Hi Al, this is very interesting. I'm anxious to see the result.
To be more specific as to what I said, or intended to say, is that a computer cannot do as well keeping the dual goals of "low polycount" and "satisfactory" shadow shape in mind. One or the other gets sacrificed with the automated version.

For instance we set ourselves a goal of having no more than 200 segments per tree ( more with flowers or less often repeated entourage) and a convincing shadow. We manage quite nicely but with about 20 minutes of outlining and decision making per tree.

So I am very interested in what your output is going to look like.

Oh that's amazing. Thanks so so much!

I wanted to have an alternative version of this ruby script that defaults everything to a layer1 which I created.
I altered the script so all references ( and the ruby file name) are changed to "layer1" instead of "layer" but I cannot actually figure out how to set the appropriate variable to actually do that.
I am not a ruby programmer so I don't know anything.
It looks to me that this bit :"layer=nil" is just keeping the layer that components and groups are associated with stay the same as is.
So, what do I change please. Many thanks.
This is TIG's script below with my changes:

=begin

Copyright 2008, TIG (c)
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
purpose, and currently without fee, is hereby granted, provided that
this text and the above copyright (c) notice appear in all copies.
This software is provided "as is" and without any express or implied
warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Name: default_layer1_geometry.rb
Description: Defaults all layers for all selected geometry to layer1 ( susan sorger December 2008).
Groups and Instances are not changed
BUT their contents are zeroed
Author: TIG
Usage: 1. Select one of more entities.
2. Activate the script from the Plugins Menu
History: 1.0 20080310 First issue.
=end
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
require 'sketchup.rb'
class DefaultLayer1Geometry
def to_default(entity)
entity.definition.entities.each{|e|to_default(e)}if entity.typename=="ComponentInstance"
entity.entities.each{|e|to_default(e)}if entity.typename=="Group"
entity.layer=nil if entity.typename!="ComponentInstance" and entity.typename!="Group"
### only processes non-group or compo-def layers
end#def to_default
def process()
Sketchup.active_model.selection.each{|e|to_default(e)}
end#def process
end#class

def default_layer1_geometry
if not Sketchup.active_model.selection[0]
UI.messagebox("Default Layer1 Geometry:\nSelect Objects BEFORE Running.")
return nil
end#if
Sketchup.active_model.start_operation("Default Layer1 Geometry")
DefaultLayer1Geometry.new.process
Sketchup.active_model.commit_operation
end#def
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
is_this_file=File.basename(FILE)
if not file_loaded?(is_this_file)
UI.menu("Plugins").add_item("Default Layer1 Geometry") {default_layer1_geometry}
end#if
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
file_loaded(is_this_file)

Thank you!!

Funny, you guys are so good at reading and understanding very complicated instructions on using software applications.

If I could ask just one more thing, and please if you don't mind, no more kind suggestions of any other program to use, Iphoto will do for the demonstration: wouldn't the correct path end with iphoto.app as in the visual example from sketchUP way above with gimp which is gimp.app?

Thanks much. Thanks Chris.

Thank you. That is a direct answer. Everyone, you were all so very kind to answer and I really do apperciate it that you all tried so hard to help me. But yes, you weren't quite understanding.
No paint doesn't do anything much and we'll problably do no more than some silly scribble on the image.
I suppose even iphoto would do even if it does nothing just to show that we can exit and re-enter.

If you could just confirm the path????? Thanks much.

There is now a direct function from within SketchUp that allows you to select an applied texture on a face and that snippet gets transferred to the assigned image editor. ( its a right click for the textures context menu and it is a sub menu item under that. When you finish with it in your image editor it gets returned to the same spot in SketchUp and you can actually merge it with the rest of the texture.

So MAC people don't get the equivalent of "paint" you say? Really?

Sorry,again, the question is not what they use. The question is what comes native with MAC. We won't really be doing anything much. Painting over something and that's it. It is just a demo. 2 seconds no more. So I just need the path. I'll ask some MAC friends somewhere.

no, you are right Gai. I mispoke> I needed that information to provide to people in the class manual and in the class, in case they do not have gimp or something of that sort on the laptop they bring.
In the classes I teach the computer labs all have Windows and those definitely will not have anything extra loaded so I will need to use paint. Die hard MAC users bring a laptop to work on. I can't tell you how often they bring someone else's machine or one that isn't really powerful enough becuase they don't usually use it for SketchUp. So I need to have that generic instruction.

So remus woult the path to iphoto be /Applicatons/iphoto.app ????

Hi Gai, this is for a template that can be used uniiversally without the possiblity of an error. It is to demonstrate, in the middle of some texture tweaking exercise that SketchUp has this wonderful internal link. Only once I demo how it is working will I then show them where to set up the link.
So I can't assume that they have Gimp. I don't. I have Photoshop. What if my MAC user has PHotoshop?

We won't be doing anything fancy in the paint program anyway. It is mostly a demonstration of possibilities. See?

Hi thanks very much. but it is something that comes with MAC that I am looking for. I can't assume a person is going to have gimp so I can't use that as a template setting.
Surely MAC has some kind of standard image editor that comes with it?

With the ability to open an image editor from within SketchUp when working with textures, I want to set up a class template that has it already assigned.
For Windows, I have the following set up under Window>Preferences>Applications

C:\Windows\system32\mspaint.exe

What would be an equivalent included image editor for the MAC and what would be the pathname for me to use.
I sometimes have people bringing a MAC laptop to my classes and I would like to provide them with a template that makes sense for them
Many thanks in advance.

When you bring in a component from the component browser the "snap" handle or insertion point is the axis of the component. If origin/axis positioned carefully when the component is created, with a thought about what points are likely to be used as alignment points, then you will never have a problem inserting and snapping in one go.

Most of the models in 3D warehouse are not created that way. If you mean to keep them and use them it is good idea to change the axis on the component either within it's own file or from the model that you are using and then right click on the component and "save as" from the context menu and save over the existing version.

that did it! Thanks. I'm sure I must have messed it up somehow.

I've deleted everything from my old version. But I'm getting this with the new version:

No such file to load -- Layer Manager/layer_manager_v6_non_crypte.rbError Loading File layer_manager_extension_v6.rb
No such file to load -- Layer Manager/layer_manager_v6_non_crypte.rb

What did I mess up?

I don't think you were "unfair" with me, but perhaps you are using that word different from the meaning I understand. I am always happy to learn something new.
However, I don't quite follow what you are trying to say.
I followed what you said step by step and I still get the same results.
First, I did NOT ask you to look at the model in "mono" mode.
I simply said that in shaded with texture mode when you first make the model it is in default color and to leave it that way when you make the component.
Next. After painting from the outside of the component,I assign the component to layer 1. If I edit the component the internal geometry is still on layer 0 but the texture has been been applied to the inside just as I said. I close the component
Next, I switch to Mono mode as you suggested.
I switch to color by layer.
The component takes on the color of layer 1
If I edit the component the internal geometry still registers Layer 0 (not what you said in your commentary) and the external layer color is still applied to the inside, just as it is when we paint a texture on it from the outside when it is in Shaded mode. this is entirely consistent with the behaviour I describe in Shaded mode. However the geometry inside is still on layer 0
If I explode the component it behaves as it did in the shaded mode. The geometry is on layer 1 now and the colour is still the colour of layer 1 as it was before I exploded. If I change to shaded mode it is still the same

If I turn off colour by layer and look at it now, the colour is of the texture I orignially painted. The colour by layer colour does not over ride that.

So I don't quite understand what you are trying to point out. So sorry. Perhaps I'm not understanding properly?

Wo3Dan,
The texture example isn't exactly the same.
Consider this.
Some geometry is created on Layer 0 and it is left in the default material.
We select the geometry and make it a component and the component instance is associated with layer 1.
From outside of the component we paint it with a wood grain and all of the default material appears as wood grain.

When we open the component for editing, the internal geometry still registers as Layer 0, but the material is no longer default. Even when viewed from within the component, the surfaces have been painted with the texture.
So here is the difference, the texture is applied through the component packaging and takes effect even while it is still a component. Exploding is not the cause of the change. Whereas with the layer assignemnt, it is the exploding that is the cause of the change.

Thanks a ton, Ton.

I know of a bunch of other ruby scripts that move things on to different layers. There is a similar one but this is really good to know. Thank You!
And, as I said, I did make my own template, I just didn't realize there was a layer 1. Layer 1 isn't even an issue. Doesn't hurt to have it there doing nothing. The only issue is the peculiar behaviour of exploded objects when the insides are on layer 0.

Workarounds not withstanding, I am still lodging a complaint about this behaviour. For such a clever application, I can't see that this is clever at all.

No issues if I purge Layer 1 no. Little did I know and I made my custom template from the 3D one and deleting and purging Bryce and his materials and changing the view to top down.

Nevertheless, I disagree that it makes sense to have the 2 different behaviours when exploding with layer 0 enclosed stuff and layer 1 enclosed stuff. In fact, I hate the behaviour for layer 0 exploded stuff. It is the reason one cang get "lost in space"

Which version of SketchUp introduced an automatic Layer 1? I thought it was bug for the longest time.
I've been writing some lessons on layer behaviour and, as recommended, I model everything on layer0 but the component or group packaging is associated with a different layer. I warn students of the strange and counter intuitive behaviour that if one explodes the component or group, the geometry within that used to be on layer 0, has now inherited the layer association of what used to be the component or group.
BUT!!!!!!!

If the geometry is modelled on layer 1 or any other layer and then the component is made and associated with different layer, then if you explode, the inside geometry maintains its original association and does NOT inherit from the component. What is the reason for the different behaviour?