Modeling software

[Frosty]

Has anyone used Google Sketchup? SketchUp Home

I just downloaded a free copy, watched a couple tutorials and it looks a lot easier than the old version of Autocad I've been using.

There are free and "pro" versions of course and seemingly a lot of useful features.

Anyone try Google Sketchup?

What you think?

Frosty

[chyancarrek]

Hey Frosty,

I played around with it about a year ago and it's a great little program. Very easy to use - really aimed at folks who are CAD challenged (like me).

I used it to create a 3D model of my shop then placed it in Google Earth on my property then wrapped a picture of the outside of the shop around it. Worked pretty well for a freebie.

Not sure how it would work as a modeling program for smaller pieces - I've never output anything from it.

[Frosty]

I'm running into something disturbing. When I try to look at the instruction links it opens in Internet Explorer, I'm running Firefox as my browser. When I try to close IE it starts opening new windows at a rate of maybe 2-3/sec. and I have to hit the reset button on the computer tower. ctrl/alt/del doesn't even work.

I can't find a way to change browser preference in Sketchup either.

Any ideas?

Frosty

[rfb343]

So what yer saying is that its likes IE? and not the mozilla thing?

[Frosty]

It doesn't seem to like anything else, including being shut down. Trying to close the IE browser while on one of the sites has resulted in an unstoppable cascade of new IE windows. I may have tried shutting it down while it was still loading and with whatever link Google Sketchup has with IE may get stuck on stupid. maybe I am, I never know about these things.

Didn't billion dollar Bill just buy Google? That might account for it.

Anyway, I've been playing with it for a couple hours now, downloaded a couple component libraries and have a fair representation of my new shop drawn with stove, window, man door and garage door opening. I haven't found a 12' x 12' door and haven't been able to figure out how to scale up a smaller one.

Heck, I haven't figured out how to change the color of siding. Seriously you should be able to change the color of siding or has billion dollar Bill decreed what color siding must be now?

Well, back to the drawing monitor.

Frosty

[m_brothers]

Internet Error. You can probably open up the file and edit the start of it, or go to your firefox browser, and like try to block-pop ups, and then only allow it to open in firefox. works for me.

[piglet_74]

Frosty, It looks like Sketchup has a software requirement of IE6 or better. I'll try to play with it at work tomorrow and see if I can cause the same problem.

Rob.

[nuge]

sketchup is very powerful and the basic commands work like a childs toy (good for me). much more intuitive than some of the other cumbersome options.

[Frosty]

I have IE6 or better installed I just don't use it. I think trying to close the browser before it finished loading caused a whippyroundloop in the connect to IE link thingymAjig.

I've been playing with the program without looking at the tutorials and having no problems.

I'm starting to like Sketchup. It isn't particularly good design software as it's really hard to be precise with it but it's grand for seeing how things will look, arranging furniture (toylz) and landscaping. (hiding the good stuff from the wife)

I have a decent rendering of the shop. Have figured out how to scale things. (by using the scale button!) Downloaded a few component and material libraries and will start messing with importing photos soon.

I'm thinking this will work really well for taking a few pictures of a client's house, fireplace, etc. and rendering drawings in place for proposals and bids.

Now if somebody could just figure out how to slice bread by the loaf!

Frosty

[terry]

I have been using SketchUp for about 18 months to create working drawings for metalwork designs. It is very easy to use, but - like all tools - it takes some time to learn.

To increase the usefulness of SketchUp in metalwork design, I have written some "plugins" (extensions) for SketchUp. They draw curved tapered shapes common in decorative metalwork (see attached figure) and calculate the amount of stock required to make the tapers. These plugins are available free of charge on the website www.drawmetal.com - Metalwork Design. That website also has examples of metalwork fabricated from SketchUp drawings.

Please note that the plugins are "beta" software...meaning they do not have any obvious bugs (or bugs known to me) - but they will benefit from more testing.

I have not had any issues with precision. SketchUp supports specifying dimensions with as many as six decimal places.

Terry