You might try the IFC format. I've had fairly good luck with that. Bringing IFC into SU loses all the layer info, which is annoying, and I am not sure if Revit will see layers coming with a SU export, but it's worth a try, at least.
The import into SU does retain all the component names applied in Revit, so that's good. None of the geometry gets exploded, either, which is also good
Charlie, I agree with you 100%. The snapping to the viewport instead of geometry is definitely worse in 2018 and a source of great frustration for me. I, too, make my viewports tight to geometry and dimensioning is requiring much more zooming in than it used to.
Hopefully the developers can de-tune the viewport snaps in next version...
You are not going crazy; I have suffered under this issue for years on mac.
This is what I do to finally get to export other sizes.
Set the aspect ratio to custom. Type in the size you want for height/width (can be a 16:9 ratio, but still use custom in the aspect ratio). Then press the preview frame size button. Does it display the correct size? Sometimes yes and sometimes no (like 50/50)
If it does not display the correct size, you will notice upon escaping the preview window, that all your settings have reverted to the size displayed as opposed to the size wanted.
Continue doing the exact same thing until you get a preview size that is correct. This can sometimes take 3 or 4 tries. I have never had it fail to finally give me the size I am looking for.
Once you get the correct preview, then you can chose OK and start the export.
I always use image sequence exports. This allows me to navigate in my finder to where the images are being stored and I can check one of the export images to make sure the correct size is exporting. If the preview page was correct, you'll find that the images are correct too. If you export full animations without image sequences, then you have to wait until it is completely done before you can check, which can be a huge time waster if it is exporting incorrectly.
Good luck and yes this a long time bug...
Brett, when you right click on a sketchup viewer you'll see an "update reference" choice. So two quick clicks and no need to access the document setup window
When I get a request like this, and it is a company I hope to work for in the future, I often release the SKP.
But, I do some mods to a new version before I release it.
I explode everything, and I mean everything. With an object retaining the layer it's group/component version was on when exploded, all the layer and scenes still work as expected.
Then, I purge all components and unused materials.
Then, I modify my style(s) so that the select color matches the default blue that SU ships with and then I change the locked color to match the select color. Figure this is a nice line of last defense in minimizing unpaid for functionality while still doing everything the client asked for. It's not your fault if the cad guy can't figure our how to get anything out of the model.
So, in the end, the client gets the model and you are the good guy. And no one can give you grief about your exploded mess because that is maybe just how you do things. And you can charge them money when their cad monkey can't figure out how to do what they want with your model. Win, win win.
This is a known issue and Trimble is working on it.
There are a couple of workarounds that can mitigate this somewhat. Keeping viewports square seems to help.
Check out these threads for more info:
http://forums.sketchup.com/t/bug-workaround-high-scale-viewports/26887
@mike amos said:
I also find the additional reference points when drawing to be a thorough nuisance rather than helping.
I have to agree with this statement. I feel like the "improvements" to the inference engine over the last two releases have done nothing but make the modeling process more cumbersome and confusing.
You go Nathan!! That structural plugin would be incredible!
Layout should allow decimal dimensioning out to .00000 just like in SU (which goes to .000000). Why should decimal inches be constrained to 1/4" accuracy?
I forgot disable inferencing entirely; that would be highly helpful!
Dimension styles and functionality to match Layout's dimensions tool so that perspective dimensioning in SU could match LO style in every way, since we can't perspective dimension in LO
+100 for layer palette tools. Also for Scene and Material Palettes
Preference options for turning off/customizing inference engine. Create hierarchal list of inferences so one can customize which is given greater "strength" depending on use (for instance, I would make center of line most important/strong, and I would remove the axis origin entirely)
Preference to turn off the rotate functionality portion of the move tool
Eliminate or customizable clipping distance
Eliminate the crazy zoom when cursor is not hovering over geometry
Eliminate all the dotted lines and multiple vertex inference dots when trying to grab a part of a circle/cylinder. Utterly maddening and confusing when trying to set individual bolts in a large model.
Improve native 3D text to include edibility
Native section tool to provide cut faces like TIG's plugin. Also, allow for stepped section planes instead of just straight lines
Some sort of a click and modifier function that allows me to instantly edit a deeply nested component/group. Endless double clicking to drill down through 8 groups is a huge time waster.
That's just off the top of my head...
Just so all this is in the same place, here is a thread from March 14, 2014...
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13%26amp;t=56754
#2 and #4 have seen improvements, but other than that, my list is as relevant as ever, I think.
Here's a nice list Richard put together:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13%26amp;t=62300
How about a Sept 2010 discussion:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12%26amp;t=30881
It is great to see the items that have been improved since then, but we are talking almost 7 years and some items on this list could still be very useful!
All that being said, I think LO 2017 is the single best update we have seen and LO is, by far better than it has ever been before. Associative dimensions is, in a word, AWESOME! And an offset tool is great. And a tables tool is a very nice addition. And dwg export has improved significantly. Honestly, I have a a great sense of encouragement for future releases after this release; Trimble is obviously giving the LO team assets to develop and improve the software and the LO team is, in my opinion, on the right path.
Still plenty of great ideas out there for future development however...
Sometimes, LO can glitch on which style it is displaying, regardless of what the scene setting is.
Try selecting the viewport in LO and, in the sketchup model/styles palette, see what it says for the active scene. If it has (modified) after it, try clicking another scene and then click the one that you want. In fact, even if it doesn't say (modified) try clicking another one and then the right one.
Of course, check your style settings as JQL explained above first.
@alan fraser said:
They seem to think you're hanging on the end of the phone with nothing better to do, just waiting to commit yourself fully to their demands.
Construction industry is much the same. If I had a dollar for every time someone called me on a friday afternoon, in a panic, hoping I could get something turned over by Monday morning.
A few years ago, I would do what I could to help, but now I just laugh and tell them good luck.
What's the quote? A failure to plan on your side does not constitute an emergency on mine? Everything would be a lot easier if we didn't have clients that were humans, haha
Thanks for the details! That is one impressive animation.
Impressive!
Can you give us some idea of how long and how complicated it is to achieve what we are watching? And how long that took to render at what resolution?
Thanks
Hi Bob,
Probably the quickest way to accomplish this, without extensive use of plugins, is to control your camera location/movement through scenes. This precludes the need to manipulate the model in any way.
For example, you could draw a hexagon that encloses your entire model, with one vertex lined up with the front view. Then you could place your camera on the front vertical of the hexagon. Use guide points to try different elevations until you get one that frames your model correctly. Now adjust the height of the hexagon to match the perfect height.
Re-place your camera on the front vertex, making sure that you are in the front view, and save the scene. Now place your camera on the next vertex and repeat the process and save a scene. (you can control your camera even more if you make an alignment face for each vertex that is perpendicular to the plane of the camera view at the vertex and use that to align the camera after you place it on the vertex. This might be more control than you actually need and "fudging" the camera location to better frame the model in each location is a valid method too.
Once you have all the vertex views saved as scenes, run the animation. You may need to zoom in or out slightly, at each scene, to keep from clipping the model as the camera moves. Keep refreshing the scenes as you dial in the flow.
It sounds more complicated than it is and you will find that you can "fake" an object-based animation pretty easily.
Middle of 2005 for me, so I guess that was version 3? I feel like I've been through it all: rumors of Grizzly, Google buying SU, Atlast forum getting shut down (anymore remember Grant Marshall's watercolor technique thread?), Sketchucation to the rescue, etc. etc.
It's been a hell of a ride! Still on it!