Posts made by d_e_x

d_e_x

IF I activate layer 0 in the layers dialog all layers are turned on, The camera view is changed to Isometric, and The camera is zoomed to extents: see this video: http://www.nvizeon.com/su/ZOOM_ISSUE.mp4
Is this a know bug or is this a "feature" built-into the plugin?

@unknownuser said:

It forced a zoom extents and isometric view and all layers on when a file is opened instead of opening the file to the last saved view. I'll try it out again though as it definitely has potential to be very useful.

Hi Phil,

Thank you for your feedback. We will make the following changes to the upcoming version of SketchUpBIM:

Prevent "Zoom Extents" when a file is re-opened. The new version will retain the original camera position.
When "Layer0" is clicked, the automatic display shall apply to only those layers with SketchUpBIM elements. The other layers shall retain their default display toggle.

Dex

d_e_x

@micione said:

SketchupBIM not allow "LightUp" to work well. It seems that the conflict concerns the layers. Has anyone noticed this problem?

@pixero said:

Yes, this was the reason I uninstalled SketchUpBIM.

Hi Micione, Pixero,

LightUp / SketchUpBIM conflict has been reported by some other users as well. We will investigate this issue, and get in touch with the LightUp team to fix this issue. Apologies for the inconvenience. We'll have this fixed in the upcoming release.

Dex

d_e_x

@brookefox said:

Thank you, d_e_x, for sharing this set of integrated tools.
Any plans for wall intersection corner clean-up?

Hi Brookefox,

clean-up of wall corners, and other intersections has been requested by a number of users. it's on our list of things-to-do. Hopefully, we'll do so in one our future releases. I will notify as and when it is added to SketchUpBIM.

Dex

d_e_x

@eccowboy said:

I tried downloading SUBim, but when I was done the plugin wasn't in my SU toolbar,
I'm working in pro7, does this plugin only work with Pro8.

Thanks....

Eccowboy,

SketchUpBIM works with SketchUp 7 and 8, both Free and Pro Versions.

Please browse to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google SketchUp 7\Plugins"
on your computer, and see if the following files exist inside this folder: (i) SketchUpBIM.rbs file (ii) SketchUpBIM sub-folder. If not, then please re-install the software using the installation file. If you still cannot see the SketchUpBIM files even after re-installation, then you might not have admin privileges to install softwares into your "Program Files" folder or you might have multiple versions of SketchUp installed on your computer. If this is the case, please send me an email at support@sketchupbim.com. I can send you a link to the zip package of the plug-in (otherwise discouraged to facilitate installation upgrades). The zip package can be easily un-zipped, and the files can be copied to the SketchUp plug-ins folder.

d_e_x

@eccowboy said:

I trioed downloading the software, but the plugin doesn't show on my tool bar.
Presently, I'm working in Pro7, does that make a difference? Help!!!!!!

Hi,

Please follow the instructions under 1(c) of the appended blog: http://sketchupbim.blogspot.in/

hope this helps,
Dex

d_e_x

Hi All,

The appended blog talks about the common support issues related to the installation and first-use of SketchUpBIM.

http://sketchupbim.blogspot.in/

Hope it helps the community
Dex

d_e_x

SketchUpBIM, Ledas Driving Dimensions and SU Podium work together like a champ! No problems, or issues were found. The attached screen-shot shows all 3 plugins working on the same model inside SketchUp.

My guess (and hope) is that the Maxwell issue was limited to the "modified" file posted on this forum. The cleaned-up version provided by TIG works fine.

d_e_x

SketchUpBIM, Instant Roof, and SectionCutFace put together - are working fine. I did not notice any crashes or any other issues. I have tested this on Windows 7, 64 Bits. Next, I am going to try this on the Mac. At this point, NO ISSUES HAVE BEEN FOUND.

In the attached screen-shot, SketchUpBIM elements (columns, walls etc.) are working fine with a "Barn Gambrel" roof from Chuck Vali's Instant Roof and a cyan colored section cut from TIG's 'SectionCutFace'.

TIG, Thomthom, could you confirm if there are any problems?

Also, the SketchUpBIM plugin has been tested with SuPodium, and Ledas Driving Dimensions, and no issues have been found. If there is anything, then it might be platform specific; or is related to other softwares and/or privileges on some specific computers. (random hunch!)

d_e_x

Thanks for pointing this out. I'll look into the appended suggestions - and get this fixed asap.

@tig said:

I suspect that it somehow, ill-advisedly, messes with the base class/methods - e.g. group.copy and similar...

@thomthom said:

Either that, or it could be misbehaving observers - such as modifying the model in observer events.

d_e_x

Advanced Tutorial for SketchUpBIM 1.5.

The implementation and usage of UNITS in SketchUpBIM is discussed in the first 3 minutes of the Tutorial.

[flash=853,480:uelpzvub]http://www.youtube.com/v/5IKpZFamkps[/flash:uelpzvub]

d_e_x

@utiler said:

Thanks dex, I thought if units were set in the default file the input values should 'default to those units rather than having to add the units string each time... is this possible for future releases?

great work by the way!!

If no units are entered on the Input Dialog boxes, then SketchUpBIM will default to the pre-set units. Hence, it is not required to explicitly enter units if you want to use the same units as those set on the file template.

thanks Andrew for all your good words! It provides our team with a lot of encouragement

d_e_x

@pixero said:

I've found that if I click on "layer 0", even when I'm not using the tools, the view is set to isometric.
Not good.

pixero, another user has already pointed this out. We will modify the behavior of SketchUpBIM to preserve the original settings of SketchUp. If the user has set his view style to "perspective", it shall be preserved while switching layers that contain SketchUpBIM elements.

Dex

d_e_x

@utiler said:

dex, when I open SU after loading SketchUpBIM 1.5 the units are still imperial..... how do I change them to metric?

Utiler, You can enter units along with input values. The default values are the same as those selected on the SketchUp File Template.

In the below example, the units are in 'feet'. However, the same input can be done as "5@200mm" or "5@0.2m" or "5@20cm" if you need to use metric units.

If the entire file should use metric, then simply, use the Metric Template while creating the SketchUp file, and SketchUpBIM will automatically switch all its input values to metric units.

Also watch the Advanced Tutorial at http://www.sketchupbim.com/tutorials.html to understand the implementation and usage of Units.

d_e_x

wow! Thanks Bigstick for the list of suggestions and improvements. Most of them seem achievable. I might come back to you and ask for detailed explanations when we actually sit down and start doing them. For now, I've added these to our product roadmap.

others, please feel free to pump in your suggestions. The primary goal of SketchUpBIM is to listen to the industry, and create a product that is simple, and helpful to our industry

d_e_x

Can someone tell me what is Maxwell?
And where are these skm files coming from?
Who uses these files?
How do I download the package, and/or get more information on this library?

I googled "Jason Marantos RAL Librairie for Maxwell" and came up with a French website. Could someone help me understand this in English?

There is something fishy about these skm files. SketchUpBIM 1.5 does not touch / make any modifications or changes to any material data already inside SketchUp. So it beats me why and how are these skm files conflicting with the SketchUpBIM product. Also, I noticed that this bug is prevalent with the initial version of SketchUpBIM - which is just mind-boggling, as the first version of SketchUpBIM had absolutely no relation to SketchUp materials.

Dex

d_e_x

SketchUpBIM 1.5 is Now Available!

The new version of SketchUpBIM provides support for both Imperial and Metric Units. It includes the ability to render materials for SketchUpBIM elements. Several other enhancements include multiple beam creation using the drag and drop functionality and the addition of menu items for SketchUpBIM operations.

SketchUpBIM 1.5 can be downloaded at http://www.sketchupbim.com/Product.html

now with the support for units, the entire world should be able to use it

Dex

d_e_x

@pixero said:

Looks very interesting.
The current version has a feature/bug that sets the SU view to isometric.
Please let us work in perspective mode if we wish.

@bigstick said:

Good call +1 for this!

Pixero, Bigstick, Thanks for pointing this out. The isometric projection was actually set purposely to mimic other structural and architectural engineering applications. However, I do see the importance of leaving this choice to the user.

The only sad part is that we are a touch too late! We froze our source code a week back, and unfortunately, this one line bug-fix cannot be added in this upcoming release. I've added to this to our product roadmap, and will be fixed in the next release. At this time, the suggested approach is to perform the additional step of switching to "perspective" view under the "Camera" menu, after you switch SketchUpBIM layers.

d_e_x

All,

The development of the next version of the SketchUpBIM software is complete. We are currently in the final phase of our beta tests. Version 1.5 (with Metric Units!!) is expected to be rolled out within the next few days!

Click here for a sneak-peak of the new features: http://www.sketchupbim.com/sneakpeak.html

d_e_x

Folks, our team has started working on the next version of the software. As a lot of you have requested for Metric Units - "Units" is currently the focus of our development.

In order to keep things simple, Units in SketchUpBIM shall work exactly like all other elements in SketchUp (like Line Tool and Rectangle Tool). If no units are entered, SketchUpBIM tools shall assume default SketchUp model units. However, if input values are entered with units, the entered units shall over-ride default units.

SketchUpBIM units shall be a natural fit into SketchUp, and obviously shall allow both Imperial and Metric conventions.

Dex
http://www.sketchupbim.com

d_e_x

@tig said:

On the issue of documentation I have recently been working with someone on a similar project for O&Ms, and it was finally decided to use an MHT format file.
You can write one in Word and it's like a zip file containing all of the usual html stuff.
You can add text, tables, images, sets of Layout pages [as images] etc...
You can index/bookmark-link it within itself, or to external files kept within its own subfolder, even open files/apps on the host PC, OR go out onto the www - so linking to manufacturer's sites for specs etc is very easy...
You can link images as bookmarks... and with a little effort you can split images into separately linked areas, so that clicking on a particular part of an image goes to a specific link etc [click the door and the door-guy's site opens, click the window etc]...
You can even add javascript bits [but that needs a manual edit of the HTML code!]

An MHT file opens in your current Browser like IE [needs a plugin for FF etc].

Thanks TIG.

There are 2 types of documentation in BIM - (a) drawing - 2D, 3D views, isometric views, elevations, section views, etc.: which ideally should be automatically created at the click of a button if you already have a 3D model. These documents have standard formats (view of the model, related annotations, bill of materials, info box etc.). For such documents, Layout or a third party 3D tool will be useful as they are primarily related to the 3D drawing itself. (b) the more text based documentation with diagrams etc (something like most CAD softwares produce). These documents give information on joints, materials, beams, columns, floors etc. For this purpose, mht, as you suggested will be a good choice. Will keep in mind!

Dex