Posts made by sketch3d.de

sketch3d.de

...more powerful configs...

http://www.dell.com > Notebooks > Precision series > Quadro FX > Win XP Pro = max. SU performance

thanks,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

So if a Dell, with a dedicated video card, would cost too much, I'd rather go for a less prestigeous brand but with a good video card.

the mentioned Sony Vaio series is maybe prestigeous, the e.g. Dell Vostro series surely not...

...and Dell provides the #1 service in connection with Notebooks, at least according to the latest survey of the most reputable c't magazine in Germany.

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@joshvt said:

My models usually are in the 15-30 MB range...

which is definitely not a small modell size...

@joshvt said:

... and while I will rarely be doing a lot of editing on the laptop, I can't deal with the "sticky" factor...

i.e. professional usage which definitely excludes shared video solutions limited to office/internet/videos.

@joshvt said:

...a Macbook...

thought you wanna stick below U$ 1,000.- ...

... the OpenGL support of the OSX video drivers provided by Apple is currently less mature than the ones available from the makers of the video cards for XP Pro... just check the forum.

buy a Dell Precision w/ Quadro FX if you can, hurts only once... than every time zooming/panning/rotating your models in front of your clients.

jm2cs,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@joshvt said:

.. Can't say I have had much luck finding anything in that category to date...

in the less-than-1k U$ area you might want check the Dell Vostro series (in business area only) which can be configured with a small GeForce included.. maybe sufficient for your needs. But would upgrade the Intel Core 2 duo CPU to at least the T8100 model.

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@joshvt said:

Does anyone know if the higher performance media accelerators such as the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD will work with sketchup?

even if speed has gone better you should keep in mind, that theses shared video solutions do grab working memory from the (slow) system ram and the OpenGL support (which is used/needed by SU) is often not on par with dedicated video solutions especially of the nVidia CAD series 'Quadro FX'.

Might not have a big influence on small models but if you can afford, check the Dell Precision series w/ a Quadro FX built in. If too expensive you may fall back to the nVidia GeForce home user series which often do show a good performance also, at least for smaller models.

Try to avoid the ATI Radeon home user series which is optimized for gaming purposes but do show some display glitches in connection with OpenGL based 3D applications as e.g. SU.

hth,
Norbert

P.S.: if you can still order Vista with the XP downgrade included: do it .. 'cause the OGL support of video drivers for XP is still much better than for lame Vista.

sketch3d.de

@fbartels said:

...a general presentation tool?

you might be interested in Wink too.

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@thomthom said:

And of course, allot of RAM. If you have a 32bit system then there'd be no point having over 3GB. If you got a 64bit system you can get more. But note that SU wil only use max 3GB as it's a 32bit app. But none the less, using a 64bit system with more RAM can still be useful, as you can multitask with other apps easier. I'm installing Windows 7 64bit on my next computer, with 8GB ram.

as I understood, XP x32 can use roughly 3.2gb ram with the appropriate 'high-mem' key set, 32 bit apps generally cannot access more than 2gb ram.

don't use XP x64 because of a weak driver support, if a Windoze 64 bit OS really is required use Vista instead... or better wait for Win 7 (IV/09).

for OGL based 3D modeling apps which are running - at least recently and for the modeling functions itself - on one kernel only, the following config will currently result in the best performance in the sense of speed and stability of OGL output, nothing else:

fastest possible CPU with regard to one (1) kernel
nVidia Quadro FX CAD series (which starts from US ~120.-)
Windows XP Professional x32 SP3 (not Vista, not OSX)

4gb or more working memory is self-evident.

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@plot-paris said:

but there are some things that look pretty impressive. when I look at certain 'reshape' tools, like the 'round-edges', the 'twist' or the 'bend function...

can be done w/ ViaCAD (ACIS kernel) w/o any probs too (and more)... but w/o any crashes.

jm2c,
Norb.

sketch3d.de

nothing really comparable because more complex and thus diffcult to use but even though maybe interesting too:

Punch! ViaCAD f. OSX/Win (> U$ 100.-) : more CAD related w/o rendering stuff but w/ NURBS faces and volumes, bools, features & feature editing, history tree, model 2 sheet, 2D drafting, all common CAD interfaces, space mouse support, SU import and intelligent snaps as well as refering construction lines, upgrade path to more powerful product line. btw, formerly licencsed by IMSI for TurboCAD versions on Mac platform.

AutoDesSys Form•Z f. OSX/Win : mesh based editor incl. rendering

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

domains & hosting is cheap, ray-ochoa.com is (still) free:

Access Denied

(www.godaddy.com)

for generating content, get a WebCMS, e.g.:

http://www.wordpress.com/
http://www.joomla.org/

tons of free and commercial templates avail.

have fun,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@remus said:

...The quadro cards are generally the best in this respect...

yup

@remus said:

...although quite pricey.

in the meanwhile they have some cheapened models too as e.g. the FX370/570 starting at roughly 150-200 U$.

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@achim said:

danke...

natürlich unter Verlust der "wahren", d.h. echten Abmasse, was bei SketchUp Modellen, zumindest wenn man nicht bemassen und/oder 2D Ableitungen erstellen will, weniger relevant ist.

Norbert

sketch3d.de

@achim said:

was ist "gegenläufig skalieren"?

wenn's sehr, sehr klein ist: grösser skalieren
wenn's sehr, sehr gross ist: kleiner skalieren

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@numerobis said:

Daher die Frage: kann mir vielleicht jemand sagen, wodurch dieses "Phänomen" auftritt und wie ich es wieder weg bekomme...?

der Effekt ist begründet in der für OpenGL notwendigen Schnittebene der Kamera welche in bestimmten Konstellationen Teile der 3D Ausgabe abschneidet.

um das Problem zu beheben, gibt's mehrere Ansätze:

•Blickwinkel reduzieren, z.B. auf die Voragbe von 30-35°
•falls Perspektive aus: ein "Zoom alles" ausführen
•extreme Abmessungen der Konstruktion: ggf. gegenläufig skalieren
•Modell - z.B. nach DXF/DWG-Import - sehr weit vom Ursprung, d.h. dem Nullpunkt des Koordinatensystems entfernt:
alles selektieren => Verschieben Werkzeug => signifikanten Punkt anfassen und ziehen => [0,0,0] im VCB (rechts, unten) eingeben => Enter => Punkt (samt Modell) hüpft in Ursprung => Froien

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@al hart said:

@unknownuser said:

...As an aside - Is anyone aware of a good way to develop applications for Windows and Mac at the same time? Does the Mircosoft .NET tool do this, or is there some other tool we should use?

afaik .NET is Windows only

very common in this area is Qt from Nokia (formerly Trolltech)

hth,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@rustyshack said:

...in other words, an easy to use and learn program that handles beveling, filleting and merging complex curves as easily as SketchUp handles rectilinear forms (and many curved ones)....

check ViaCAD Pro f. Win/OSX, a feature-based NURBS surface and volume modeler w/ intuitive user interface, history tree as well as all common vector-based CAD filters incl. a SU import:

2D / 3D CAD and Drafting Software | CAD Software for Mac and Windows | CAD Programs | Drawing Software | Architecture Design Software

2D / 3D CAD and Drafting Software, CAD Software for Mac and Windows, CAD Programs, Drawing Software, Architecture Design Software

(www.punchcad.com)

imho THE sleeper in this price range (MSRP 250 U$)

have fun,
Norbert

sketch3d.de

@2kemon said:

I'm considering ViaCAD 2D as one of the few affordable CAD packages.

for a commcerial usage you maybe should evaluate the ViaCAD Pro version (249U$) or at least the 2D/3D version instead of the pure 2D version, the latter it's only a handfull of bucks more: