SketchUp users et al.
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Steve Maskery
Established Member
W
SU has a macro language called Ruby, wich enables you to write your own menus options. SU has rubbish curve-handling as it comes, won't even do ellipses without fannying about with circles and then squashing them, much less do the sort of curves we woodies like.
But SU do have a good website, with forums like this one, one of which s dedicated to Ruby, and some nice person has issued a Ruby script called bezier.rb into the public domain, so that we can draw nice curves in SU. As I say, it's not as powerful as in Acad, but it's welcome, all the same.
Mind you, I still draw my curves in Acad and exprt them, but they get transformed into lots of little straight lines.
Cheers
Steve
SU has a macro language called Ruby, wich enables you to write your own menus options. SU has rubbish curve-handling as it comes, won't even do ellipses without fannying about with circles and then squashing them, much less do the sort of curves we woodies like.
But SU do have a good website, with forums like this one, one of which s dedicated to Ruby, and some nice person has issued a Ruby script called bezier.rb into the public domain, so that we can draw nice curves in SU. As I say, it's not as powerful as in Acad, but it's welcome, all the same.
Mind you, I still draw my curves in Acad and exprt them, but they get transformed into lots of little straight lines.
Cheers
Steve
Steve Maskery
Established Member
Horses for courses, it's like saying if you have a tablesaw, why do you need a bandsaw 
Acad is easy to get detailed geometry drawn accurately, especially curves, whereas SU is better for visualisation. Indeed I do use SU mainly, now.
Cheers
Steve
Acad is easy to get detailed geometry drawn accurately, especially curves, whereas SU is better for visualisation. Indeed I do use SU mainly, now.
Cheers
Steve
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
So many questions. Let's see.
WiZeR, bezier.rb is a script that allows you to draw Bezier curves. You can find it here: http://amazone.crai.archi.fr//Ruby/RUBY ... _Depot.htm
Put it in the Plugins folder under SketchUp and while you're at it, copy sketchup.rb from the Examples folder out into the Plugins folder.
There's a lot of other cool scripts there as well.
Steve, I'm using SU5 although I still have SU4 on my machine. I did the cabinet in SU5 though.
When you export your drawing, do it as an OBJ file under the 3D exports. Before clicking the Export button, click the Options button and check Triangulate all faces and Export texture maps. Uncheck Swap YZ coordinates and select your units (metres?)
Now click OK and then Export.
Open K and open your OBJ file. Click on Materials and right click on one of the boxes that represents a material. Click Build..., Select All and thenOK or whatever it says. I don't have the software on this machine so I'm doing this part from hazy memory.
You should get all of your materials showing now. The ones that are your lights can be edited under the Advanced (3rd) tab to make them emitters.
A quick render should give you the starting point.
Hope that helps. I'll see if I can make some notes of the settings I used for that cabinet and I'll make JPG of the entire SU model to give you an idea of how I got the results I did. It'll have to wait until this evening though.
dave
WiZeR, bezier.rb is a script that allows you to draw Bezier curves. You can find it here: http://amazone.crai.archi.fr//Ruby/RUBY ... _Depot.htm
Put it in the Plugins folder under SketchUp and while you're at it, copy sketchup.rb from the Examples folder out into the Plugins folder.
There's a lot of other cool scripts there as well.
Steve, I'm using SU5 although I still have SU4 on my machine. I did the cabinet in SU5 though.
When you export your drawing, do it as an OBJ file under the 3D exports. Before clicking the Export button, click the Options button and check Triangulate all faces and Export texture maps. Uncheck Swap YZ coordinates and select your units (metres?)
Now click OK and then Export.
Open K and open your OBJ file. Click on Materials and right click on one of the boxes that represents a material. Click Build..., Select All and thenOK or whatever it says. I don't have the software on this machine so I'm doing this part from hazy memory.
You should get all of your materials showing now. The ones that are your lights can be edited under the Advanced (3rd) tab to make them emitters.
A quick render should give you the starting point.
Hope that helps. I'll see if I can make some notes of the settings I used for that cabinet and I'll make JPG of the entire SU model to give you an idea of how I got the results I did. It'll have to wait until this evening though.
dave
Steve Maskery
Established Member
Hi Dave,
Unless I'm missing something, I did everything as you suggest. My units are actually millimetres, but I found I couldn't soom out far enough, so I did it again in metres.
My point is that I have lots of materials in my SU model, but only 3 get passed through - foreground, background and Goldenrod - but my carpet. wallpaper and lights do not.
Clearly it can be made to work, I just don't kow what I've done differently to what the tutorial - and you - suggest.
Don't you just love computers.
Cheers
steve
Unless I'm missing something, I did everything as you suggest. My units are actually millimetres, but I found I couldn't soom out far enough, so I did it again in metres.
My point is that I have lots of materials in my SU model, but only 3 get passed through - foreground, background and Goldenrod - but my carpet. wallpaper and lights do not.
Clearly it can be made to work, I just don't kow what I've done differently to what the tutorial - and you - suggest.
Don't you just love computers.
Cheers
steve
Steve Maskery
Established Member
Andy
Have you seen some of the architectural models in the SU gallery? They are far larger and more detailed than anythng we woodies are likely to want to create. I have found SU to be very stable indeed.
Cheers
Steve
Have you seen some of the architectural models in the SU gallery? They are far larger and more detailed than anythng we woodies are likely to want to create. I have found SU to be very stable indeed.
Cheers
Steve
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
Steve, I have a love-hate relationship with these binary creatures.
I'll see if I can figure out what's happening. If you'd like, you could send me your SU model and I will give it a go.
Andy, I would have agree with Steve that SU is better for visualization. It is also much easier to learn and use than any of the CAD software I've tried.
It will handle heavy detail just fine. Files can get to be huge but that's not unique to SU. There are strategies to help keep file sizes smaller such as using components whenever possible and eliminating unneeded geometry. You can also reduce file size if desired by limiting detail in areas that don't need it.
I have several heavily detailed models that I've been working on and they don't exhibit any problems at all.
I'll see if I can figure out what's happening. If you'd like, you could send me your SU model and I will give it a go.
Andy, I would have agree with Steve that SU is better for visualization. It is also much easier to learn and use than any of the CAD software I've tried.
It will handle heavy detail just fine. Files can get to be huge but that's not unique to SU. There are strategies to help keep file sizes smaller such as using components whenever possible and eliminating unneeded geometry. You can also reduce file size if desired by limiting detail in areas that don't need it.
I have several heavily detailed models that I've been working on and they don't exhibit any problems at all.
nothing like a good debate :wink:
I haven't spent along time on SU as i won't ever use it (but it's still good). I do agree that Acad has a large learning curve but once you understand the basics then is far superior (but so is the price)
I just dont' see how it can be better for visualization than acad. It just doesn't have the features or precision that acad offers, but admittedly most are not needed anyway. I'm not dismissing SU but at the moment my vote is strongly with acad (and 3ds max 8 with finalrender) for the rendering. 8)
Andy
I haven't spent along time on SU as i won't ever use it (but it's still good). I do agree that Acad has a large learning curve but once you understand the basics then is far superior (but so is the price)
I just dont' see how it can be better for visualization than acad. It just doesn't have the features or precision that acad offers, but admittedly most are not needed anyway. I'm not dismissing SU but at the moment my vote is strongly with acad (and 3ds max 8 with finalrender) for the rendering. 8)
Andy
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
Andy, I'm curious as to where you find SU lacking in precision. Keep in mind though, SketchUp is not CAD software. It was developed to be the computer version of sketching on a napkin. Even so, I find it more than precise enough for woodworking. I work in imperial units to 1/64" which is as close as I would work with wood. If I wanted more precision, I would work in decimal units.
Regarding the rendering portion, 3DS Max may be good but it ain't free. Kerkythea and Blender (another rendering package) are and in my book that's a good thing.
Regarding the rendering portion, 3DS Max may be good but it ain't free. Kerkythea and Blender (another rendering package) are and in my book that's a good thing.
too true, free as better in anyones book and max isn't cheap
I can't honestly comment on the precision plus or minus points for SU as i haven't used it enough. I just think you may struggle on highly detailed models but i'm open to be proved wrong
As for SU being ideal for the woodworker, i couldn't agree more. I won't buy Acad if the money came out of my pocket. Not even if i had the money with the features that SU 'has' got.
Andy
I can't honestly comment on the precision plus or minus points for SU as i haven't used it enough. I just think you may struggle on highly detailed models but i'm open to be proved wrong
As for SU being ideal for the woodworker, i couldn't agree more. I won't buy Acad if the money came out of my pocket. Not even if i had the money with the features that SU 'has' got.
Andy
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
How much detail would you like?
martyn2
Established Member
I guess your into boats as well then :lol: martyn
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
Andy, I was trying to decide which model to post a picture of.
Martyn, I guess I am a bit into boats. That last drawing is of the steering mechanism for my little sailboat. Yes, it has a steering wheel. I have most of the rest of the boat drawn, too, but it is on my machine at home.
I was just lamenting to someone else that the water around here is about to get too hard for sailing and that I wish I had space to build another boat. Ah well, I can dream.
Martyn, are you also interested in boats?
Martyn, I guess I am a bit into boats. That last drawing is of the steering mechanism for my little sailboat. Yes, it has a steering wheel. I have most of the rest of the boat drawn, too, but it is on my machine at home.
I was just lamenting to someone else that the water around here is about to get too hard for sailing and that I wish I had space to build another boat. Ah well, I can dream.
Martyn, are you also interested in boats?
martyn2
Established Member
yes i have a small 16ft cabin curser with a 50hp outboard that is moored in the local harbour i am hopeing to kit her out in wood to make her look a bit more pretty martyn
SketchUp Guru
Established Member
Well, when you come over here to visit Big Blue, try to schedule it for summer and we'll see if we can go for a sail.
martyn2
Established Member
your on martyn
Steve Maskery
Established Member
Well, with a little bit of help from Dave (don't draw your rooms inside out, guys & gals) here is my first attempt. Not got the light levels right at the mo, can't understand why that back wall is so dark, but even so, I'm quite chuffed. This is my current project.
Thanks very much indeed for your help, Dave.
Cheers
Steve
Thanks very much indeed for your help, Dave.
Cheers
Steve
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