It's stable now but still dangerous... Fortunately it's at the end of the context menu list. For new users it can easily be confusing to see a "create group from slice" and a "slice model at section"

@ivreich said:

@jiminy-billy-bob said:

Does it happen in every file? Even a brand new one?

Sometimes I lose all of the layer group structures I've created previously as well. This happens when I open more than one session of sketchup side by side...

Side by side you say?... I'll double check on that as I'm permanently doing it too!

With the new files I can create groups again though.

@jiminy-billy-bob said:

@jql said:

I can't create new layer groups

@matt.gordon320 said:

most of the UI isn't responding

@jim said:

Just got this when importing a model from the 3D Warehouse

Ok guys, I found the issue. I'll release a fixed version ASAP.
In the meantime, you can replace the two files attached in the folder
C:\Users\_USERNAME_\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\Plugins\jbb_layers_panel\rb

Great one Jiminy do you think this also has something to do with what happened to my groups?

Thanks,

JQL

@sdmitch said:

Plugin ComboScenes has been uploaded to the Plugin Store.

All operational questions should be PM'ed to Pilou. I don't use them I just write them!

That's what the A-Bomb scientist said once...

Excellent!

I think it should cycle through the components you have beneath your mouse by pressing TAB for instance.

Then you could choose the son, the father, the grandfather and up until you can select Adam or Eve...

I nest and nest and nest them components and groups!

Otherwise this would be great if there was ruby to layout too...

I'm getting used to this really fast... Thanks!

Jiminy, I'm also on single display and it's not working to the right too.

EDIT: I use a projector on this PC sometimes though. Those screens display the following:

Jiminy,

I've told you before of a file of mine were from time to time I loose all layer groups I created before.

I lost them again and with the latest version of the plugin I can't create new layer groups so I can correct the model.

Something's funky and I don't know what.

The model is 83mb, with a lot of scenes and layers for each scene, so I can create document drawings for construction in Layout. It's heavy in terms of size and organization but it's an example of what we do at our office and why your plugin would be so handy.

I can send you the model, if you want but not through here.

Best regards and thanks,

JQL

It's been very stable for me.

I've used only with sections.

LOL Jiminy

@sdmitch said:

Since you had used a previous version, the problem may be a conflict in the stored defaults. I suggest that you select the "Reset" option at the bottom of the pattern list. This will initialize all defaults. Hopefully this will clear up the problem.

Thanks that solved it!

@sdmitch said:

I think you had better do the video for me. Also, please provide info on your operating system, SketchUp version, and plugin version you are using.

Here you go,

I thought this sort of info would show up in the forum (it used to):

• SU 2014;
• Windows 7;
• Last plugin version. The first one seemed fine.

I can't embed the video here so it's attached.

Thanks again,

JQL

2014-05-06_1436.swf

Sdmitch,

It doesn't work well for me. I've clicked on wood, it assumed default values and the cursor changed to the face picker. I choose the face and it went on creating the floor tiles:

• I couldn't change parameters at firts;
• After that I couldn't use the plugin again until I restarted SU
• After restart the same thing problem started all over.

I hope this is a minor fix, because this is big for arch viz. If you need a video showing the steps, I'll reproduce them as they were consistently repeating.

Thank you,

JQL

Have you ever heard of reversed faces?

Look at your model in monochrome and see if any faces that have surprise textures are blueish rather than white... If so, reverse them!

There are a number of plugins to help you with that.

You started with Sketchucation Plugin Store, that is as to say, an Extended Extension Warehouse, but I wish this "madness" would only stop when you revamped every little browser under Sketchup>Window...

@dave r said:

For my work flow, using only components works best and I've never seen a case where I'd have been better off making a group. But that's for my work flow and the sorts of things I draw. I have done architectural models as well as models of medical devices and other things. Still, I prefer components in those cases as well.

Maybe it's all part of evolution.

Components are better but dangerous but once you know what you are doing and have the correct workflow, I guess Components serve all purposes.

I guess I'm still not there yet, though I can see the usefulness.

Thanks

Doesn't look boring though...

Looks good... as always with your plugins! Does it imput results directly into the measurements box? That would be handy...

@tandem said:

Thank you all for your detailed explanation, much appreciated.

@jql said:

...
I Use groups for:

• Walls, façades, roofs, floors (all the big parts of the building that don't repeat but I need so I can organize the project I'm working on and distribute to layers that can be made invisible/visible and also that I don't need to make a Xref from
  ....

JQL

JQL, in your experience, what is the advantage to Group walls, facades, roof, floors etc. versus making them also components?

To Answer that I'll quote GussNemo

@gussnemo said:

As I previously stated, I know one advantage of a component is that changes made to one affects the other. But in order to differentiate between the two one would have to be renamed, and in doing so the component link between the two would be broken.

This is not always an advantage. It is actually very dangerous if you don't know what your doing.

If you're not designing simple things you have a long way down the road until you are able to predict you'll have to repeat a part of a building, for instance.

Thus I use components only for repetitive things or xrefs.

Imagine yourself designing an housing high rise. You have a floor plan where every shop is different to each other and different from the entrance of the building. Why use components? To Xref? Then OK!

What about floors? Are they going to repeat? Then ok you have to design the floor as a component! Xref it too so you can have someone working on it! If the floor repeats itself then everything inside it will also repeat itself, why use components inside it if not to xref or use stuff from a library?

But be careful! If wall#1 is a component, and if you use wall#1 in another different floor and if you edit it, you are editing wall#1 in both floors messing up one of them without noticing.

I tutor sketchup to architects here in portugal and I must say that I find this so dangerous that I always tell them this:

"If you don't know if you're going to create a group or a component, then go for group, it's less powerful and thus less dangerous. You've been warned!"

On a side note, it's also easier to convert a group into a component than the reverse, have you ever wondered why?

@Dave

If I was tutoring woodworkers, I'd definetely follow your rule! But let's face it, usually, when you model an cabinet, aren't you seeing all of the cabinet? Then if you miss making a component unique you'll immediately see the mistake.

Now imagine yourself modeling a table inside a kitchen, inside a floorplan, inside a building.

Now imagine there are 20 different kitchens where the table will not fit all. You have to think of it as I think of walls... Better to make a group of it, or at least, the non repeateable parts of it should be groups. You can always turn it into a component later if you need to.