Posts made by Matte

Hi all, I heard someone made a plugin a while back that would allow you to import a shape file directly into sketchup? Does anyone know anything about this plugin?
Thanks, Mattee

Thanks Guys, I'll have to play around a bit, I'll have to look at the "Tag" thing, not familiar with that? I thought the color by layer might mess up images... Unless SU allows you to select individual layers and just apply a color by to layer to that specifically chosen layer, that would work perfect. I know how to color and change all dims to a color. I was trying to set a layer as Dim Red (Interior things) and Dim Blue (Exterior things)(For example) things can overlap and different saved tag just turn off one or the other and update, so when I make that layer current all dims i draw would be that color "automatically". Right now I have to manually color each din and save it to the colored dim layer its attached to. The maid purpose in in design phase I can have lots of reference dimensions while designing that can be turned on or off at a click.
Thanks Again! to you both

Hi All, I am doing a drawing, I colored my inner dimensions dark blue and in another layer my exterior dimensions dark red. Is there a way to automatically have the colors assigned be applied when I am in the "Dim Blue" or "Dim Red" layer, or do I have to manually change each color one by one? I saw a color by layer thing, but not sure how that will affect windows and textures like wood doors with glass windows? Can color by layer be assigned to individual/special layers only?
Thanks Matte

PS... Funny the image you sent, it's in the middle of nowhere... I just went exploring Sunday.... And that's the abandoned building I ended up at!

Thanks Dave ! As soon as I win the lottery a smaller island might be the key! But I am here so I'll just have to deal with it. Started a "bad" quality map for now. I spent 10 hours last night after work downloading the 50 or 60 tiles by questimation since there in no tile mode for big models in sketchup 2021. Too bad, that would be a good enough excuse enough to upgrade! That or major Layout improvements! So now, I just have to hand stitch each of the 60 tiles (800 - 900 triangles) together by hand, should only take a few more weeks. Then I can make my stepped terrain from that! Thanks for the motivation to attempt the brute force method. It's not pretty, but it will at least give me something to gauge against as I look for the "right" way to do it.
Thanks again, Matte

Thanks Dave, I did try 2021 and saw it can do what you are showing. I guess if I make 50 or 60 "tiles" I can stitch them together. I was just thinking that might make a month project into a year project! But if NOAA or the USGS can't help I might give that a try. Thanks again as always, you advise is brilliant!

Still playing, At least I have learned... Sketchup 2012 and Blender can't do the job, so still looking. I did see a model someone had for sale for $500, but that's not doable for a "play thing". When I do find a solution, I'll let you all know, hoping to call NOAA to see if the can help to translate their data I downloaded sometime next week.
Matte

Good day all !!!, as usual I am attempting something WAY!!! over my skill set! I hope someone can give me some direction on what I will need to learn and do, to pull this off. First off this is what I have to work with... SU 2017, ACAD Architectural 2017. My "goal" is to take the entire 3D terrain of island of St. Croix in the US Virgin islands, create a bunch horizontal of slices at different elevations, then just save the slices and create a "stepped" elevation model, although a brute force task, I can "do" that. But what I can't do is figure out how to import reasonably accurate 3D info into Sketchup to do this? I'm still trying to figure out how to get 3D info off of Google earth Pro (still trying, Not smart enough to do this at the moment, Not sure of the accuracy of what I will get?). I even downloaded a 5 GB! file from NOAA which came with so many files and TFW? files, I don't even have a clue on where to start with that way! If anyone has advice on the path I need to follow and things I need to learn, I would GREATLY!!! appreciate it.
Thanks. Matte

Good day to all,
I have been out of the Sketchup / Layout world for a few years now.... IM BACK ! I bit rusty, but working on getting REALLY back into it! I am trying to use Layout as my new "main" presentation tool of ideas. Here is my present problem... Layout keeps crashing... I figured out that it was because I tried to import an Excel spreadsheet. So I "deleted it". But in the > Doc Setups > References > I can not delete the "unwanted info". I can edit it and delete all, but the embedded link can not be removed? Is there something I am missing ?
Thanks, Mattee

Hi Dave and all,
Until I figure out how to "xref" in to layout an Excel spreadsheet without major modifications to make it "work". (Oh, by the way, I am using 2017 Sketchup and Layout Pro if it matters?) I have "figured" out a work around.... Here is my "experiment"

1 - Put Excel on a 8-1/2x14 page layout (For shorter spreadsheet)
2 - Window around the needed info (Print type to be by selected.
3 - Print out with Cute PDF (As it allows higher DPI output) I select 3600 DPI - save to location
4 - Open with Adobe Acrobat Crop if needed > Export as an Image > PNG @ 600 DPI, (I did not know a
major improvement worth doing at a higher Res.)
5 - Then import onto Layout page, (Can't do to Sketchup... WAY to blurry). > Scale and place as
needed.

Lots of song and dance, but it get's things done. I just have to make and update image and pricing changes. And go through most of these steps again (Except step 5), just have to update newer image saved in same place with same name as original. So far that's "my only hillbilly" way until I figure out something more "professional". Hope this has some value to someone?
Mattee

Good day to all,
I have been wrestling for the past few week trying to get an excel file into Layout, so I can show the prices of things along with my sketches of things so people understand the extent of repairs needed. I do all the pricing in excel to keep the changing costs up to date. Importing into Layout ALWAYS crashes every few minutes or so. Trying to do what it is "supposed to work"? ... So my "thinking" was to import the “ALL” info, into Sketchup so I could window the “Big Drawing” as a few sub-views of the overall. And place them next to each other as smaller views to show the “Over All”. But I have not figured out any way of "smoke and mirrors" way to set up such a thing up? Does anyone have any advice!!!!!! I see a few ways out there for… But, at OVER “3 grand” to do it! Since I can barely afford rent! That’s not an option! I am happy to pay a few bucks to “get things done”, but that’s WAY out of my wheel house to even consider. Any advise GREATLY appreciated!
Thank’s Maka

Thanks, you just saved me hours of time traveling down a dead end road!
PS there are no blocks, all lines and surfaces are all on the same layer,
so nothing to explode, just no consistent z height for all rectangles.

Hi All, before I spend many hours playing with this cool plugin.. Could someone with experience with it give me their advice if this plug in will "solve my problem"? My present problem is that I have hundreds and hundreds of rectangular faces (There all suppose to be at the same Z height). The problem is many of them are rotated ( + or - ) .01 degrees from each other (For Example). So when I make a rectangle that connects between the four corners of 4 different rectangles... It does not make a rectangle. Could I make one of these existing rectangles "Perfect" where all 4 corners are at the same Z height.... And then use this plug in to Pick "bad" rectangle and "say" align to good rectangle and all the corner Z heights of the "bad" triangle will now match the "good" triangle?
Thanks !!! Mattee
(PS right now the OCD has taken over and I am manually fixing each rectangle one at a time !!!!)

Hi All, still trying to grasp as much Layout knowledge as I can for my project due next week.....
When I have a plan view of a Space that has a loft on each end... Is there someway to lighten the lower level a bit so the upper level pops a little better? The only work around I can come up with would be to make a shape that traces the lower area form and drop the color (White) opacity down to "20 %" +/- ?
Thanks Mattee

Hi All, I was wondering of someone could recommend a good "Soften" style, style. I have sent my drawing to Layout to make some Construction Documents. The Images are Quite Color Intense. In stead of going back and tweek each material color individually, I would like to apply a style that would gently "Pastel" the colors so the are subtle, but still pop a little compared to just a black and white image.
Thanks !!! Mattee

Thanks Rich !!!! tried it and it worked, swapped the 24x24 image with a 64x64 image, looks great!

Thanks Rich, all the Sketchup Icons in "Large" choice come in fine, it's only the developer extension plugin files that come out 1/2 size (While in "Large" mode). I was "guessing" the largest icon each developer has for choices, lets say 24x24 would link to the "Large" button choice? So if I save the "original" 24x24 icon as something else, I could just make a new icon 48x48 and call it 24x24, and the developers extension would now pick this? I just wanted to make sure it's worth trying, as sometimes little experiments can create really big problems!
Thanks, Mattee

Good Day All,
I need to re-scale tool bar ICONS in Sketchup, what I did was pick the ruby plug-in Icon in the developers folder... I saw an "Icon 8", "Icon-16", "Icon-32".... So since I needed it to be twice the size, I did a Save-as of the Icon 32, and called it "Icon 64" and scaled it up 200%. Then saved it to the save developer folder. Here is where it is WAY over my head... How does Sketchup "KNOW" to pick the 8 or 16 or 32 image? Do I (A) save old Icon-32 as Icon-32X and rename my created "Icon-64" to Icon 32 and Sketchup will pick this? Or is it better to find the code and add the "Icon 64" to the list? (Might me too tricky if the code is not "easy to read, like OLD (basic or fortran) all the newer stuff is out of my abilities at the moment? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks for your time.
Mattee

Thanks !!!

Hi All,
What would you recommend as the best way to reduce the number of line segments in a 3D Sketchup model? I import stuff modify it and something that looks like 1,000 lines comes up with 245,000 small line segments when I run the "Solid Inspector" plugin! I'm willing to accept a little less detailed model to reduce this to something (usable). I can always redraw a few areas if too much is cleaned up. The 3D models are for export to .STL so I can run it through a 3D printer.... It doesn't like to print 245,000 little lines? Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.
Mattee