Hello All

I re-visited this thread recently and would like to share what I have been doing in relation to hatches in Layout. This is very much experimentation but it may be of use to someone.

Start in Photoshop with a new file. After a few tries with different size layers in Photoshop I went with a 1400px by 1400px transparent base layer and drew lines to form the hatching using the Path tools. These I believe are vector elements. I had an idea that if, instead of drawing the hatch lines themselves, I could fill the negative spaces with wide lines and leave the hatch lines as transparent spaces. The image is saved as a PNG. I formed just two (hatch) lines in the image as this was near the maximum that the Path line tool can cover (1000px max width of Path line). I'm no expert in Photoshop (or SU/Layout for that matter) so my explanation is probably lacking in detail. However, it does seem to me that the Path tools give a better/crisper line result even when zoomed.

In Layout, the PNG can be loaded into the Pattern inspector tab. A solid fill is enabled in the Shape inspector and this is masked by the PNG. The colour of the shape fill is, therefore, visible through the transparency of the PNG. Thus the hatch can be any colour. The limitation with this method is the hatch lineweight is fixed by the PNG image although when zoomed the line does thicken.

Attached is a version 2015 Layout file with three hatch pattern PNGs plus a PDF of the same. These are used at different scale factors and fill colours.

Have a look and see what you think!

PS Did anyone catch the Sketchup April Fool on Youtube? Worth a look!

Hatch tests 02.layout

Hatch tests 02.pdf

Fredo6's - Fredo Scale plugin should do this using the Radial bending tool. You will find it in the Plugin Store along with plenty of guidance on using it. I would suggest making a copy of the roof element as a spare before starting. Good luck!

@andres2688 said:

Hope there is some extension coming soon to solve this issue.

I fear you will be waiting a long time for this! Apart from making the DC Component Attribute panel a bit easier on the eye you will always have to somehow program each element of the DC to do what you want it to do. As the designer (of the DC) only you know how the parts should interact.

AutoCad and Revit were mentioned earlier in the thread. It's probably ten years since I used either of those but do recall that Revit 'Families' (equivalent of DCs) were far more difficult to build than Sketchup DCs but they used a similar syntax/language and method to provide the instructions for making them work. In AutoCad I used Dynamic Blocks which provided constraints but, again, the input required was akin to what you would use in SU DCs. I'm relying on memory to comment here and have not used the Parametric version of AutoCad, maybe there is now something better than I remember!

Rather than a plugin to directly replace the DC Attribute interface, perhaps some form of graphic based workflow would help. Something in Excel maybe? Design the DC logic on another platform before tying your DC in knots within SU!

Looking good, is it an 'all terrain' vehicle and how will it be powered?

Superb!

Great modelling as always. The net curtains are excellent!

Welcome to the forum DaniVork.

I doubt if the Layout dimension tool could be made to recognise different dimensioning end points. However, you can set up as many dimension styles as you need within the same Layout file. Use a dummy dimension on the page and sample it with the eye-dropper tool before adding a new dimension. Or, use the eye-dropper to update an existing dimension. Ideally, save your dimension in a Scrapbook to use in future work. The Layout dimension system is very customisable, you could, for example have the astrix you like on just one end of the dimension line.

Good luck!

@mike amos said:

This is what politics looks like right now, great image mate.

Agree, but without the cigarette (which would, of course, be bad for us)

Inspiring!

Somehow missed this first time round but what tremendous scale and lighting. Excellent modelling.

Nice! I like the drawer pull detail.