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Have a look at the SketchUp Basecamp video "Working With Terrain and Other Irregular Surfaces" that Daniel Tal gave. http://sites.google.com/site/3dbasecamp2008/.
Another on would be "SketchUp and AutoCAD" Mitchel Stangl and Daniel Tal
Hope it helps.
Subdivide and smooth is on my computer at work, and I won't be back there till next.
I'll post some screen shots then if thats ok. However from memory I have placed the main folder in the plugins folder, and to clarify there appears to be 2 plugin folders on the mac osx format. One that can be reached by (right)context clicking the SketchUp icon in the Mac HD/Applications/Google Sketchup 6/ heirarchy and clicking on "show package contents". Inside this folder is a file named "Contents" which has a "Plugins" folder in it. I have learned from experience that putting rubies in here doesn't appear to work.
So I placed it in the MacHD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 6/SketchUp/ Plugins folder. In order to get the dialogue box to appear in my Sketchup Preference/Extensions panel I had to take the "subsmooth_loader.rb" out of the Subsmooth folder and place it just in the general Plugins folder. I thought I would have to do this with the other rb. file (I can't exactly remember it's name but I think it was "subsmooth_load.rb") but when I restart after doing this an error dialouge appears, and I'm sorry Iknow it refers to the suddivide rb. but I can't remember precisely what it says.
Thanks for the Help
Just Gleaned this from the IDX site
* IDX Renditioner uses SketchUp materials. They can be standard materials, bonus pack materials, or materials created from imported images.
* Changes to SketchUp material positions, or material scale are read directly from SketchUp so that what you see comes to life.
* IDX Renditioner also creates a bump-map to add depth to a texture by automatically selecting the dark and light highlights. This activity is hidden from the user.
* The amplitude of bumpiness for a texture is set from perfectly smooth to quite rough using a sliding scale.
* Texture bumps may be reversed so that, for example, the grout on a brick wall can be convex or concave.
* Translucent SketchUp materials are automatically given a degree of transparency based on the level of opacity set in SketchUp. (Note that IDX Renditioner does not yet recognize alpha channel transparency in imported materials or images applied as textures.)
* Every material can have a finish applied to it. Finishes include Glass, Glow, Matte, Metal (dull), Metal (polished), Mirror, Plastic, Polished, and Varnished. The default value for all materials is Matte.
* Changes to a material bumpiness or finish are shown in a material preview window (PC only at this time; PC version due toward the end of March).
Durante
I'm only guessing cause if just started fooling with this, but I know that in the image save dialogue box you can export in png which supports alpha I believe. So I think the transparencies etc should be exportable.
Hopefully one of the more knowledgeable among us will see this and help.
As for hotubs... they scare me. Parboiling in someone elses juices while trying to be nakedly social...
I have just purchased and installed subdivide and smooth and installed it as instructed. (I am using mac OS)
I am getting the check box in my preferences menu (and it is checked), but no tools are appearing under my tools drop down menu.
Any Suggestions
H. Rider Haggard has a mountain and a glacier named after him in the interior of B.C. (Canada) near the small town of McBride. Apparently the surveyors that were laying out the rail lines were quite fond of his work and honored him that way. However someone in the cartography department spelled his name "Ryder", but at least got the name of the Haggard glacier, which is on the mountain right. Yea for trivia.
What can you say about something that is governed by forces that moves the tides...
Durant
I've been having a little fun with a renderer called IDX Renditioner
Straight up plug in style for SketchUp
Not real fancy but real fun.
30 day free download.
No but she may get a little jealous over Lap Dancers 
Thanks for the clarification, and I just read through the posts on the other forum. There were a lot of stereotypical generalities gleaned out of this one case. But a couple of good laughs too.
baz have to agree with you about rendering the real. There is always that schism that exposes. (I'm still jealous though)
But what about rendering the unreal. Making it glint. That is why I can't wait to see DH do the-- the slip- slide- shuffle.
Granted, but your spouse catches you with the prostitute.
I wish people would get over the Mac/ PC thing.
Of course I can only speak from the knowledge gained from the jurisdictions we work in, but with the information you have given, I would tend to agree with you that you have grounds to be upset.
According to your post however you said (quote " So I speak with the architect and ask him to go ahead with speaking with the local council planners about the best way forward re planning permission and to go ahead with the CAD drawings ")
I think the architect should have first been reasonably knowledgeable about local bylaws governing your project. It may have been different with a commercial project (which can have different occupancy classifications in the same building as example), but unless there have been major community planning bylaw changes,there really is no excuse on a residential project, for him to not have this insight.
Secondly, if he didn't have this insight, discussed your project with your local planners, and determined that there would have to be major changes to the conceptual drawings he originally presented you, I think that he was obligated to discuss these with you before proceeding.
However in his defense, you did also tell him to proceed with the CAD drawings, and he did as instructed. I do though think he should have been consulting with you as he determined that his original concept, which was the basis of your approval, needed alteration.
I get the feeling you have partially financed his learning curve on local bylaw issues.
@durant hapke said:
Brother Dale, and Pmiller,
Ever drink Cod Liver Oil?
Durant "I see a pie crust in need" Hapke
Durant Yes Cod Liver Oil with a drop of Kerosene
Some Farm Mom remedy
The Irish have to destroy there livers somehow.
I can't wait till you learn to render
I can hear myself saying " Man Durant, that's unreal!"
@unknownuser said:
No Dave they look more like this.....[attachment=0:w3ba0kgf]<!-- ia0 -->drum2.jpg<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:w3ba0kgf]
Except for there is usually a bunch of us crowded around with a fire going inside it, trying to warm our hands. (It wasn't actually pink just glowing from the fire)
I would be interested in your outcome/satisfaction with Piranesi. I experimented with it a year or so ago, and I really wasn't that happy with the outcome, although some of the dedicated followers sure do nice work. (the name Wang comes to mind)
Now confessing that I probably didn't give it a fair chance.
Keep us posted on your thoughts and outcomes if you would.
I've always been fond of the theoretical, and I'm familiar with the Pavillion for Oblivion fro PushPullbar.
Nice imaging and imagining Lewis.
I know I go the other way from Mac to PC all the time, because I have photoshop on the PC, and I get exactly what is sent or in my case pulled off the server. I haven't found any issues.
Durant "firewater" Hapke
Lingo King
Shift+Command(Apple)+A (Mac OS X) selects or de-selects all
Fire at will