Animation in SketchUp

[SketchUp Guru]

I did this last week. Thought I should share it.

http://blogs.taunton.com/n/blogs/blog.aspx?nav=main&webtag=fw-designforum&entry=44

 

[Nick W]

Nice one Dave.

I'm surprised that no one has produced an animation add-in yet though.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Thank you, Nick.

I am surprised, too. I don't know enough about writing Ruby scripts but I suspect if it was possible, it would have been done. My guess is that the part of SketchUp that does the animation isn't available to Ruby. there is a script called Sketchy Physics that allows you to animated components in the model although it doesn't help with the exporting. I gave it a try and found it's kind of a weird script and I think it really slows down the model.

 

[John McM]

That's great Dave, don't suppose you do video requests on your Taunton blog? I for one am having trouble producing a default project folder containing a scene for each of the following.

3d model view
top view
front view
RHS or LHS view
exploded view

I can produce all the above but once I start adding dimensions I mess up the other scenes. I know it something to do with using layers/scenes efficiently but............

Cheers

 

[SketchUp Guru]

John, I do take requests. Just don't ask me to sing. I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Regarding your request however, the trick is to place the dimensions on layers of their own and then adjust layer visibility in the same way I did with the animation video.

You might create a layer called Top View Dims and place all the dimensions that you only want to see in that view on that layer. The layers for dimensions are chosen in the Entity Info box just as you would for groups or components.

The key thing to work out is which dimensions need to be visible when. You might decide you need more than one layer for the Top View dimensions so that you can choose to have some of those turned on in the 3D view while others aren't.

Also be aware that you can set dimensions for very small things to disappear when you are zoomed out so they don't clutter the screen. This is set under Window>Model Ingo>Dimensions.

If you want me to put together something on organizing the model in the way you are thinking, I'll do it in a few days.

 

[John McM]

Dave, that's great. It hadn't occurred to me to split dims on different layers. Still might be a good topic for your blog though.
Many thanks