Hello Rich

Safari on my Mac. I don't have any anti-virus installed - never thought it necessary on a Mac. Maybe I need to rethink that.

It was a link in the PDF file that got hijacked to the malware site. Sneaky bastards!

@rich o brien said:

Hi Bob,

What internet browser are you using? What anti-virus or malware protection do you run?

The 'How to get FFMEPG' button opens a locally stored PDF file that is part of the Animator extension.

I would install malwarebytes and run a scan.

Yea, I stayed away from those and found a list of files that get installed and need to be deleted. So, I think I got the mess cleaned up. We'll see

However, I'd be wary of using any of their linked tools either !

Hi Fredo

Yea, that kinda blew me up. I'm sure when you put that PDF together it worked as intended. Somewhere along the line, someone hacked the link somehow. And, I did have hesitation at the website advising the upgrade Flash - it looked a little suspect - but I went ahead anyway, so really dumb on my part.

I think I was able to uninstall the 2 or 3 pieces of malware that got installed.

So, I then did some searching around for FFMPEG for Mac. Learned that it was a command line app, of which I have precisely zero knowledge; deeper into the weeds than I care to delve. I found Handbrake and MPEG Streamclip, two apps that put a GUI front end on FFMPEG.

I installed these and got the host of export options for Animator, yet all it would export is frames, not video. I was able to generate a video by importing the frames into Screenflow, but wonder why Animator would not export actual video? Also, interestingly, "Save and Exit" in the Animator export dialog actually erases all of the individual frames.

So, I'm not sure quite what I'm doing wrong.

Anyway, as with all your plugins, incredible bit of programming.

[quote="fredo6"]Bob,

It's unfortunate what happened to you.

I downloaded and was testing the use of Animator in a model. When I went to make a video of the animation, the export dialog instructed me to download FFMPEG in order to do so. Via the PDF that pops up under "How to get FFMPEG", I followed the link embedded in the PDF. It took me to what appears to be a phishing page and instructed me to install Flash player. Against my better judgment, like a damn idiot, I clicked the install button. MacCleaner Pro, known malware was installed and now my system seems to be completely hijacked.

UN-EFFING-ACCEPTABLE!

Anyone know how to disinfect my system and delete all of this malware installed?

Yea, I'm trying that in several different ways right now.

Thanks for responding!

Bob

@srx said:

They are not so smart
You have to separate surface in several groups which does not break, and than use the tools.

Hello all

In this model, I'm trying to generate a grade around the retaining wall. If I select the contour lines, neither the native sandbox tools and Fredo's Toposhaper deal properly with the grade separation on either side of the retaining wall. I'm trying to figure out the quick and easy way to do this. I've been experimenting with selecting just some of the contour lines at a time, generating the grade with the intent to combine the shapes, but that seems like a laborious process and I'm not sure the issues that lie down that path, because of the overlaps created this way.

So, I thought someone here may have dealt with this and has a better solution.

Thanks in advance!

Bob

Contour problem.skp

First make a new scene then set the save parameters.[/quote]

so,

• create new scene
• set new parameters for it
• update new scene

seems an odd workflow to me, but so many things do!

Thanks for your response, pbacot.

Bob

Hi again, Dave!

Ok, I have video made up illustrating the problem I'm having, link below. Obviously, my workflow is wrong, but since it is what makes sense to me, I'm not sure what the proper workflow should be.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks

Bob

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oljvt8nwk5hiaa8/create%20scene%20issue.mp4?dl=0

Hi Dave

Here's where I'm having trouble

I want to create a new scene, very similar to the first floor plan section cut scene that I created for floor plan generation in Layout. In this scene, I want to add a visible layer to that basic floor plan scene showing the structural steel columns on that floor. The purpose of the scene is to determine layout of those steel columns.

I have my camera view scene which saved the top down parallel projection camera view and nothing else.

I create my new section cut, with the layers for my walls and the steel columns on. Perform TIG's magic with section cut face. The section cut and SCF output are put on a new layer, lets call it "steel 1". I turn off the steel and wall layers so all I have is the new layer with the active section plane (plane hidden) and the SCF. Oh, I also turn on another layer that has my reference planes associated with it to show them.

I click the scene tab for camera view and get exactly what I want: a parallel top down view of the layers with the SCF and reference planes, with a camera view consistent with those I used for the floor plans. Not absolutely necessary that the camera view be identical, but nice none the less to have.

So, to create the new scene, I expect that I'd select (tick on) the properties to be saved with the new scene - camera location, visible layers, active section planes and style and fog - in the "Scenes" window/tray, then click the plus button to create the new scene. However, every property I now select (tick "on") immediately becomes a newly saved property of the camera view scene. I haven't clicked "update" on the camera view, it just happens automatically. So now my camera view scene has changed to not only include camera location, but now has these added layers saved with it. This is not what I am expecting. I expect that these new properties just ticked on would be saved with the new scene I'd create with the new scene add button. Which it does, but now my camera view scene has been ruined with the addition of these other saved parameters. Now I try to modify my camera view back to as it was, and I start chasing my tail as one scene then another gets automatically updated with changes as I make them.

Do I need to create the new scene first, then change the properties to be saved and update it? Seems counter intuitive...

Thanks in advance for your usual excellent tutelage.

Bob

Thank you for the detailed response, Dave. You gotta be about the most helpful guy I've never met - but BaseCamp is coming up!

As I was elaborating in a response, I realize that I really need to study this a little more, and your direction will help a lot (as it always does). I think my basic misunderstanding is in updating an already created scene. And I was doing this a number of times in the file you looked at trying to get what I wanted. I would click the tab above to go to an already created scene. I would adjust layer states that seemed to change of their own accord (operator error, I know). Then, click update for the scene. And, yes, only "camera" was ticked. BUT, when updating a scene, a drop down appears letting you select those parameters that want to be updated. "camera" is already ticked in this drop down, I tick the others that I want updated and... this doesn't seem to override the "unticked" state shown in the scene creation box itself, where only "camera" is ticked. This is what is throwing me off, I think. Doesn't seem like the way it should work. Kinda like newly created layers being added to existing scenes automatically (which we've discussed before!).

So, I'm going to keep your post here on screen as I experiment more with the file, see if I can't get proficient at it.

Thanks again Dave for all your help. That dinner in the desert keeps upgrading to better and better restaurants!

Bob

Every time I think I'm beginning to understand scenes in Sketchup, I realize that I'm nowhere close to it.

I'm beginning to think that "Properties to update" dialog when updating an existing scene does not override the checked/unchecked status of the various parameters set in the scene creation box. Is this correct?

I'm attempting to create a set of floor plans for a project I've modeled. I'm setting up scenes containing the necessary section(s) and for each floor's plan for use in Layout. I'm cognizant of keeping the camera view the same (thanks, Sonder) so that I can stack viewports (thanks, Dave R) for some of the plans (split level house). I also had set up a scene which displays the entire model so that I could always return to that as a starting point for creating this floor plan scenes and whatever else may need to be added or modified in the model.

From this starting point, I created a number of horizontal section cuts (6 total for 3 floors) and placed each on their own layer. I also use TIG's "Create section cut face" plugin so that I can hatch the cut planes as necessary and then move that into Layout. Yes, I know about Skalp.

I prepare my first section cut, with the cut active, a TIG "cut face" properly hatched, the layers I want showing and hidden toggled as needed, top view, parallel projection and zoomed to an appropriate screen image (camera location) and create a new scene. This scene seems fine, transfers into Layout fine.

I also create a new scene "camera plan view" saving only the camera settings for use in creating the other floors' plans, so that I have consistent viewports in Layout.

Then, I click on the tab for my overall "model view" and it has changed to match that first floor plan view, not the entire model view I had set up. I do not know how this happens and is certainly something about scenes that I completely misunderstand.

No problem, though, or so I thought... I just figure I can recreate the "model view" scene. I turn off the section cut and hide that layer, turn on the other layers I want on for the model view scene, get it looking how I want it to , and click the update scene icon. The dialog drops down asking which properties to update, I select "Layers", "Style", "Camera" and "Visible Section Planes" (as I had turned off an active section plane) and click update. All seems to be well. I even click on my "model view" tab at the top and the view remains the same. However, when I click on my first floor plan view, then model view again, I'm right back where I started with my model view now being a perspective view of the floor plan. In other words, the only property updated was the camera location, not the other parameters I selected in the properties to update dialog.

Thoroughly, totally and utterly confused. With a deadline to boot!

Can someone point out the "face palm" simple thing I'm missing here?

Much thanks

Bob

link to skp file on Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sjpr3gilpb8ai59/La%20Mirada_2018-6-2.skp?dl=0

Just venting a little, but when I select "Please don't show this again" in the dialog box that opens when I go to place a section plane, why does it then always return? I don't ever want to see it again, not just in my current session in the current open window.

rant off

Bob

Hi Juju

When I look at the entity info boxes, it sure looks like we both have the same group selected. And, the images are of the same set of walls on the same floor.

This is baffling me and I hope one you learned SU masters can provide an answer!

I had a freelancer do a some modeling work for me on a project. She's working in Windows, I'm on a Mac. Some of her grouped geometry is not coming through to me as solids (no volume exhibiting), while they are definitely solids on her end. We're sharing screenshots back and forth and I can see in hers that the solid in question is showing volume while on my end it does not!

Has anyone ever run into this before and can shed some light on the issue? We're left here scratching our heads...

Thanks!

Bob

What are the options for door designs? It seems all of the videos that show the use of FlexTools with the door component show fat slab style doors, no panel designs. Are all of the doors just flat panel?

I have a problem with my Spacemouse not orbiting my models smoothly. Wondered if anyone knows a way to correct?

I'm on an iMac 27" late 2014 5k retina screen, 4ghz processor and 32 gigs of RAM, 1T SSD.

My models are generally >100 MBs.

Using the native SU orbit tool, motion is smooth as butter, but when orbiting with the Spacemouse, it is very slow and choppy. Interestingly (or not), when zoomed far into the model, the orbiting with the SM smooths out considerably.

I am using the latest SM drivers. Oh, and SU Pro 2018.

I really like the use of the SM, except for this choppy action.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Bob

If I could but get the architects to simply send me their clean dxf / dwg files I wouldn't have to go through those hoops!

Thanks for your response.

Bob

Hello all

As part of my workflow, I convert PDF plan files to dxf using an app (PDF Grabber for those interested), then import those dxf files into Sketchup to use as a starting option to create a model. Some of these dxf files are huge in Sketchup and bog it down horribly. For instance, the one that's giving me trouble now is over 32 megs for a single sheet dxf file.

I'm using SU Pro 18 on a 2016 iMac with 32 gigs RAM and a 1T SSD drive.

Does anyone know of a way to make this a more manageable file? I've tried ThomThoms "Cleanup" but it simply deleted everything.

Thanks!

Bob