Fog properties on scenes not updating properly

chrisjmitchell

Hi all,

I use Sketchup everyday for work. I use it for architectural precast shop drawings. I just had an issue where I have set up components that are non filled rectangles that represent different viewport sizes and scales in Layout. I will then place one in front of a detail I want to show in Layout. I highlight it, Zoom to ~~selection~~ extents, set my fog planes and create a new scene. I then will then select another viewport component(same size) on the same plane as the first, and Zoom to selection, but the fog will disappear. I orbit around my model and see the fog is still on but set way back. If I go to the first scene I created and update the second scene Fog/Style properties it does not update. The goal is to have the same fog appearance between scenes without having to mess with the sliders every time.

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

Fog Problem.skp

Dave R

I see the fog settings are different between scene 1 and scene 2 because the camera position changes. It's hard to tell that it is different because you are using Parallel Projection. I made a new scene 2 using the scene 2 frame but the same camera position from scene 1 and so I get the same fog settings.

Fog Problem.skp

chrisjmitchell

Thanks so much Dave! I just downloaded and used Thomthom's camera tools to view the cameras for each scene and now I see what you mean. How did you get the cameras the same? BTW thanks for all your tutorials over the years, they have greatly improved my Sketchup skills!

Dave R

Hi Chris,

I did a few things to get the relative camera positions to match in your model. much of the first part was done to fix your setup for scene 1.

Switch the camera to Perspective.
Selected the Scene 1 frame.
Use Zoom Selection to move the camera in closer to the frame than it had been. With the camera closer, the fog controls are easier to set.
Switch camera to Parallel Projection.
Zoom Selection again.
Update scene 1.
Orbit to see the scene 2 frame.
Select scene 1.
Zoom Selection. (see below.)
Create a new scene.

Zoom Selection is a Context Menu item. In order to be able to use it on something that isn't visible in the view, you need to have created a keyboard shortcut for it. And as with most Context menu items, in order to set a keyboard shortcut, you first need to have something selected that would cause the item to appear in the menu.

I think if I needed to do this sort of thing in my own modeling, I would put the component/groups for both scenes in the same space and use layers to control which are visible for each scene. Then the camera and settings such as fog can remain the same between scenes. Or at least the camera position is the same. You can change the fog settings if needed. I wonder if the frame component would be needed then.

I'm glad you've found my tutorials useful.

d

chrisjmitchell

Thanks so again Dave! That makes sense. I have always done this in the past and I think without realizing it I happened to get the camera closer. I went back and checked my large model I have been working on and sure enough the cameras are way back from the model.

Thanks,
Chris

Dave R

Glad that helped, Chris. I think this camera position is common if you work in Parallel Projection most of the time. I generally find it much easier to work in Perspective and just switch to PP when creating scenes that require it.

sonder

A really quick way to match camera settings between scenes:

select the scene that you want to match
In the scene tray highlight the scenes you want to have the same view as the scene you selected.
Simply toggle the camera view off, then on. Do not select update.

That's it. Matt Donley pointed this out to me during the process of writing our book. Incredibly easy. The same method applies to all aspects under "properties to save".

chrisjmitchell

Thanks so much for that tip! That is incredibly simple!

Didier Bur

Hi Chrisjmitchell,

You can also use my scenes tools extension:
https://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/scenes-tools
With it you can manage cameras, fogs, layers visibility, shadows settings (and more) from one scene to antother in a copy-paste manner.

chrisjmitchell

Thanks Didier, I actually do have that plugin (it is a great time saver!) and it was the first thing I tried after the fog disappeared. What I did not realize though is while my view appeared to be the same my cameras were way different in distance to there respective targets, so the fog planes were copied but they were not showing up because the fog planes are based on my "off" camera location.

Thanks!