularly interested in dimensioning. If something gets stretched or moved in the SU model after a LO view and dimensions have been drawn, I think they're not associated? ie you can't stretch the model and the dimensions automatically get updated too?
What do you do in SU and what do you do in LO?
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I do all of my modeling in SketchUp, setup scenes as needed and then go to LO for text and dimensions as you describe. Dimensions won't get automatically updated when changes are made to the model. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that is coming in LO4. Even so, dimensions in LO beat those in SU hands down.
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Thanks mate. I meant to mention in my first post - what about things like reinforcement in concrete sections. I was thinking you'd model the concrete outline of, say, a strip footing. But on sectional details you'd actually draw the reinforcement in LO? You wouldn't model every reinforcing bar in the SU model, would you?
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Well, concrete and reinforcing rod isn't used much in my line of drawing work but I would likely draw it in SketchUp--not every one, of course, but enough to insinuate them. I guess you could draw them in LO if you want. It's great to have the flexibility that way.
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I see. Thanks for your thoughts. I've got some ideas after watching some videos on poches and door representations in plans vs sections and elevations. Think I'll give it a go in SU as you suggest. Not modelling every bar, but enough that show up in sections and details. Thanks again, mate.
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I find setting up layers inside SketchUp for the Dimensions works pretty well, for Cabinetry and Millwork. I just put the dims on Layers that match the scene names, and then only turn them on for the correct scene. Layer names like DIM_PLAN, DIM_ELEV1, DIM_ELEV2, DIM_SECT1, DIM_SECT2. That way the dimensions update when I change the model, but the "VPORT" inside LO needs to be in "HYBRID" mode for the dims to display well, which can be slow, so I make that switch at the end right before PDF.
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So you don't do your dimensioning in LO?
I find the dimension tool in SU to be too limiting and much prefer to do my dimensions right in LayOut.
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Overview of my process:
[flash=500,281:2zmxr52m]http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=44538194[/flash:2zmxr52m]
I often have multiple models referenced. The main structure / house / etc. Then I save that model and pull apart details, modeling only what I need to show. Reference these back into LO as needed.
-Mike
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Excellent video bmike!!! Thank You very much for sharing your workflow. I learned a lot.
Paul
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For me, I do all my dimensions in SUP and all my labels in LO, often designs for me change after I goto LO. So I really need the dimensioning to update automatically, and the SketchUp to Layout link works really "good". Great thing about SketchUp, alot of good ways to do things.
Here is a link to the drawings I create with Layout -
@bmike said:
Overview of my process:
...
I often have multiple models referenced. The main structure / house / etc. Then I save that model and pull apart details, modeling only what I need to show. Reference these back into LO as needed.
-Mike
Thanks mate. That video explains it very well, even for a noob like me.
BTW I've seen some of your work in other sections of the forum here. Beautiful. Your drawings are works of art - balancing the technical and presentation is gorgeous.
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