james,
thanks , your suggestion helped me to work through it. I added 19 additional scenes (#20-38) than updated each new scene in ascending order starting with # 20 with the view from each existing scene in descending order starting with # 19. it worked fine and here is the final result

i have a SU model with 19 scenes that displays the operation of a tool and my goal is to have the tool appear to operate in forward as well as reverse. is it possible to either copy and place the existing scenes(1-19) in scenes 20-38 in reverse order, or have the animation play forward, reverse, than loop. my question is can this be done with out having to set up all 19 scenes and layers twice?

@rhankc said:

When I have an old client ask me for something new on a hand-drawn set, I take the original to the print shop and have them scan in the sheet; as if they were copying it to print b/w. I usually spec the file type to be jpg or pdf and tell them to email the file to me. Instant electronic copy that is flat and clear.
HTH

I had my local print shop scan and burn the drawings to disc, pdf and tiff. I asked them for a jpg file but they said that there is too much quality loss due to compression, my question is does it matter for just a line drawing? When I go to import the tif file (460 kb, 14000X9500) into SU I get the error report 'not a sketchup file'. When i try the pdf the import window does not display them when 'all SU supported file types' is checked. I aksed the shop to burn them as tiff's but the file extention reads 'microsoft document image file'. Is that the same thing or no? Do I need to convert or resize them first?

I have a full set of drawings(6 pages) for a house that I need to import as an image so that I can model it and its all hand drawn, no CAD file. How do I get from paper to pixels? I have experimented with importing a photo of the pages but the accuracy and clarity are a bit sloppy with that method. Is there a better/faster/more accurate method that I'm unaware of to get the drawings in my machine or do I need to fine tune the photo method? Is it possible to scan a large size (24"x36") set of plans?

@bill wilson said:

"One day I'll look back on this and laugh."
Bill.

Bill, that is so true and its also one of the most satisfyingly feelings when you can look back on a dark, chaotic, depressing, bad, or just plane unpleasant time in your life and laugh, I do it a lot these days.

Cheers

@masta squidge said:

Maybe you guys could help someone to recover from being a huge waste for the 5 years normally reserved for getting on your feet.

Dude, your 19. Everything in your life up till now and for the next year or two means squat in the long run. Yeah its true that you may have gained lots of knowledge through schooling(and that will always stay with you) but what you lack is the wisdom to use that knowledge to live your life. Nobody at 19 does, and that's the beauty of being 19 so enjoy it because soon enough life will start to come at you full speed and without letup and you will long for the days of a nice steady 3rd shift job and the time to play video games. Wisdom only comes from years of experience(aka mistakes) so don't rush it but rather just go out and DO something, if you don't like what your doing than figure out why and find something else and keep doing that until you 'find it' and by doing that you build wisdom. You GAIN knowledge which requires very little effort (go read a book)but you BUILD wisdom which requires hard work and time and its that wisdom(when used properly) that will garner you a happy life. And if you end up doing work that you enjoy count yourself lucky because in today's world that's rare. And as a side note, just be careful about thinking that everything is easy for you to learn because when you approach things like that your most likely missing something, usually something very important.

Much love and respect.

sawduster,
now that i look back on my post i can see that it was a little hard to follow what i was asking but the advice that you offered is just what i was looking for. make component, copy component, make unique, modify, add scene/update. rinse and repeat. i followed the link to wink and might be able to incorporate that into my project but if not, the printouts from my SU tut will satisfy the client needs and that's all that matters(sometimes)

Can anyone share with me how to go about making a tutorial. I really like the scene by scene method and understand how to setup the scenes but the actual work flow of modeling a component is what I'm trying to figure out. For this particular project I'm wanting to use the tut template as assembly instructions to go along with a cabinet I'm making for a client (ill print and number each scene consecutively) . I'll be sending it to them knocked down in individual pieces and the tut will aide them in the assembly of it. I know that there is a difference between a tut on layering components scene by scene to demonstrate the assembly procedure for this cabinet and a tut on modeling this cabinet. info on both types would be appreciated. thanks.

Gaieus,
thanks, that worked. it was hiding behind the task bar.

I have dual monitors set up for SU and keep SU on one and the dialog boxes grouped together on the other. somehow while moving/maximizing/minimizing them around on the screen i pushed one off out of view of the monitor and cannot bring it back into view. Iv tried closing than opening all boxes from the drop down menu as well as restarting my machine but still cannot find it. would uninstalling/installing SU solve my problem? and if so would that affect any files or components that i have saved? re dual monitors is the way i use them the best/most efficient way and are there other benefits to the setup? thanks.

Like most software updates, probally after you have discovered and used all that's new with v6.

I got it! I was trying to copy/paste the image file from the server to the 'upload attachment' box instead of copy/paste the image directly into the 'message body' box. once i added the '[img]' tag it was all good.
thanks for the help and being patient with my 'newbie'like computer skills. i can build a custom kitchen full of cabinets in about 4 days but sometimes the simplest computer function has me bewildered.

this jig was something i used to cut miters in beaded casing, i Sketched-it-Up and posted it to the JLConline forums. here i just used it as a test.

Boofredlay,
you are correct, Im having trouble uploading an image to the server. the image i posted was uploaded directely from my machine to the thread. I think my problem was that i forgot to add the '[img]' tag to the file name. im going to try it again.

yes that was the link in question. When i try to upload an attachment it gives me the error msg "extention not allowed'.I exoprted a 2d graphic, saved it to a folder than coppied to the newbie folder in my network places, its a jpeg, 65 kb, what am i missing?

I read the post about image size/setting up a network place and followed the directions for the set up but I'm not sure how to actually post an image.
Do I 'export a 2d image' from SU and save it in the appropriate folder of the thread that I want to post to?
What should be included in the file name for either an image or a model?
A 2d image is just an image of that model and not the actual model?
What about posting a model? Can/should it be done?

Boofredlay,
I like the style of the rolling shelf you designed and built. That is where I think SU can work for me, giving the client a 3D visualisation of the project before I make the first cut and giving me a cut list all with the same model. My current project (2 window seat cabinets) will be the first one built from a SU model.

Ross,
Thanks for laying out the two common approaches to SU. I still use pencil and paper to sketch out the basic idea of my project but than use SU to flesh out the details.

alan,
I really like that jewellery box you made. Cheers

...to introduce myself.
Hi. My name is Sean but everyone just calls me by my last name "Titmas" or some variation thereof(don't worry, I'm not easily offended). I downloaded Sketchup over a year ago and because of the dinosaur of a PC that I had at the time SU didn't get used at all. I did have some expirence with AutoCAD 1998-99 and knew that what SU had to offer in the way of 3D ability and short learning curve were powerful tools that I should be using. Well all that changed 3 months ago when I upgraded to an Acer laptop, set up dual monitors, and downloaded SU 6. Now i spend about 1-3 hours a day using/learning SU in addition to my regular work schedule. I'm a self employed carpenter/cabinetmaker and want to use SU to improve the way I do business. I know SU is a powerful tool and that I will benefit from using it however I will need some direction in how to use it to best suit me. That's where this forum comes in and I look forward to learning all that you have to offer.

titmas, just hold down the ctl key while erasing. This will smooth the edges very quickly.

Oh wait... did someone already say that

Eric,
That was easy, thanks.
the only tedious step was to 'soften/smooth' the stitching, I had to right click each stitch, one at a time, and select 'soften'. is there easier/quicker way?

So now I can make just one component of a certain style of drawer/cabinet/box etc and use the move tool in edit mode to re-size it for the application at hand verses having to make many different sizes of the same component. Cool.