Okay. Thanks! It was a late night What a bizarre interface method though-- ugh!

Hello All,

Just availed myself of VisuHole plug-in by Fredo. Most impressive and useful. But how in the world can one create one's own shape (stencil) to punch through objects/walls?? I'd be happy with just a circle. I've watched the video, read all the documentation, have no problem understanding the various moves and options. But all I see/get is a the built-In stencil of RECTANGLE, HEXAGON AND CIRCLE grouped together in a line (quite annoying). Presumably for demo purposes-- but all I want is to be able to draw/create my OWN shape and punch with that.

Just my own little circle-- please-- anyone??

Goodness-- you go beyond the call of duty, Tig-- a big thank you! (donation on the way).

Both scripts work-- what a relief. And I did some house cleaning to boot. Got rid of offset.rb -- I can do without the stuff that requires it. Oddly, both crate.rb and hole.rb work, but the system is still looking for offset.rb. Curious. Thought hole.rb to be redundant given 'push-pull' but just now discover it will make holes from multiple circle selections on a surface-- whoa! Instant Swiss cheese!

cheers!

Error Loading File crate.rb
no such file to load -- ./offset.rbError Loading File holes.rb
no such file to load -- ./offset.rb

Okay. A small confession: I still use SKP 8 (and the way things are going with Trimble, will likely do so until the end of time)

Here is the start-up dialog with all the loading errors. Lazy as I am, I just live with it.
I think 'private method' refers to the short 'make unique' script you gave me previously which I had entered in Ruby console. For some reason I did it twice-- returned 'nil' but other time it was '41' or '43' ... forget. The script did work once. Hope I haven't screwed things up..

Error Loading File __loader.rb
uninitialized constant TraductorError Loading File attributes.rb
undefined method GetString' for nil:NilClassError Loading File crate.rb no such file to load -- ./offset.rbError Loading File holes(1).rb no such file to load -- ./offset.rbError Loading File holes.rb no such file to load -- ./offset.rbError Loading File ReAssign0.rb undefined local variable or method ' for main:ObjectError Loading File shapes.rb
no such file to load -- mesh_additions.rbError Loading File su2pov35Toolbar.rb
private method `split' called for nil:NilClass

Oops.. spoke too soon.. I get a loading error:

no such file to load -- ./offset.rb Error Loading File ReAssign0.rb

Terrific! Much appreciated. This has been a bother for years, much relieved and can now say that this just about makes my workflow near-perfect when drawing progressive movements using component instances and multiple scenes.

For those of you doing similar work, an invaluable plug-in is: CMD Auto-Invisible Layer (plugin store). In native mode, Skp includes and SHOWS all material placed on a newly created layer on all the UPSTREAM SCENES. You must then manually cycle through each scene and toggle OFF the 'down stream' layer to prevent multiple objects showing and clashing with each other. A huge pain! CMD Auto-Invisible Layer is a gem. Also, by CMD, Isolate/Reveal is such a nice touch.

I'm set to go for at least another five years!

PS. TIG, apologies if your 'MyLayerWatcher' does what CMD's does

@tig said:

If you had a custom tool to do this you still need to give it a name [unless you're happy with "compo#123"] and to assign it to a new layer [tag].
So the automated tool just skips the make-unique part, and perhaps also selecting it cleanly...
This one short code does it that for you...

m=Sketchup.active_model
> es=m.active_entities
> ss=m.selection
> if ss.length==1 && ss[0].is_a?(Sketchup;;ComponentInstance)
>   UI.add_context_menu_handler{|menu|
>     i=ss[0]
>     menu.add_item("Copy Unique Instance..."){
>       ii=es.add_instance(i.definition, i.transformation)
>       ii.make_unique
>       ss.clear
>       ss.add(ii)
>     }
>   }
> end

It adds an item to the context-menu, only if you have selected one component-instance.
When it's done only the new copy is selected and it is listed in Entity Info - where you can assign it a different layer and a new name as desired...

Many thanks! In retrospect, I see that the native tool method is not so bad after all. That is because OUTLINER makes it manageable. I tend to forget to use this tool a lot-- probably one of the most under-rated or least discussed in Skp.

While I'm at this. Is there a tool for PUT ALL ON LAYER..(XYZ), similar to MAKE ALL UNIQUE?

I do a lot of mechanical drawings with objects that contain multiple groupings of sub-components and need to show progression of movement. MAKE ALL UNIQUE is essential to make the progression of movement possible because without it the original component grouping/instance is compromised. Some of the sub-component assemblies are often nested deep into the main object. They need to be toggled onto different layers. This is problematic because each time you create a new INSTANCE to show the next progression, ALL the components within the main grouping MUST be on the same layer (Layer 0). Invariably, a tiny element in a deeply nested grouping can get stuck on an overlooked layer and that creates mayhem. A PUT ALL ON LAYER in combination with MAKE ALL UNIQUE would be a blessing.

Sorry for convoluted explanation. Perhaps this best discussed as a separate topic. (?)

I mourned the day Trimble took over SketchUp. To me, the writing was on the wall. Now, as this discussion illustrates, the chickens have come home to roost. The subscription model clearly the final nail in the coffin.

Oh, boy-- am I on a roll here.

And it took them only 7 years to destroy something so rare, so utterly beautiful.. (if I'm sentimental, forgive me-- SketchUp, like true art and love is transformative. Has no equal, Cannot be replaced. And we will never be the same.

Indeed, SketchUp is what it is today because of the brilliant, dedicated work of countless plug-in developers. Trimble was never interested in innovation (fair to say the record shows that) but was merely intent on capitalizing and exploiting the work of others, to set the stage to eventually exploit the 'ignorant masses' with a subscription model.

I understand that software companies need to earn money. I have no problem paying for good software. But, I will NOT be subjected to ransom! What's so sad is that in the Google days there was at least a semblance of a balance between a proprietary and 'open source' model, a delicate balance, but where 'community' still meant something, and that is now gone!

Like others, I'm going half-mad trying to find an alternative to SketchUp, but as mentioned, there's no equal in terms of intuitive interface and just plain fun. That said, I do have some ideas/solutions. Anyone interested in a collaboration, email me.

t.

@ecuadorian said:

A bit of speculation of what could happen...

IF YOU DECIDE TO KEEP YOUR CURRENT PERPETUAL LICENSE:

-You can wait until November 4th to update your M&S plan so you can have every new release until November 4th 2021... But I bet they'll release SketchUp 2022 AFTER November 2021, so you will be stuck with SketchUp 2021.

-The 3D Warehouse will keep updating the file formats of existing models for no other reason than to force people to upgrade SketchUp. Eventually you won't be able to download and open files from the 3D Warehouse. (EDIT: I see they offer a Collada file option, so I might be wrong on this one)

-Developers of plugins and integrated renderers will eventually stop supporting SketchUp 2021.

-Schools will start to think twice about teaching SketchUp, so it will start to lose market share a few years from now.

-The loss of market share means you will need to convert your SketchUp models to other formats before sending them to other professionals.

IF YOU DECIDE TO SWITCH TO A SUBSCRIPTION

-After the first year for $120, you'll find yourself paying $300 a year.

-If you don't use SketchUp every day, you might not the able to justify the expense, stop paying for the subscription, and thus you'll be locked out of decades of your own work.

HOW THIS MIGHT AFFECT ME

I design and sell house plans on my website, http://www.arqui3d.com. I sell both 2D files (PDF, DWG) and SKP files. I tell my buyers that they can open SKP files with the free viewer, but that they need to hire an architect if they want to make changes.

The change to subscription means SketchUp will be less popular in the future and I'll need to provide maybe Collada files together with SKP files. But what worries me is the possibility that renderers such as Lumion and TwinMotion might stop supporting old versions of SketchUp. If they're smart they will keep some way to import SketchUp 2021 files manually for the foreseeable future.

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN
Most users will keep their perpetual licenses. When they start to receive files in incompatible versions, they might eventually add a SketchUp Shop subscription on top of this so they can open newer files. That, or it will become standard practice to always save in older SketchUp versions before sending out files.

Another possibility is that the web-only SketchUp Shop might eventually become the "standard" version most professionals use. Kids these days do everything on the web, anyway, and having your models on the cloud would make it easier to collaborate. However, this would pretty much kill the business of plugin developers.

Yes. Of course! I understand all that. Have been doing it for years. I'm just looking for a more efficient way on how to make a new component instance without all those moves.

Hello All:

I need to be able to clone a component or grouped object so that the CLONE can be readily named, is UNIQUE, takes the precise position of its parent, and can subsequently be placed on a layer.

The function of: 'COPY --> PASTE IN PLACE' will create a clone in position, however, separating the two items is a JOB because the parent component remains stuck underneath. Accordingly, the parent component should just disappear, with only the CLONE showing on the screen.

Ideas anyone?