There's a new meeting announced for Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 6:30 PM in San Francisco is anyone is interested:
http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-SketchUp/events/16949298/
Maybe I'll see you there.

• Martin

I just watched an episode - it didn't really live up to my memories of the show.

@numbthumb said:

You don´t necessarily have to be a Brit of a certain age to know that ship
Nevertheless, nice work!

I use my wife as the yard stick - she likes Sci-fi, 40+ like me, but American and she hadn't heard of Blake's 7 (or Space 1999, or Joe 90)

You have to be a Brit of a certain age to know this ship. This a model of the Liberator from the BBC Sci-Fi show "Blake's 7" from the late 70's. I just posted the model to the warehouse http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=58508096a7c45a9b7bc588a73b633c22 and did a quick render in Twilight. I based my SU model as much as possible of the model made originally for the show here: http://www.martinbowersmodelworld.co.uk/liberator-blakes_7.html

I did the same thing: keep halving the frame with lines to find the issue. It looks like there were just a couple of remnants of lines sticking into the frame that were preventing the surface from being created. I don't know an easier way to do this.

• Martin

mirror half.skp

@unknownuser said:

You could try exporting your scene to Kerkythea(free) and rendering in that. It's a studio based app so it handles large scenes with ease.

@Martin

SU is now LAA enabled so if you run it on 64bit systems it avails of extra RAM.

Thanks for the heads up - I did try to work SU hard and monitor the amount of CPU and RAM consumed - I can't get SU to take more than half the 8gb I have installed even when it was struggling to manipulate a 500k edge model. Is there something I can do to improve this? I'm running Vista 64.

I just downloaded it without a problem - can you download other files?

I'm guessing you've gone through the suggestions on sketchup sage: https://sites.google.com/site/sketchupsage/faster/ ? I believe SketchUp is a 32 bit app and can't use more than 2gb memory.

The self-driving BMW on Top Gear a couple of seasons back was better on the track: scary fast http://www.streetfire.net/video/126-top-gear-self-driving-bmw_180380.htm

As a handheld video guy I am more excited about the changes coming to iMovie for iOS (much more control and multi-track audio) and Garageband for iOS. It's all about the apps these things run rather than the devices themselves.

The Instant Road plugin might be just what you're looking for - only dl'd it myself today but looks interesting: http://www.cad-addict.com/2010/12/sketchup-plugins-instant-road.html

@unknownuser said:

Well, I find this interesting. I work at the house, on the road, at 4 other offices. I have started using a small 320 gig HD. However, I have this fear that I will leave it behind, or have it stolen.

So thanks, for the info. I will be giving it a try. What I didn't know the drop box folder would show up in my directory listing.

Thank You

Ken

Yes - just looks like part of your documents directory when you install the application. I'm nearly as big a fan of DropBox as I am SketchUp

@mrnoonie said:

so why exactly are you making a drop box for sketchup??

Not sure how to answer this as I thought that was what the article was about: dropbox = limited version control, solution for those working on multiple machines in multiple locations and data backups.

It was very quietly announced - I think they were just seeing if there was interest the first time round. We should nag them to schedule another one soon though.

Hi -
Alex from the GoToSchool SketchUp video tutorials started a Bay Area SketchUp meetup and I went to the first one last month. It was great to actually meet other users face to face. I don't know when the next meeting will be (nothing is scheduled yet) but if you are local and would like to be involved please visit the meetup page: http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-SketchUp/

Hope to see some of you at the next meeting.
Regards - Martin

Over a year ago I wrote a tutorial on File Organization & Version Control in SketchUp. Thrilling stuff I know. It is a little dry but it's important if your data is precious and especially if you work on more than one machine or in a team.

Since then I've largely abandoned hosting my own source control repository and have moved to DropBox which does most of what I was advocating a year and a half ago but for free and with very little effort: File Organization & Version Control Revisited: DropBox. If you have any comments of suggestions please leave them here or in the post - your input is appreciated.
Regards - Martin

Here' a quick render from the Twilight plugin with the new domes - unfortunately I didn't get all the materials right for some reason.

Taff - I have incorporated your greenhouse domes and fuel cells into the model now. It's still in the same place on the warehouse: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=846f837ba72374c7932c511df6d2aa45 LMK what you think.

@taffgoch said:

Martin,

I apologize if I gave the impression that it's about credit. I certainly don't mind if you use the dome & pod model files I emailed you, to upgrade your model, with or without attribution.

I always strive to encourage modelers, by providing geodesic support. That's my "thing."

I'm chagrined that you may have taken my emails as criticism. That was not my intent.

-Taff

Taff - I took it in the spirit it was intended. I don't think of the word 'criticism' as a negative one and a value you having got in touch with me and showing me your work. It was certainly more accurate than mine but I didn't want to just incorporate your hard work without permission. Now I have it I will revisit the model.
Thanks - Martin

PS the Eng Lit grad in me loves that you used the word 'chagrined'

Taff - it's not you, it's me. I just can't face going back to it right now. It turned into one of those models I thought was going to be easy but contained more details than I ever imagined. Those fuel pods you made are particularly fantastic. If you put either in the warehouse I could incorporate them into the model if you like and you would get credit as a contributor.
Regards - Martin