@cotty said:

If you use SketchUp often, you should think about using shortcuts for most of the tools...
(one indirect way to solve this issue )

I use SketchUp every day but I also use AutoCAD and Rhino. I decided early on to use shortcuts in AutoCAD (because that's the app I use the most) and icons in the other two programs (although Rhino's shortcuts tend to often be the same as AutoCAD's). Otherwise I go nuts keeping all the shortcuts in line and resetting everything as soon as I go to a new client.

I can't imagine how much time I've lost over the years because AutoCAD's data entry is digit - dash - fraction whereas SketchUp is digit - space - fraction.

Heaven is a place where all commands and shortcuts in all 3D and CAD programs are the same.

@jql said:

That speed problem also happened to me at first in 2013, when I first installed it. Then I noticed that I had hardware acceleration disabled.

Go to window > preferences > OpenGL check if hardware accel and fast feedback are on.

Best regards,

JQL

Thanks for that tip - can't wait to get back to my home office later to see if fast feedback is unselected. Yesterday I accidentally moved a base plan because of this problem (I had clicked Orbit but was still in Move) and only discovered the problem an hour or so later. I was using the base plan to guide construction of walls and other items so all of that work had to be revised. PITA! Now I'm locking everything as I build but that can pose it's own problems.

I paid for the upgrade to 2013 when it came out but I'm only now using it on a daily basis. One thing I notice is that the 'click speed' is slower - meaning when I click on a tool or click out of a tool I often have to go back and re-do work because I haven't actually picked up the tool or dropped it - I'm still in the last tool before the click. I find this kind of maddening. I'm sure I'll get used to it but it makes going back and forth between 8 & 2013 problematic - I work in 8 for a while and then have to tell my hand to 'slow down' when I go into 2013. Is there any way to control this - to make 2013 work at the same speed as 8?

And something that I've wanted to ask for a long time but never get around to - is there a way to set SketchUp so hitting Escape voids any selection? I often don't want to orbit away from a scene to deselect something. In most of the programs I work in Escape voids selection. I'd like SketchUp to do that.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain that. Sometimes it's the simplest things that seem to be obstacles in the day.

I know I'm being stupid this morning but how do I export a single page from Layout? I've got a file with 6 pages and I've revised one and I only want to print that one revised page, not the whole set. I'm sure it's obvious but I'm just not seeing it.

Thanks in advance for input you've got.

I go back and forth between AutoCAD and SketchUp all the time with no problems.

Some suggestions:

The cleaner your AutoCAD file the better it will open in SketchUp.

I keep a AutoCAD file called To SketchUp that has essentially nothing in it (no blocks, no linetypes, meta data, etc.). I copy my geometry into that file then use Purge (extensively)and Overkill to get the file ready for SketchUp.

SketchUp doesn't have arcs or circles so any line that intersects a circle will give you trouble. On the SketchUp side open the Entity Info panel and increase the chord count of the arcs to give you smoother lines. On the AutoCAD side I always extend any lines that intersect arcs several inches beyond the arc so I can trim them back in SketchUp.

I hope something here helps.

I'm interested.
My child (12 yrs old) is a big Maker Faire fan so we tend to go every year. Last year I felt the fair was a bit inundated with 3D printers - all great but all pretty much the same. Maybe the rage for those things will have passed a bit by now.

The answer I received on the ChaosGroup forum:

Yes, with V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp you will need to purchase a dongle. In general the dongle costs $35 USD but additional charges like shipping and VAT can apply. It's best to verify the cost and shipping details of the dongle with your local reseller though. The price and shipping times of a dongle vary from reseller to reseller.

For those of you that qualify for the free upgrade you will still need to order a dongle from your local reseller. To process an upgrade you'll just need to send an email to our sales team (sales.software@chaosgroup.com) to initiate the reprogramming of your dongle.

One major advantage of the new dongle licensing system is that if you have a dongle from a previous V-Ray purchase you can use that same dongle for V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp. When you order V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp and you already have a dongle be sure to let your reseller know that you already have a dongle. In fact, to streamline the process provide them with the serial number of your dongle when placing the order.

Dongles can be moved from computer to computer. However, keep in mind that you will also need to have the V-Ray license server installed on the computer that you want to use the dongle on. You can get more details about installation, licensing and dongle reprogramming from [http://help.chaosgroup.com/vray/help...ensingvray.htm](http://help.chaosgroup.com/vray/help...ensingvray.htm).

If your dongle gets damaged or you lose it you will need to contact software.sales@chaosgroup.com. Our sales team will review the situation and get you back up and running as quickly as possible. The good news is that it's very rare for a dongle to fail. 

Best regards,

Corey

Director
Chaos Group USA

@solo said:

Dongle? I thought that tech was outdated, very inconvenient IMO. Vray 2 does look interesting, going to need to give it a trial soon.

It seems outdated. With SketchUp, Rhino and MODO I can install my license on as many computers as I want as long as I'm only using one at a time. That is the ideal arrangement for me. A dongle does somewhat the same thing - you can take it from computer to computer, but a dongle can be lost or damaged.

(I asked these same questions at Chaosgroup but I find replies often show up quicker over here)

I'm a little confused by the phrase 'hardware key' on the website's announcement. Does that mean a dongle?

Therefore, some questions:
Do you need a dongle for V-Ray 2.0?
Is it mailed to you? How long does it take to arrive?
The website says the dongle is not node locked. Does that mean you can move it from computer to computer?
The website also says Prices do not include dongle / VAT / shipping. Does that imply that there's a additional price for the dongle?
Last question - if a dongle is damaged or lost what is the replacement cost?

Thanks for any input you can provide

Are there any new tutorials like the Lynda tutorial planned for the release of the upgrade?

$667. November delivery (or so the site says)

@unknownuser said:

320 usd/ 230eur

I hope you're right - that amount would be manageable. I'm currently beseiged with expenses and there's a program called HDR Light Studio that's very tempting. But my money has to wait for V-Ray.

Any thoughts? Predictions? Inside info?

I render out of MODO and V-Ray but it's worth pointing out that Thea is a stand alone application so, unlike V-Ray, you won't need a separate license for Rhino and SketchUp. I envy that. Like you, I work in several applications and I'm not happy about the idea of paying for a separate rendering license for each one.

I'm not a rendering genius (mentally challenged would be more accurate) plus I'm not that interested in rendering. My clients have been shown enough photo real stuff that they don't really see it anymore. It's a necessary component of a presentation but it doesn't make a presentation like it used to. So exorbitant amounts of time rendering seem to be a bit of a waste. I'd like a one button 'pretty pic' solution as was said above but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Let us know how it works out - I'd like more info about the Thea / Rhino plugin.

@jiminy-billy-bob said:

You can also change the default material color in the "styles" window.

Thanks for the reminder. That tip will also come in useful going back and forth between the two programs.

I asked the same question on the Rhino forum and Jeff Hammond, helpful as always, pointed out that opening a 2nd, empty version of SketchUp and dragging and dropping the Rhino export into it will result in the Rhino export adopting all the settings of the SketchUp file.

Problem solved.

Is there a way to change the default front and back face colors? When I export a file out of Rhino as a skp the file in SketchUp has beige for the front face color instead of white. All of the front faces are beige and any new geometry I create in the model is also beige. And I hate beige!

Thanks for any advice you've got. I have asked the same question on the Rhino forum.

There are several threads about this subject and there are several people who insist dimensions in Layout are associative. For the life of me I don't know what they're seeing that I'm not. In my mind Layout is a very useful tool for exporting images of the SketchUp model and, if the model is actually complete and no further revisions are expected (a very rare occurrence in my business), a useful tool to output 2D views with dimensions and annotations. But for a 3D model or a model that will go through numerous revisions, I don't see how Layout's dimensions would be useful.

Maybe this is relevant to your issue, or maybe not -

I find the timing of the mouse click varies from program to program. I haven't worked too much in 2013 but I notice that the click timing (is there such a term?) is slower than in 8. The same occurs for me in MODO. The click in MODO needs to be a bit longer than it does in AutoCAD or SketchUp 8. What I mean is I have to hold the mouse button down a fraction of a second longer in MODO than I do in AC or SU. If I don't, I find myself in the field thinking I'm about to start doing something with the tool I've just chosen but nothing is happening or I'm still in the previous tool. Frustrating but I get used to it.