+1 to sfto1's comments. If you are working on a section, avoid dimensioning to the model by creating a "group from slice", copy and then paste to a separate layer in LO. Alternatively set the scene in LO to vector and then explode it. This will "flatten" the view but it also removes any automatic updating or automatic scaling of dimensions. Just a couple of ideas for your workflow.

HI Jim: If you don't know the original size of the viewport, then no you can't recreate it. If you do know the original size, it would be as simple as unchecking preserver scale, and re-rendering the scene. As an example, for details I use a detail grid that fits 12 details on a 24x36 sheet. The grid is a layer that I can turn on to size the viewport. This way I always have consistent control over the SU view. What I described above is exactly how LO works. Knowing this, you should be able to predict and control your work. So your steps do illustrate how LO behaves, but it is reversable as long as you know the original size of the viewport. If you are preserving scale, the size of the viewport is irrelevant, because you will expand the viewport to show the whole image. The image will maintain its scale. The only time LO images will change size, is if you do not check preserve scale and resize the viewport. Understanding how this works should really make things simple to get your desired result.

@jim57 said: What's the distinction between Extrude and Loft? In my examples, Loft seems to twist things up. i can't really remember anymore.. i have extrude by Rails,Lathe,Vector, and Vector to Object installed from TIG's extrude suite.. I tend to use CurviLoft for most surface creation if i'm staying strictly in sketchup..

Something like Jims ( ) unfold tool or Flattery?

Don't use "Last scene saved". Use the actual scene that you set up. The reason being, you may have just slightly rotated the scene out of orthagonal view. If so, you are seeing how it was last saved. That would reak havoc on your dimensions.

Hi Jim, Have a look at this thread: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=42752 Might help you to solve your problem which is not really a bug.

Printing from layout is slow. I always generate my pdf, then print.

Where is the paper size window (I must have a worse problem)? Edit: In the "New from template" command the dropdown window has a "New" tab and a "Recent" tab.

You have some unneeded coplanar [hidden?] edges in the facets. Use an 'erase_coplanar_edges' tools on them first ?

You two sound way to Australian.....

I have found that the most sure way to make section cuts behave is to make a layer called "sectioncuts" and place your section planes on that layer. Also make a style called "sections on" that has sections active and showing. Now when you make your scene you just make sure the section cut layer is off and use the "section on" stlye. you do this for each scene with the appropriete section plane active and be sure to hit update when its all set. [image: aCRF_Capture.jpg][image: RgbN_Capture2.PNG][image: cpng_Capture3.PNG] [image: GC1X_npr_001_sect_fierplace-01_A.PNG] Hope this helps Paul

Thanks, guys, found em. Beats me why they don't show up in Spotlight, though. Jim

The simplest and best fix is to avoid double clicking the viewport to change the camera position/zoom level. It's better to make the changes to the scene in SketchUp so the viewport remains connected to the scene. You can resize the viewport in LO but don't open it to change the view.

Whew!!! Thanks, guys. Jim

We made a decision long ago to keep a copy of the model inside the LayOut document in case you lost the link. Now you found the file? File->Document Setup->References, select the file. If it doesn't have the correct location to update, you can always help by clicking Relink, and find the location of the file. When you hit Unlink (not recommended) you are using only the file embedded in LayOut. b ps - if you unzip a LayOut file, you'll find your models in the ref/ directory of the unzipped file.

Here are two ways - I added a temporary diagonal line to find the square's center. One is maximum size it will snap 'square' when the point-on-edge' is approximately square as shown, the other is fully 'inscribed'...[image: 84Kb_OctagonInSquare.png][image: rjST_OctagonInSquare2.png]

The Alt key+ Move is called Autofold. Search for this in Sketchup tutorials. What it does in practice is: Sometimes you can click on a vertex and try to move it, but it seems to be locked in one direction defined by the edges and faces it is adjacent to. You want to move the vertex to a particular location that is not coplanar and not colinear with those adjacent parts. Autofold makes new edges, folding the faces so that the vertex can move freely, and keep the geometry "faced". I hope that makes sense. It is a very handy device for closing volumes or aligning end faces of push pull overshots or follow me overshots. I hope THAT makes sense.

How about just moving the axes of each component so the origin is at the center of the appropriate face. That origin is the insertion point and you'll have hold of it when you bring the component in from the Components browser. Then you can find the center of the mating face with the inferencing tools to drop it. Or you could place some intersecting guides at the desired insertion point. You can see a demo of that starting at about 8:14 in the video here. Sorry its so far in.

@samyell77 said: Yup - the amount of zoom is restricted in Layout. Try it out! have you tried this on your mac, takes a little practice http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/guides/magnify/computer/mac/os_x/index.shtml john