Couple of other comments;
1)All 3d aps have what are called clipping planes including SU, 6 total(2 bottom/top,2 left/right and 2 front/back). Outside the clipping planes rendering is not done which helps avoid the problem but a very dense model can still have problems. I have not run any test but changing those for a dense model should help the issue;
For your posted model, if one: forms the displacement vectors for say the large rect and does a triple scalar product then the determinate for it will zero if planar which it is not(zero). However, using the create face utility you can force SU to declare it to be planar or in some cases it will not( ie left most small rect. while the make face plugin will). SU uses IEE 32 bit float and as such all real number can not be represented ( for example 1/7)and the accuracy is only 7+ digits). IMHO ( putting aside user errors) the underlying problem is the algorithm to make that determination which I will guess has not been looked at in years. This is an issue with it(IEEE 745 float) and programmers must be very careful in their algorithms.
It has been pointed many times the problems with import from CAD programs and to make sure clean up is done before import to SU. There are so many variables the number of test cases to sort out what is really going one can be very large.
One just needs to be aware to this type of potential and be prepared to deal with it. After all no computer program is 100 % perfect.

just some thoughts with no proof:
When you trace a line it is not forcing any snapping but a recalcuation;
Even though the inference engine is used just the simple physical action of clicking the mouse causes small torques movements if one is not careful and cause a bad point. Mouse sensitivity settings may come into play here;
I think the display precision is related to the 32 bit float theoretical 71/2 digit percision. If/ when SU goes to a 64 bit that will be fixed?;
The results can be very much dependent on the algirothm Su uses to declare in plane. It has probably been around for a long time and no one has really looked closely for a more accurate approach?

All corrections

Example_mac2.skp

<[quote="livemixer"]Using SU 7, I often import dxf files that are missing faces & have extraneous lines, something like this:>
...

If you select one of those extraneous lines you will note it is not segmented as you would expect. Change your model units precision to .xxxxxx and use the text tool and you will note a very slight ~.00003 difference in the x dimensions between right and left even thought the edge display " color by axis" shows all at least parallel to the green axis.
I used the move tool so difference is .0000, used the make faces plugin and all faces formed as I would expect. Of course I had removed the extraneous lines as noted above.

BTW the way I made the changes: Selected the right end of large rect and moved so error is zero; selected the right or left slats as a group and moved bottom ends to zero error; never touched the window. This made the large rects four corners zero error but the slats bottom zero and tops still with the same error=> tops tipped in. I tried face formation twice and worked ok. Why ok now? I have guess but too much analysis to prove.
You MAC may not work the same because possible difference the operating system numerical accuracy. TIG maybe can answer. If it does not then try correcting alignments in total.

<
@raineysky said:

@markis100 said:

God I wish somebody would create something for real layouts. Piping is so difficult in sketch up. Wake up Trimble

.....

have you taken a look at the http://sketchup.engineeringtoolbox.com/? They have some AMSE and ANSI componets models that may be of use to you??

@vigge50 said:

A hard drive is not a 32- bit or a 64-bit
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-restore/139224-backup-32bit-external-hard-drive-64-a.html

In most cases( but not all) the hardware is ok ( For example go to the Seagate site) but the bundled software may not be. If you have no use for any of its support software then your choice. I would check with manufacture to make sure you are OK.
I did not pick up on what OS you are planning. I no not know if the high level formatting ( required)is any different than what you have. I would not think MS would not do that to user but?? If so make sure you save critical data.

BTW I have xp sp3 and have my disk format fat32 because I hand some legacy DOS programs I wanted to run. Windows 7 default is NTFS and I do not know if it will still allow FAT 32 like xp. Next change I'll have to convert. MS does have a convert utility. The link you cite as showing 32 vs 64 leaves too many questions to establish closed form solution. All that proves for now is it worked for that users configuration and hardware. Ask your manufacture?

What I got out of the base camp video is they will shortly institute some type of rules / control on plugins because they were spending too much times on working problems they ( plugins ) were causing. Expect this as one of the first changes since it must have been an issue before Trimble

@vigge50 said:

I have found out that both sketchup and vray is 32-bit application and that means that it can just use 2 gb of ram so 16 gig is overkill, mayby go down littel and choose a faster?

You have configured a 64 bit system. Yes SU is a 32 bit and runs on a 64 bit system as such(32). SU is large address aware and it can use 4GB of RAM in 64 bit system where as in 32 it gets to use 2 gb (less the allocation for device drivers). kernel gets the other 2GB of the 4GB.
Suggest the 16 GB RAM is ok or maybe 8GB but NOT 2GB.
You noted using the HD from another PC. Hope you are aware all drivers for a 64 bit system MUST be 64 bit and if it is from a 32 bit system it will not work unless you can get 64 bit driver for it! Chances of that are two: slim and none.
The last search I did on SSD the price break was at the 120GB level. I was looking at Crucial however and did not find any bad about it.
The boxed set CPU will come with heat sink and fan. If you plan using the cooler there may be a cost trade of non boxed set vs it. I have not found info on the cooler for my satisfaction yet.One question is the CPU socket is a FLGA( Flipped chip LGA) but cooler says socket is LGA but same number of pins. Pins for FLGA are on the mother board vs the CPU(LGA) I assume form factors are the same but like to know for sure.
Delete the above . I mis read your post as cooler and instead of case. I would recommend buying the case with all the fans and the box set CPU has the heat sink and fan so you should be good to go.

You will not know for sure if the PC vray performance is better than other configurations. Even comparing performance based on clock rate is not the full story because it depends on the wait states in the processing pipe line => some times slower is better than others with higher rates. You put the best base system together you can and look for the best. Bench mark test on the exact configuration would be the best info.
Have a couple of question;
For the processor does your your cost based on boxed version?. If not I think it should be. This may be mute if you stay with the cooler?

It appears you do not have a hard drive and the 180 GB SSD will probably fill up quickly unless the use is very limited. The ATX form factor probably has room for one and you could off set the cost by going to 128 GB SSD. OS etc goes on the SSD and rest goes on the HD.

The cooler is CPU centric, fans are cheap( Especially if you build yourself), the ATX has slots and the mother board control interfaces(?). Heat is one of the highest contributing factor for un-relaibility along with power supply issues. (Heat sinking is reason for boxed CPU set). However I could not find info ( Engish) on the cooler to see what the interface is. Using the cpu,gpu,ps fans for cooling I would question.I have PS, GPU and CPU(P4 3.2GHZ) fans plus two case fans an temps run little higher than I like. Present temps are : Process Zone 69c;system Zone 1 46c,
System zone 2 58c, after about 1 hour.
Just some thoughts

Check the text tool it reports what you have named the component.
BTW if you have some that are the same the definition name can stay the same.

Not an unsolved problem but normal design. 3d models have 6 clipping planes, top, bottom, left,right, front and back and is not limited to SU. The reason for these is they limit the amount of rendering the program must do to keep performance at a reasonable level.Other wise they would have to render a huge model extents.Rendering is not done outside these planes and is the reason the model ' dis-appears" when the limit is hit. Some programs like Blender allow you set the planes. The link above gives good guidance on how to avoid the problem.

The goal of my suggestion above was to remove all SU free and Pro and then downlaod, install SU free. You post indicated you did not get rid of SU Pro. Make sure you use the add / remove programs function and delete any thing associated with SU, run registry cleaner maybe even several times, download and install free. If that odes not work use the windows explorer ( ref start, serach) and do a wild card search of any su files ie * Su pro*, key; etc and maybe you can find the problem file. You will have to run combinations although the suggestion above about the file would be a good start

Check this link Similar to above http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!search/Install$20Su$20free$20after$20pro$20evaluation$20/sketchup/TFwncdUQEIk/fd7o38lgoKQJ

@d12dozr said:

Even the US government is asking for help on this problem! http://robocall.challenge.gov/

Some what associated problem , but how do you know that link is legit? Does not look like it to me when they do not provide any identity info??

When you removed Pro did you use the control panel add/remove programs?
It needs to be totally removed. If not used I would use add / remove Pro if possible as well as free. Pro may not shown up though. After free is remove run a registry cleaner( If pro was not showing ) and try re-install of free.

So after reading all these post the question is: What specific action should/ can be taken be taken to stop these types of calls? My contention is you have the power ,but some time and effort on your part beyond just getting then to hang up etc. will be required.

I have been trying to understand what the general accepted criteria is for "TINs". One site I have found ,which seems credible to me, states the segment length should be > then contour seperation. The rational for that is to avoid " flat triangles ".
Here are the links I found of interest. . Note the Harvard school link has good press for SU'
http://www.ian-ko.com/ Under resources check out the solution center
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual/contours/
Note these are more GIS centric and thus not one to one applicable to the limited SU intent for their TIN implementation.

I have not followed the law recently , but have you entered the cell # on the don't call lsit?
Keep track of the calls( Will be hassle if you are driving), time etc and turn in to the state attorney general office. They can be fined for each call if you get it set so they are in violation of the list. I have my phone set to announce the name of the caller and will not answer others. If they don't leave a message then deletion decision is easy, if they leave one you have the needed info.
Talk to your provider they will have suggestions also.They will not want junk calls taking up band width.
You can fight back but will take some time and effort. Under stand the law and use that against them. If you are having problems many others are also.
I went through an issue on how insurance companies use the credit reports to increase rates even if you have not had an accident and credit report is good a few years back. Got the State Dept. of Regulatory Agency involved.

Me too. I have worked on stuff even a finger print can cause a failure. It goes from pressure reduction ( launch), to some temp increase causing out gassing , to ionization break down and failure. Worked on what is called a hyper velocity blow down tunnel trying to solve the re-entry blackout problem. We were charging a capacitor bank up to 200,000 joules and then would discharge in a micro second( 200,000,000,000 equivalent watts) and used coaxial cables to tune the system. When that would arc it was not hard to find out where the damage was. It would blow things up.!
Obviously the solution to the blackout issue was never really solved.

Always ware a grounding strap when working on your PC. I also have an grounded anti ESD pad under my key board all the time. ESD can cause damage that does not show immediately and failure can happen days, weeks etc. after exposure.