I would love an option that the Label Tool in Layout would AutoFill with the names of SketchUp Components.

All too often I want to callout or label items for working drawings but don't want to clutter up my SU model with a bunch of arrows and text.

I was wondering if there is any way to use the "label tool" in Layout and have it auto-fill with the component name from SketchUp? If not, it would be a nice feature. I very often have parts in drawings that I want to label in Layout for working drawings but I don't want to muck up my SU model with a bunch of arrows and callouts.

This looks awesome... but I don't know if I have something set wrong. I was trying to bend some text to an arc and it took about 3 minutes just to see the preview. I looked at the sample video and it looked like it went pretty quick, am I missing something?

This is probably a big ask but here it goes. Years ago I switched from a program called SolidWorks. One of the features in Solidworks that I sorely miss in SU is the ability to check some real world situations. Things like mating parts made it easy to check the swing of doors etc. SketchyPhysics has the abilities but is wildly difficult to use. Literally every time I set out to model something in SketchyPhysics I give up after a couple hours because I can't get it to perform the way I need it to.

Perhaps work with the developers at SketchyPhysics to develop a more intuitive plugin and include it in SketchUp 9

First I will say I love the idea of Sketchy Physics. I am a furniture maker and frequently set out to use SP for my designs but quickly get discouraged because I can't predict the results and thus I don't use it.

I am currently trying to design a piece with what is like a bifold door. So I need to have doors that move with hinges for the other doors. When I create a group and connect the hinges the doors swing but don't move from their position. When I group the door with the hinges they work properly EXCEPT the two doors swing through each other. I saw a video on another thread which seems to have a work around but creating a flat group and including it in the hinge group but for some reason that doesn't work for me.

This seems like a powerful tool but man is it difficult to use.

So, 2 questions.

1. Any suggestions for my specific hinge problem?
2. Any suggestions for truly understanding Sketchy Physics? Videos, Manual, anything?

Thanks,

Chris

I am pretty good at most programs and can figure out stuff pretty easily. I have had Sketchy Physics for quite a while now and rarely use it because I find it very unpredictable. Case and point, when I tried to do the exact same thing as in DanYHKim's video (i.e making the flat square and connecting the hinge to that etc.) it doesn't behave the same as in the video.

I am a furniture maker and frequently start SP but it is easier and faster for me to build a small, practical, prototype than to figure out how to get SP working with complex joints.

Any ideas for how to get a handle on this plug in? Manual? Video tutorials? Anything?

I LOVE the idea of it, and it seems like it is amazing but I just don't get it.

Thanks,

Chris

I am wondering if anyone has some advice for me. I am trying to create a photo-realistic light fixture for a client. The design calls for a bunch of chains (like the one to turn on and off lights). I created the little balls, approx 1/8in each and made then components. Then duplicated them to make a chain... then copied the chains. It creates 300,000 + faces and makes SketchUp virtually impossible to use.

Is there a way to accomplish this better?

I attached my SU file.

Any thoughts?

Pendant Lights v1.skp

AWESOME!!! Thanks so much!

I am hoping someone can see something I don't. Every now and then I try to create turned things and they result in faces missing. I attached a model.

What am I doing wrong?

Ball Joint.skp

I have been using SU for a while now and haven't found an easy way to do the following. I want to be able to apply wood textures in the correct direction for the wood grain. Obviously on a flat board I can use the position texture tool (although it is quite tedious). The biggest problem is when I have a curved surface. I attached a model of a table leg, hopefully someone will have some magic for me.

Cabriole Leg.skp

Awesome!!! That did the trick.

Thanks so much.

I was wondering if there is a way to change the default size of the Physics components when they are created. For instance, I am a furniture maker so I am working in inch models. When I model a hinge that is 3", and I attach a SketchyPhysics "hinge" component it is absolutely huge, and makes it difficult to work with. Obviously I hide them in the final render, but it would be nice to not have to resize every component each time.

Thanks.

P.S. I am using SketchPhysics 3 for Mac.

I have set a few shortcut keys in the prefs. One is for camera pan - "space" and one is for camera orbit - "shift-space".

Sometimes they work fine and other times whenever I try to use them, it opens the "Model Info" window. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when it happens. Often, I can have one model open and it works and a different window open and it doesn't work.

I am running Mac OSX 10.5 on a MacBook Pro Intel.

It is quite frustrating, help!!!

I have read in a few forums that someone is working on a Mac version. I was wondering if this is true? If so, any idea when we might be able to use this awesome plug-in? This is exactly what SU has been missing for my use.

Thanks,

Chris

Keeping my fingers crossed.