Hi everybody :

           Is there a Tree Maker plugin for Sketchup 8 ?  And where do I get it ?  The ones that I DID find are for Collada.

                                                                       garystan

@pilou said:

Twillight Render 2 Hobby is free!
Try it, it must work on your computer!

@unknownuser said:

I've seen addons for as much as $3800

What is this by curiosity ? It's one addon or several ? I see the "s" but....

REPLY:
I currently have the Twilight Render Hobby Plugin. The results seems fairly good.
garystan

@juju said:

Oooh, rendering engines, there are soooo many to choose from (depending on your intended use), but if free / low cost ones are what you're after then look at (in no specific order of preference):

• Ambient Occlusion (payware)
• Blender Cycles (free) but ptobably best to use plugin to export from SketchUp to Blender (like BlendUp, payware)
• Kerkythea (free)
• Keyshot (payware)
• Indigo (payware, slightly more costly)
• Lightup (payware)
• LuxRender (free)
• Maxwell (payware, slightly more costly)
• Mitsuba (free) export models to collada/dae for use here
• OctaneRender (payware)
• Podium (payware)
• PovRay (free) I don't know who still uses this though
• TheaRender (payware)
• Twilight (payware)
• Visualizer (free)
• V-Ray (payware, slightly more costly)
• Yafaray (free)

There are still more, you can do a search on these forums as well that will yield some results.

You might want to check them out for compatibility before downloading / installing / buying...

REPLY :
I think I found the "one". It's Shaderlight. At a more reasonable price. I tried a few quick models I put together. I'm impressed with the results. I'm going to check out these other rendering engines you mention. Thanks-----garystan

Hi everybody :

          I'm having trouble figuring how to make a windows component cut a hole in a wall.   I made a simple box.  Offset the center....did the Push/Pull...to make it look like a room.  Made it a component labeled walls.  Then made another component labeled windows.  I just sandwiched two window frames together. One part of the frame had the "glass".  When I made the windows component, I selected Glue to ANY. Then checked "cut opening".  Moved the window component over to the walls component.  Set it in place and it didn't cut the opening.  I made sure to have the depth of the window frame a little larger than the depth of the walls.    I must be doing something wrong. 

                                                                  garystan

Hi everybody :

            I saw a tutorial on how to insert windows or doors into a double wall when modeling a structure.  But, I'm not sure where the tutorial is located.  Thanks.......garystan

Hi everybody :

         I've been trying to find a rendering addon for Sketchup 8.   I tried Bright 3D which was quick but didn't have to much in the way of options.  ArielVision seemed okay. But,again, had limited options.  iRender nXT DID render a scene I put together,  but it always came out grainy.  I'm trying to find a solution to this dilemma. I REALLY like Sketchup for the fact that I can create just about anything. But, Sketchup, in itself, IS limited in its rendering.  Most of the rendering addons were costly. And complicated to use. I've seen addons for as much as $3800.  This kinda cuts into the environment of creativity for the average user.  The "samples" shown on the websites look nice.  If only the rendered scene / model that I created could look that good.  My computer System consists of Windows 7 Professional 32-bit, NVidia Geforce GT610, 2x2GB RAM Chips, Intel Core i3-3220 CPU and Sketchup 8.  I'm thinking that I need to upgrade my entire System and upgrade from Sketchup 8  to be able to use the rendering addons.   Advice ?

                                                                garystan

Hi everybody :

                         I was looking at the rendering plugins for Sketchup 8.  But, they're all in .rbz format.   Whenever I download a plugin,  Sketchup either can't find it, or Sketchup won't accept it.   Why aren't these downloads in a .zip format ?

                                                               garystan

Hi everybody :

               First, I'm using version 8.  I have a couple of questions.  One comment though.   Too bad there wasn't a "converter" that could  "convert" older version files to the newer file version.  I AM thinking about switching to a newer version of Sketchup.  Also, on the redering plugins, do any of them have "adjustable" settings. Such as settings for the amount of reflectivity (or shine)?  And adjustable transparency ?  The only other concern is that,  I've always had problems getting the plugins installed and working.

                                                                 Thanks,
                                                                garystan

Hi everybody :

             I'm wondering if there's an  "easy" way to draw transparent glass objects, such as drinking glasses, and the like.   The way I do it now, is to create a "horizontal" circle, pull it a little.  Then using the box tool, (create the rectangle first) then draw the outline of the shape of the glass, mug, whatever.  Erase everything but the  "drawn" shape. Then set this "on" the horizontal circle.  Select this drawn shape, Select FOLLOW. Then CLICK on the circle until you get the BLUE OUTLINE (on the top of the circle shape), then, while pressing and holding the CTRL key, click on the FOLLOW tool and you're done.  But, to me....I have to make sure the two lines forming the shape of the object are "tightly" close together.  I mean REALLY close to one another. Then when I apply the MATERIAL (using transparency for glass) it usually comes out transparent.  Then I just soften the edges.   This may sound tedious, but it DOES work.  Unless there's a simpler way.

                                                                     garystan

Here is a room that's of a more simple design.

                                                garystan

Hi everybody :

             Will Sketchup 8 and Sketchup 15 work with Windows 10 ?

                                                     garystan

Hi everybody :

          What about a 32-bit version of Sketchup 2015 ?

                                             garystan

@dave r said:

What Kristoff is telling you is the thumbnail generation is a 64-bit thing.

 Dave R. :

          By any chance....is there a 32-bit version of Sketchup 2015.  Other than that, I guess I could try re-installing Sketchup 8.

                                                               garystan

@krisidious said:

Are you on 32bit windows? I think it only works on 64bit.

Krisidious :

           Sketchup 2015 (Free version) works with my 32-bit machine. It seems all the tools are functioning correctly.  It's just that when I verify that the file has been saved (to the location I selected), it shows up as a "blank page", instead of a thumbnail + file name (the filename shows). 

                                                                  garystan

Hi everybody :

               I'm new to Sketchup 2015. I switched over to Sketchup 2015 (Free version) just recently.   I noticed that when I save a model, I use SAVE AS, then select the location, type in the file name, click SAVE.  I manually went into that same location, and I noticed that, instead of a thumbnail, it shows a "blank sheet of paper".  I tried right-clicking on this file, selected OPEN WITH, selecting Sketchup 2015, and the file opened up correctly.  Is there a setting for "showing thumbnails" ?   I'm running Windows 7 Professional/32-bit.

                                                                  garystan

Hi everybody :

            I just switched from Sketchup 8 to Sketchup 2015 (Free version).  I have a question about the human figure (component) that appears just after starting the software.  Is there a way to change this default component ?   On the opening display, it shows an elderly man.  I'd like to change it to the Sang human figure, making it the default opening component.

                                                                 Thanks,
                                                               garystan

Hi everybody :

               Every so often we all need to just sit back and enjoy the things we DO have.

                                                      garystan

Bryan K. :

              Thanks

                               garystan

Hi everybody :

          Here's another quiet "get away ".

                                          garystan

Hi everybody :

          Here's my latest......................

                                          garystan