Here is the item. With most of my questions, its not so much... "can I", ....its more... "how would the best guys do it?"

This actually looks ok to me. Still have to figure out how to grow things on that mesh. oh well.....onward. will deal with that part later.

Thanks, GREG

I have to model a unique green screen landscape growing mesh. its a big model, but I have to show this unique feature, so tough to apply as a material (btw, its a circular mesh around a concrete column).

I was thinking of simply using lines, to show the pattern of the mesh, but was wondering if they'll show correctly. (Trying it right now) but thinking ahead is there a way to make lines seem bulkier/more substantial without changing the line character or style of the whole drawing? will eventually be rendered in V-Ray, though I'm just learning that too.

thanks, GREG

ok, venturing out of newbie area for this question. and I can think of a way, but most all of my questions start with "there must be a faster way than the way I'm doing it....."

How to create.......a string or strings of like drooping hung lights. like maybe christmas lights, but more like you might see at an outdoor/garden restaurant. Have looked around but haven't found anything that really works. Plus with the weird configuration, I need to build something from scratch I think. big model though so not too detailed.

I can always fake it in Photoshop later.

easy right? Any ideas?

Greg

ok, all good info. thanks everybody. Love having a system that works in place.

Cheers, GREG

ok, well that makes sense now that I'm thinking that way.

So the concept of 'color or material by layer' doesn't really apply here as well?

Seems like there could be confusion when you move things between models when like or similar layers exist.

And so in the example, I don't really need a steel, aluminum and panel layers, just create it all on zero, group and component as necessary then put the component on a layer called 'deck'. (maybe?)

thanks again. -Greg

ok, i admit that i have a lot of preconcieved notions before starting in SketchUP and one was putting all the same materials in 'material by layer' kind of setup. In working in ACAD 3d this seemed like the best way with accurender. that was 5 years ago though, new company, software, etc.

so now using SketchUP and understand the value of components, etc. But after the tutorials I wanted to clarify some things.

QUESTION: what is the best set of steps for creating components and where should the basic lines/surfaces reside (layers)? I have been drawing on zero as default and making groups, then components, then moving the compenents to obvious layers. But from an efficiency standpoint, I'm curious what the 'best management practices' are for this.

For example, I'm building a component for an apartment deck, it has painted steel railing and structure, aluminum decking and some kind of railing panel that is yet undetermined. (will be experimenting with materials on the panels, could be pickets or mesh or glass. ) so basically 3 materials.

thanks. hope that is clear. (a little wordy....oh well)

GREG

@pbacot said:

As you probably know, it is dangerous to base the work flow of an actual project on software you are not yet proficient in.

That's the truth. Though, I seem to learn the most about a program while under pressure to produce. (condundrum) So I imagine there will be a lot of experimentation/learning/backtracking/etc on this. But it's not really my first effort either.

All this mailing is in prep for the final which starts on monday. So I will study all weekend, then when I start I will largely work in a 'safe' file and then copy successful work into a clean file. that seems like safe way to go on this first reasonably big effort.

thanks for all the advice. very helpful. - Greg

Thanks Gaieus......my learning curve today is steep. really helpful. not just the plugins, but the general ruby help. lots of info on the Smustard's page.

Cheers, GREG

thanks, Steve...I will study the tutorials. since my original posting, I've already read and learned a ton. And my impatience probably has caused me to waste some time since I'd already had success with ACAD 3d and naturally expected to hit the ground running here.

my ACAD import problems before seemed to stem from things being or creating things out of plane. I will try the component method you mentioned with the tracing. Is there anything I would need to do (or could do) to lock the tracings on a common Z-level? I was pretty sure the ACAD model before was clean and had a z value of (0) zero.

Really appreciate the help and this forum. huge. thanks, GREG

ok, I probably don't have to state my noob-ness after reading a bit, but after reading/experimenting/stumbling around in the program I'm curious about advice on how to tackle an upcoming project. its an apartment building exterior w/ a lot of repeating window types, but a lot of unique brick corners and conditions. my challenge in SU so far has been grabbing and sticking to things that I don't want to. so I know i have to use groups and components.

my first effort was to poly line up a bunch of shapes in an autocad plan the brought them into SU, but that seemed to have problems like they didn't push/pull like I expected and it was faster to draw them half the time. But as an architect, a lot of our stuff exists as an ACAD plan and elevation....'now model it.'

QUESTION: if you are building a complex model, is it better to build the pieces outside of the main model then insert them? so use the end model mostly as a landing area for things created elsewhere, thereby keeping that model fairly clean? (that was an old strategy in ACAD 3D when my machine couldn't handle the big models so I built them in pieces.)

or maybe I'd/we'd benefit from some general model building strategies, more general than the individual command techniques.

Thanks, - GREG (uber-noob)

ok, thanks I will stop trying. So if that's the case is the most efficient way to assign materials if you have everything set up by layer to turn off everything but the subject layer and then select everything visible and then dip it in brick or whatever? The question I guess it there a faster way that's not apparent?

reinforcing my beginner-ness.

Thanks, GREG

Can you assign materials like colors to a layer? (then displaying color/(or material) by layer) I was thinking i could but when I clicked the box in the edit material window, next to the name line, it doesn't take me any where meaningful. I browsed to the material folders in ...program files/google/sketchUP7/materials....etc. and they appear empty. They do contain. *.skm files, but that options not available.

maybe a dumb request, but that was how I used to work on another platform. that way you can edit the material and no steps to reselect.

Thanks, Greg

I will be going back through tutorials.....I know.

Hi,

New user, I'm about to buy 7pro. I will also be buying a rendering package at some point, but thought I'd get used to SU first for a while. But mainly I know that with new software, means some new hardware as my old set up is aging to the point of uselessness. (had been doing modeling in ACAD with another rendering tool so am comfortable with modeling in general.)

So If I'm buying a new laptop, are there threads that you can recommend to do some reading? (video setup, processors etc) Happy to listen to any product suggestions or warnings too. But content to read up if i know I'm looking in the right place. (I am continuing to use the search function as well)

Thanks for all the input. I have a lot to learn and catch up.

GREG