Getting Started

SketchUcation · 21 Nov 2007, 14:17

How the Forums Work...

Thes forums are manned by a bunch of individuals - from experts (at SketchUp) to beginners, professionals and hobbyists - we are all a community helping each other with tips and good practices, finding resources.

There are some "netiquette" rules though :-

If you have a question on an existing topic please post in the respective topic
If you have a new question start a new topic
Do not send Private Messages regards help to any of the Plugin Authors with your installation problems, to any member to solve your issues
Refrain from posting foul language or images
Be nice

What do the Icons mean...

For further information about how to use the board, please, refer to the FAQ or if you have any question, don't hesitate to ask it in the "Ideas Box & Board Issues"

Happy Sketching!

cadmastr · 18 Dec 2007, 17:59

Hello All:

I recently came across a very helpful and informative website that offers FREE video tutorials. It is located at http://www.aidanchopra.com. Mr. Chopra has written a Dummies book on SketchUp and the videos link to the YouTube website.

There are 62 in all. You can either visit these links and watch the videos online, or download them to your computer and use a .FLV (Flash Video) freebie program to view them at your leisure. In order to download them, you will need a program like "UltraGet Video Downloader" (http://www.ultraget.com/) or one of the many .FLV download programs that are out there.

There are also some other SketchUp video tutorials on YouTube. They can be found here:

blair · 28 Jan 2008, 05:20

Cadmastr mentioned UltraGet (http://www.ultraget.com/) and this for me is a great find for I have wondered for a while how to download a video for later viewing etc. This looks like a good one for you can download and view with the same program. If there is a way to view FULL SCREEN (or much larger) with this one, or another, that would be even better. Does anyone know of anything better than UltraGet?

I downloaded/loaded the latest v2.0.3 UltraGet just fine. I can capture a video just fine. However, it does not show the individual downloaded video's in a new left hand panel, as shown in the help content, so that I can pick one video and play it. It places all downloads in "Documents and Settings > User Name > My Documents > UltraGet > YouTube". If I try to open a video from there or from within UltraGet I get a message instead of an opening Has anyone else worked with UltraGet?. I have tried to email support but emails are never delivered.

Thanks for any suggestions.

blair

cdubea · 28 Jan 2008, 13:11

Don't forget the Sketchup Show;

http://www.go-2-school.com

or direct downloads from

404 Not found

(atotheo.libsyn.com)

I've learned a lot from these guys.

chris

blair · 2 Feb 2008, 23:15

I never heard back from support at UltraGet mentioned above and I could not get it to work. However, I did find that the free version of Real Player works just fine and play back is full screen. It can be downloaded here:

http://www.realplayercafe.com/download-youtube-videos-free.php?gclid=CMzL_da_ppECFTgrOAodMlDYeQ

blair

cadmastr · 6 Feb 2008, 15:32

Regarding downloading videos from YouTube, I recently came across yet another freebie program that will do the same. It is called "Save2pc" and is available at http://www.save2pc.com I had been using "Ultraget" but found that sometimes I was unable to download a video, most likely due to the fact that every so often YouTube changes their restrictions on downloading videos.

I don't play the downloaded video with Ultraget. I use a freebie player called "Any FLV Player". You can get it here http://www.any-flv-player.com/ I like this much better because you can go into the "View" pulldown menu and select "Double Size" and see it in all it's glory.

If you don't want to watch the videos as .FLV files, you can use the "Save2pc" program to download the video as a .AVI or .MPG file. These file formats are bigger than the compact .FLV format, but are easily played using Windows Media Player, which most computer users probably already have on their systems.

Regarding Macs, I have no idea what can be used, as I have never used a Mac before.

I hope this information can help someone.

cadmastr · 6 Feb 2008, 15:52

Here is the direct link to downloading the "Save2pc" program (their website is a bit confusing).

http://www.save2pc.com/files/save2pc_light.exe

This program is a standalone .EXE file. It immediately runs when you click on it, no need to install anything. The only bad part is that you can only download one video at a time.

Danty · 10 Feb 2008, 08:53

Thanks everybody for the great posts on getting that much better with SU.
As Monsterzero has said on another post, "my head is going to explode".

The sheer volume of HELP by the good people in the SU universe is mind boggling.

As a Mac user -- I want to supplement what Cadmastr has said about video viewers and players.

There is freeware available for Macs called TubeTV, http://www.chimoosoft.com/products/tubetv/

In addition to the above I have an excellent DVD player freeware called MPlayer OSX:
http://mplayerosx.sourceforge.net/

I can save the any video from the Internet and then play it in half or full screen on MPlayer.

Danty

Danty · 10 Feb 2008, 19:49

Since I'm on this thread I would be remiss if I didn't promote my very FAVORITE learning tool for SU: Dennis Fukai's 3D Construction Modeling.
In my initial learning phase of SU I was having enormous difficulties and nearly gave up.
Fortunately I found Dennis' book.
The whole concept of the book and it's format is terrific.
You construct an entire model house from the ground up in SU.
Dennis gives you not just the book which shows screenshots of the entire process but also included is a CD which has tutorials broken down for each phase of the model.
This book "pulled it all together" for me.
I learned very fully how to use not only the basic tools: inferencing, groups, components, etc. but how they all "fit" together.
Dennis has a natural teacher's style and voice. He personally narrates the tutorials and I actually felt like it was a one-on-one session with a SU tutor.
Plus (and this may not be the case now) he includes his phone # in the book so you can call him! I called him twice and he was very gracious each time. After that we exchanged e-mails.

So -- I cannot recommend this book too highly for someone who is really serious about learning SU well.

It's available from Amazon or other sources as well:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0976274108

Danty

Rafa · 7 Jul 2008, 21:33

Hi. One question. I know for example that the Free version of sketchup cant export to other formats, besides that, Is it much "crippled", compared with the pro version? Or with some rubys here and there is it fairly complete?

remus · 7 Jul 2008, 21:38

The exporters are the only difference between the free and pro versions.

Rafa · 7 Jul 2008, 21:55

Great!, thanks.

Jim · 7 Jul 2008, 21:58

@rafa said:

Hi. One question. I know for example that the Free version of sketchup cant export to other formats, besides that, Is it much "crippled", compared with the pro version? Or with some rubys here and there is it fairly complete?

The Pro version will get you more 3D export options (3DS, OBJ, XSI, FBX, VRML, EPX and DAE), but you also get PDF and EPS exporters, you get the Layout application, you get the Style Builder application, and 2 years of tech support.

As far as the modeling tools available and the ability to use plugins, there is no crippling of the free version.

As a related note, the licensing allows for-profit use of the free version.

dallyc · 1 Sept 2008, 17:05

hi!
I'm new to sketchup. I'm taking a class.

troyhome · 1 Sept 2008, 18:51

Welcome, dallyc!
The links in this thread are so valuable!
All the best with your class.

chench10 · 2 Sept 2008, 12:06

Allow me to introduce myself! My real name is Oscar otherwise known as "da Chench" and I will be looking forward to learning more about the computer world and increasing my digi-skills! Peace!

troyhome · 2 Sept 2008, 14:42

Welcome, Chench- you're in the right place for increasing skills

duxgga · 24 Nov 2008, 05:19

I've been wondering, where are those tuts i.g. under this title. It says d/l model. I need the tut!..

solo · 24 Nov 2008, 05:35

duxgga, I am not sure of which particular thread or download you are talking about but if you download the .skp you and open it up you will notice that the tutorial is in the model, sometimes done using scene walkthroughs with text, others with muliple models that show progress from one to the other.

Take a look you may find this way very easy to learn from, and the bonus is you get the resulting model free.

mujzisme · 27 Feb 2009, 15:25

hi there Im Abdul Mujib from Malaysia.just call me mujzisme..Just wanna learn and explore more about sketchup and other knowledge..nice to meet u all..