@midlana42 said: What do I have to specify in LO in order to export the vector type only? I'm making possibly a big assumption that LO's vector PDF exporter is different (bug-free) than SU's... In Layout, you can select the view and set it's rendering style in the Sketchup Model "tab" in the Tray It is hardly helpful, but the problem is, I understand, that all hidden line algorithms have to limit their accuracy, because they cannot keep caculating indefinitely. So always some lines that are directly on a surface are interpreted as hiding behind it, leading to missed lines. Besides SU PDF and DWG exports, I have seen the same with hidden-line exports from Autocad too. I have not tried if it is the same with Archicad and Revit too. Anssi

@unknownuser said: Adam, can you show me a picture of what you mean for the first case? Todd, 2 objects next to each other: [image: bXJr_SketchUpScreenSnapz005.png] Whats the smallest clearance? ie You can't do this by examining vertices. Typically you'd use GJK to crawl around the surface. But I seem to remember GJK is just for convex hulls - one of the many many reasons physics packages only deal with collections of convex hulls. (its an interesting subject - imagine a tumbling object through space with a protruding part and the incredibly complex path the tip of that protrusion traces.) Adam EDIT: I realized I claimed earlier that convex shapes would be simple.. I meant that with simple interval arithmetic you can find a separating plane etc. Nothing is ever simple..the devil is always in the details!

TIG's ExtrudeAlongPath.rb - select the path then specify rectangle's details... or ExtrudeEdgesByFace.rb where you draw a flat rectangular [or any shaped] face with up as its Y/green axis and have a path of welded edges...

I don't think I'm doing that, though. I draw two lines, then convert both to pipes with zero ID. I use the Intersect With Model to show where they touch, and that's where I run into trouble, when I try to back away one tube from the other for editing; the intersecting line says on the other tube. I figured out that I can select the pipe - and must also include the intersecting line - in order to move it for editing. That works better though I was surprised that when I selected the intersecting area and hit Delete, it also deletes the entire tube, but I can deal with that. Subject change: Somewhat related, my chassis consists of a mix of square and round tubing. Is there a plugin to produce square tubes the same way that pipes are created? I realize there may be an issues with how to orient the flat sides but having a tool would be much better than placing a square normal to a line and projecting it. I found when I use the Extrude or Follow me tool, it doesn't act the way I want and a plugin would be a great time-saver. Thanks again for the generous help and I hope to pass on the favor to others. [edit] Found this: http://sketchup.engineeringtoolbox.com/section-steel-to_2.html Don't know if it'll do what I want but I'll give it a try. Regardless, if anyone has a "Line-to-square-tube" plugin I'd like to try it.

You can always move that text to any position you want.