SketchUp 2015 Wishlist

Tandem

Better Color, Material, Components Management on Mac.
Better Toolbar Control
Better UI on Mac in general especially window management.
Better Documentation or Detailed PDF Manual

I find the SketchUp / LayOut documentation available in the Knowledge Center lacking both in content and usability and quite unacceptable for a $590 software package.

mac1

@halroach said:

I wish there were a way to see the file sizes of components within the component browser.

It happens that you load a component into a model, only too late to remember that it's way too heavy for the specific model you're working on. Or that you need to calculate what the maximum of trees cars and people you can put into a model...

It would be nice to see a little indication of how many or Mb or k each component is... preferably as part of the 'large thumbnails' view, which I find that I use most often.

It would be nice to be able to select a bunch of components all at once in the component browser... if for checking how big they are... or for deleting a bunch... you know, as the name infers... it should act as a browser, just like windows explorer where you can select a list with SHIFT or specific components with CTRL...

FYI: I use save as collection some times to get that info, you can open a particular component, edit( Like edge decimation) it, save, use the outliner to select that in model, then the component browser to replaced selected with the edited component. Just did that to day and reduced mode size by about 35 MB quickly. Got about ten more to go with 100 + MB reduction target=> no redrawing of component model!

xiombarg

Currently I only have one BIG wish that I've had for awhile: BONES

Usually bones systems are used for figures and animations but I just want them for plain old hinges. I would love it if I could open a model door without having to go through the whole rotate routine. Would also be wonderful for multi-hinged objects.

Thomthom wrote a nice little plugin that rotates a hinge based upon where you've set your axis within a component, but it sure would be nice to have something more specialized.

jiminy-billy-bob

@xiombarg said:

I would love it if I could open a model door without having to go through the whole rotate routine

You can do that with dynamic components and the interact tool. See at the bottom of this page : http://help.sketchup.com/fr/article/114621

xiombarg

@jiminy-billy-bob said:

@xiombarg said:

I would love it if I could open a model door without having to go through the whole rotate routine

You can do that with dynamic components and the interact tool. See at the bottom of this page : http://help.sketchup.com/fr/article/114621

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Doors that have more than one hinge axis, like bifold doors, accordion doors, or just any mechanical device that uses more than a single axis such as a string of railroad cars on a train. The dynamic components seem to work great for standard doors, but I've never been able to figure out how to make them work with multiple axis.

Using the train example, bones systems let you reposition a single railroad car yet still keep all the cars connected.

jiminy-billy-bob

Well, not sure about all you mention, but take a look at this : https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/collection.html?redirect=1%26amp;mid=50f4852e4734070e6bb8d8822a6e5009%26amp;prevstart=0

@xiombarg said:

accordion doors

derei

@xiombarg said:

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Doors that have more than one hinge axis, like bifold doors, accordion doors, or just any mechanical device that uses more than a single axis such as a string of railroad cars on a train. The dynamic components seem to work great for standard doors, but I've never been able to figure out how to make them work with multiple axis.

You can do it with dynamic components. It's a bit tricky, because you have to consider both rotation joints, but not too hard to do.
And one more thing: clogging Sketchup with tools that are too specific, could add speed problems and also could limit it. As it is now, it's very flexible and everyone can tailor it for its own needs, using various plugins. Maybe "wished" would be better kept in this area: only "root" sketchup features, that will make sketchup behave better, no adding new features.
Indeed, a more intuitive DC making method could be a plus...but I can't imagine how it would look (interface, principle).

jeff hammond

@derei said:

Indeed, a more intuitive DC making method could be a plus...but I can't imagine how it would look (interface, principle).

maybe something like this?

grasshopper for rhino

xiombarg

I would think that having a more straightforward and versatile connecting system would be a valid request. All engineering and animation modelling programs have them, and it is an application that is used in almost all areas of 3D modelling and product design.

I've tried using Dynamic Components to create a mechanical arm with multiple points of articulation and I couldn't get it to work correctly. It seems to me that Dynamic Components don't nest together well, especially when an articulation point has to both twist and swing at the same location. Not to say that you can't use dynamic components for different things, but it's limited and awkward for multi-tiered joint system.

Anton_S

You know what I like about SketchUp?
It has a default Sky and background (other drawing Apps are dark with the background). It gives me a feeling as if I'm drawing something on the real world.

I think SketchUp should extend its Sky features. It would be nice of them to add a Sun and some clouds, plus Stars if user starts using SketchUp in the evening...
Some sun shaders would be awesome as well. When the user turns camera on Sun it should produce this light effect.

This feature would give so much inspiration to the users; they would breath in some fresh air and start drawing...

SketchUp should flex some core features

pgarmyn

2015 Wish(list) : identic ruby behaviour for Mac & Win

derei

I WISH...

Arcs with variable number of segments (sides). Option to either set number of segments for arc (eg. 12), or to set the length of one segment and the total number of segments to be approximated depending on total length of the arc.
It also could be a nice plugin... I tried a piece of code, but I could not figure out how to make the inference, so I gave up.

jaymar888

I have a screen that is almost a quarter covered with plugin icons. I like the Curvizard plugin as it just has one icon and and clicking it brings up the menu for the tools it contains, what if future for future sketchup, all plugins had a single icon with a dropdown menu to access all the tools in that plugin when you click it? would save space and cost very little time (and yes i know you could do this from plugin menu, but takes ages to find what you want and is an extra click on top)

Mike Amos

I would like the development team to concentrate on core functionality for a while. Forget the shiny new button syndrome and deal with the long term problems that plague the core program. Especially the intersect function and the extra soften lines process that does not get asked for but happens anyway. An extra would be to cure the arcs/circles from breaking anytime you do anything. PITA. Shiny new buttons can wait and as for the point of having a thread for requests for any particular next version, does anyone here actually believe the team/management give a bleep what we ask for? Anyone?

pbacot

What shiny new buttons? I think some of the staff (and we know some of them from here) care because they ARE us. As for management, why should they care? I'm sure they have enough else to keep them busy. (I don't mean to say that facetiously towards you. But trying to see it from their perspective, they must have many other pressures and priorities. How would they benefit from this? It's all the next quarter, next year, then eventually retire or move on to another company.)

I think you are right about the "core" if that means better and faster performance.

architeriffic

I would like to have the ability to create jogged section cuts. Just create a surface, make it a component, right click on it and turn it into a section cut.

gudio83

Cut / making hole through all complicated components (content many other components and groups)

mitcorb

@gudio83:
See this link: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=58335.
An extension or plugin like this is more likely to happen than it being incorporated into the program itself. Is this what you are describing in your comment?

TK0001

I would like layer transparency and to have it save-able in Scene Manager, so you could "ghost out" non-essential information in a certain scene, and "highlight" the things you want to stand out. Essentially, creating a scene that looks like when you double-click on a group or component within a larger model.

manhaaa

Faster model manager with large file and material windows, entityinfo windows, Style Windows...working together in the one windows, maybe multi tab for them.