http://web178.plainblack.net/general http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchy-tablet---ilovesketch A little warning here. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchy-tablet---ilovesketch Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:58:37 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/photomatching-a-curved-surface Hi there! http://web178.plainblack.net/general/photomatching-a-curved-surface Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:15:41 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-and-a-tablet Is sketchup compatible with a tablet? Is it more efficient to use a tablet pen than a mouse? Are there any tutorials out there using sketchup on a tablet? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-and-a-tablet Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:54:09 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/push/-pull-questions We do alot of work with elevation change and contours due to our location. My problem is that after adjusting my model, to represent the 2d plant that I am working from, areas that I need to push/pull will not move. We sometime have 60' to 80' of elevation change. I use the line and arc commands to create areas, as you would normally - dont use the sandbox stuff- then push/pull in the direction and the amount that I need. After moving the surfaces around for a bit it seems as though the model becomes warped or contourted, making the surfaces immobile or curved. These piece will not move up or down until I move everything around them...The other problem that I have been running into is that areas that I need to move will "splinter" into a bunch of pieces without an edge - when you see the surface it looks normal, but when you go over it with the pointer it shows all the pieces...Its almost as though the model becomes curved after so long. Can you push/pull to a point of distortion...i mean, what is the most that you can move planes before they are distored from the origin? I hope that this makes sence to some one. Im not sure how to post a picture of this but if you tell me how Ill try to get a picture up of what i mean. This is not the first time this has happened to me. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/push/-pull-questions Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:18:15 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/learning-how-to.. I trying to learn how to use sketchup to draw parts I make for Harley Davidson. I have no trouble drawing simple parts, but I'm unable to make curved surfaces. I have tried the follow me tool and have had good results up to a point. I need more control over following and moving these curves. any help would be great. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/learning-how-to.. Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:42:06 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/placing-3d-text-on-a-curved-surface I'm a Sign Designer who could really use some help! Finding Sketchup has been a Godsend for my Sign business. Yet, I've discovered a continual hurdle during my creation process. I need to be able to show a line of 3D Text on a flat surface bowed up or down or on a convexed and/or concaved surface for my conceptual designs of signs. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/placing-3d-text-on-a-curved-surface Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:17:25 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/autocad3 When I import a CAD file into my skp model, the whole model slows and skips. I can turn off the layer I put the CAD work on and the model moves freely again. I have tried to purge in both skp and CAD and the problem persists. The CAD files are small and don't have much more than walls, windows, doors, and stairs drawn in. Is there a way to speed up my model while I trace the CAD? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/autocad3 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:56:54 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/furniture-modeling Any suggestions how to model furniture with curves? Curved backs, legs, cushions. Are there any DVD's or classes for this? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/furniture-modeling Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:44:36 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/trouble-installing-soap-skin-bubble-on-mac Greetings - I am running SU 6 (6.4.245)PRO on a macbook pro with OSX 10.4.11 and can't get the soap skin bubble ruby to load. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/trouble-installing-soap-skin-bubble-on-mac Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:00:39 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/paint-problems Hey there guys, Ok I seem to have a reacurring problem with the paint bucket lol. I am trying to make a L-shaped work bench. Ive got it the way I want until I paint. The cabinet door that I have made is what I am trying to paint. It seems that anytime I go to paint it, it will erase parts of the surface behind it. It looks ugly! Why does SU do this? I figured paint would be the easiest thing on SU but it always gives me errors. Heres a picture of what I am talking about. http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd186/s0uldev0ur/Anothererror.jpg Please let me know what I am doing wrong. ~Tak Force http://web178.plainblack.net/general/paint-problems Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:58:09 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/problems-with-walls Hey there guys! I'm new to sketchup been working on it for about a week now and I am having some troubles with walls. I have both of the Dvd's that go 2 school offers. I've only watched the first one and a bit of the second Dvd. So my problem is that I am making a trailer sketchup for my dads business so he can show his customers what their trailer will look like before it is built. I have cabinets in the trailer and D-rings and so on. But the wall cabinet outline is coming through the walls as an outline. Would the best thing to do is to hide the lines that are popping through? I've even tried to add the thickness of the wall of the trailer to 1/4 inch and I can still see some lines. Would you like me to show you a picture of what im talking about? I'm sorry if this is a noob question just trying to figure it out :(. Thanks for your time. ~Tak Force http://web178.plainblack.net/general/problems-with-walls Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:06:59 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/how-to-scale-the-print I just started using sketch up and have made some site plans.... but I would like the printed plan to be 1" = 1' ... or 1/8" = 1" When I have it printed out... I'ts 1" = 6' 3 1/2" or something like that.. thanks for helping a Noob.. Dwight in New Orleans http://web178.plainblack.net/general/how-to-scale-the-print Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:52:27 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/painting-a-terrain-thats-created-from-scratch I have a stage set piece that I want to model. It's a stream bed that's 8' wide x 35' long. My thought process was create a 3D terrain, take a photo of the real set piece, and project the photo on the flattened "2D" terrain. I used the sandbox from scratch tool to make a surface, but I'm a little confused about how to flatten the surface like you can flatten a terrain you grab from Google Earth so I can then paint the projected texture on the surface. When I select the "surface" I created, toggle terrain is not enabled. Is terrain different from a surface? Thanks in advance for any advice. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/painting-a-terrain-thats-created-from-scratch Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:30:03 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/protractor-guidelines-not-working I was using the protractor tool to set roof pitch and it worked great. Then I was working on a new project and the guidelines won't set. They appear as a dotted gray line while I rotate the protactor, but when I click or type a value and hit enter, they just disappear. I tried uninstalling SketchUp and downloading it again, but the same problem. It is almost like they are going on a hidden layer, but I checked that. What's wrong? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/protractor-guidelines-not-working Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:42:48 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/monitor-recommendations I'd like to add a monitor to my laptop. I would like to be able to print what I see on the screen at 1/4" -1'-0" on 11" X 17" paper. (I'm currently working on a roughly 1000 sqft main floor addition to a house) Can anyone tell me if a 22" monitor would do the job or am I better off going for a 24" model. Thanks Greg http://web178.plainblack.net/general/monitor-recommendations Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:34:02 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/stairs Hi all,first of all thank you for all that we get on your show, what a great product this is. Wow! - I have a question for Mike possibly : I watched the episode on stairs and got a lot from it but I would like to know if there is anyway to do this: when I design a set of stairs for a client I find myself restricted by some parameters due to position of doors or ceiling height and also here in the UK we are restricted to 42 degrees max for private houses and 38 degrees for public buildings. Any ways to restrict or adjust this on or while drawing the plan??? also for info: 220 mm. max for risers and 220 mm. minimum for the steps ( goings) themselves for the safety regulations to be respected. Hope you can help on this. it could be part of a Podcast perhaps... Keep up the good work Pierre http://web178.plainblack.net/general/stairs Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:38:02 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/light-rendering2 When I am trying to render a project, I am getting no light source. I am assuming that sketchup only has one light source, the sun... Is there a third party program that you recommend using to render inside models for different light sources? I have tried Artlantis, but I guess I just need ALOT of time to learn how to use it.... Thanks in advance... Justin Dallas, TX http://web178.plainblack.net/general/light-rendering2 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:10:09 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/light-rendering When I am trying to render a project, I am getting no light source. I am assuming that sketchup only has one light source, the sun... Is there a third party program that you recommend using to render inside models for different light sources? I have tried Artlantis, but I guess I just need ALOT of time to learn how to use it.... Thanks in advance... Justin Dallas, TX http://web178.plainblack.net/general/light-rendering Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:09:22 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/text-on-an-arc Does anyone know a quick way to place 3d text on an arc in SketchUp? I thought that exploding the text and using the drop command would work, but I can't find where the ruby is hiding after I installed it. Thanks, Ben http://web178.plainblack.net/general/text-on-an-arc Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:07:56 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-newbie I have a cilinder thats 200 feet high i want to divide it in sections of 10 feet, i could only do the first 10 feet from the top to the bottom, how can i scale it?. thank you very much. good night. Enrique. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-newbie Sat, 31 May 2008 21:35:07 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/exporting-shadows Does anyone know if there is a way to export a 2d dwg from skp while keeping the shadow geometry? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/exporting-shadows Thu, 29 May 2008 15:00:02 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/problem-w/sketchup Hello people, The problem i have with SU is that when working on a model- SketchUp freezes. Each time I zoom in or click on something to earse or move- the program (SU) freezes! its like SU is trying to think!! and after 7-10 minutes of waiting- I'm able to continue working. This little problem happens ALOT! and each time it's a 7-10 minutes of waiting, waiting and waiting. I got my computer just to run and opperate SkecthUP because the previous one i had was doing the samething- and i was told because that computer was not strong to run SU. So i bought a better one.I got: A dell xps 710; intel (R) Core 2 CPU; 660@ 2.40 GHz; 2.39 GHz, 3.00 GB of RAM. Could anyone tell me whats the problem please. Thanks. Henry. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/problem-w/sketchup Thu, 22 May 2008 15:09:58 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/john-lautner-project I have volunteered to build SU models of JL's buildings for the Lautner Foundation (www.johnlautner.org) pro bono as time allows. If anyone wants to help on this project please post here or contact me at ghpacific@gmail.com. Thanks! (If any architect needs their work immortalized in SU, my vote goes to John Lautner and E Fay Jones.) http://web178.plainblack.net/general/john-lautner-project Thu, 22 May 2008 11:22:34 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/orbit-tool The orbit tool sometimes rotates the model from a point far outside the center of the screen, often causing the camera to end up in the middle of nowhere. Is there a way to more accurately control the orbit tool when this happens? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/orbit-tool Thu, 15 May 2008 12:16:16 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/putting-objects-on-a-curved-terrain hey i have a serious time if i can t solve this problem... i want to add objects on a terrain built in the sandbox, like a mushroom i drawed by myself. in one of the tutorials (The Sketchup Show #13- The Sandbox Tools (Pt.2).flv) there s s.th. explained with an "drop"-pluggin. i never found this pluggin, either in sketchup 5 nor in 6!? i tried to do exact the same like this nice guy in the tutorial, but when i selected the components from the folder -> pushed "open" place holder objetcs just ran off and i didnt find them anywhere!?!? thx for your answers...time s running out...project wants to be finished ha http://web178.plainblack.net/general/putting-objects-on-a-curved-terrain Mon, 12 May 2008 16:35:19 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/uploading-problem I created a structure which is google earth enabled (it can be placed on google earth and is real-time), but when I share it to warehouse, there is no checkbox asking if the model is google earth ready. Pls help.Thanks http://web178.plainblack.net/general/uploading-problem Sat, 03 May 2008 23:55:09 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/macbook-system-requirements-question Hello all; I'm new to Sketchup and I have the opportunity to purchase an early 2007(late 2006?) Macbook from a friend with: 2GHz processor 2GB memory 80 GB Hard drive with 80 GB external HD and around a 64? MB video card (the late 2007 seem to have a 144MB video card) I'm not terribly computer literate and Sketchup is really the first application that has got me excited about what you can do with a computer. Can anyone tell me if this Macbook will do the job for me? I'm a bit concerned about the video card. Cheers Greg http://web178.plainblack.net/general/macbook-system-requirements-question Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:01:28 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/import-cad Hi, when I import a CAD drawing into sketchup, the drawing just seems to like 'disappear' and took me a while to find it as its like really tiny in sketchup. I've checked the dimensions in CAD and Sketchup and its all in mm. So, does anyone know whats the reason and any suggestions to fix tht? Cheers!! http://web178.plainblack.net/general/import-cad Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:57:28 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/some-problem-with-the-video Hi, jus wondering why i couldn't watch some of the videos on the web like #34, its not working as well as episode 32, which keeps on playing #35 instead of #32. Thanks!! http://web178.plainblack.net/general/some-problem-with-the-video Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:51:31 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/bridge Hi, I am currently building a model of my own design and theres a bridge in my design. I have no idea how to model the bridge as its not a flat one, something looks like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Claude_Monet-Waterlilies.jpg.. Just wondering is there any methods to model tht kind of bridge and cheers!! http://web178.plainblack.net/general/bridge Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:40:33 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/pritzker-pavilion-for-a-class---urgent I'm doing a model (not my choice) of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in Chicago for a sketchup class I'm in. I haven't even started the building yet, which is going to be hard enough, but what I'm having trouble with at the moment is the crazy web shaped terris it has over the lawn. I keep trying different things and get close sometimes, but all to no avail. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about making this thing. Anyone not familiar with it can see it here: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/2005-10-13_2880x1920_chicago_above_millennium_park.jpg not only do the beams arc, but the whole things does a downward arc as well, and ever beam passes through each other, which is the really hard part. I'm desperate now, and need help quickly as this is due Wednesday. If anyone has any tips for the building as well, I'd love to heard those too. Thanks. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/pritzker-pavilion-for-a-class---urgent Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:31:13 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/dialog-boxes-go-away___su-6 G'day, It may sound silly, but everytime I am working in Sketchup and I use one of the dialog boxes, like Layers, Materials and so on, sometimes I press Escape (autocad bad habbit) by mistake, my dialogue boxes go away. Does anyone know if there is a way to lock the position of the dialogue boxes on screen? Plugin, rubi script or something? It is really anoying. Thanks. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/dialog-boxes-go-away___su-6 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:29:20 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/snapping-to-dimensions Is there a trick to manipulating dimensions? I struggle to make dimension strings that line up. Also, can you use guide lines to snap to dimension strings? Thanks! http://web178.plainblack.net/general/snapping-to-dimensions Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:07:34 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/auto-save Is there any way to change the target location for autosave files? I would like to save my work on my company network and keep my autosave files on my desktop so that if one goes down, the other remains available to me. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/auto-save Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:44:56 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/make-faces-1_4 After seeing the 'make faces' ruby mentioned in multiple videos here, i decided to give it a shot. I grabbed one of our more basic site plans to try it on. I cleaned up the file, and put lines on the proper layers, yet in the end, i only get faces created for a couple areas (areas that i don't want faces oddly enough). I know that the lines have to be closed point to point, but from what i can see, they are. Is there any way to pinpoint where the problem is located, or a way to close the loops if they are in fact open? Most of the plan is curved lines, and i really wouldn't want to go through and attempt to trace them all. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/make-faces-1_4 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:54:44 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/toolbar I have a question that may just be a mac/win issue, but i figured id ask. In the videos, a mac is obviously used. However, on the top of the interface, just above the viewport, he seems to have a tool bar that i cant seem to find in the win version. The toolbar allows him to flip between views, xray mode, as well as having several sliders. Is this a mac only item, or is it something you can turn on in the PC version as well? The xray mode toggle was the main thing i was interested in, but the presence of the toolbar in the videos and not my version has me confused. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/toolbar Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:21:08 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/www_drawingisdead_blogspot_com hi all I currently work in the entertainment industry, working on games, tv, films and theme parks. I'm a huge fan of sketchup but haven't found too many sketchup blogs...so i started one. Please check it out. All crits and comments are welcome. I would like to see how far sketchup can be pushed! www.drawingisdead.blogspot.com thanks g http://web178.plainblack.net/general/www_drawingisdead_blogspot_com Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:14:06 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/soft-objects-mattress--pillows What is the best way to go about modeling the mattress, blankets and pillows on a bed? Or the soft cushions on a couch. I've done in the 3D Max, but I don't know how to make the sketchup tools work for me this way. Should I try and use the sandbox for a bed? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/soft-objects-mattress--pillows Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:16:57 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/creating-layers-from-entity-info I've watched podcast #14 several times and during that podcast you show how to create a layer by typing a name in the Entity Information layer box and it automatically creates a layer with the same name. Is this a feature on a prior version of sketchup that is no longer available on 6? I've seached for any information on this and I'm stumped. Thanks for your help, -Ray http://web178.plainblack.net/general/creating-layers-from-entity-info Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:09:03 -0500 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/follow-me Hi guys, I am a newer user and I have created a square column built from various components. I want to run a crown molding shape around the top so I created a shape but when I try to use the follow me tool to extrude the shape around the column it won't work. The symbol of a circle with a line through it appears next to the follow me tool icon. So....can you not use the follow me tool around multiple components? I'm sure there must be a way. I got around it by drawing a new path but this was quite time consuming. What gives? Thanks. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/follow-me Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:16:55 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-6-and-sketchup-6-pro Hi everyone! I have the free version of sketchup and I was wondering if you can still use plugins and rubies with the free version. And also, can you buy layout on its own or is it only available with the pro version? Thanks very much for your time http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-6-and-sketchup-6-pro Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:36:31 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/shaded-top/bottom Does anyone know what turned on this Widescreen sort of bars at the top and bottom of my SketchUp comp? New files dont' have this... I would appreciate your tips on how to disable / turn this off.. Thank you. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/shaded-top/bottom Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:21:42 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/parametric-groups Hi Is there a way to have a group, say a window with trim or a raised panel door, and resize keeping the window trim the same size or the rails and stiles of a door the same size? I'm making a new door each time I need a different size. Is there an easier method? Thank you Rob http://web178.plainblack.net/general/parametric-groups Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:12:52 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/photomatch-aerials I have been trying to find some help/tuts online regarding the use of aerials/birds eyes in Photomatch. I would like to use this feature for a current project. We have a great photo we took from a helicopter and would like to place the project on the photo or at least line it up so we can work some Photoshop magic on the image. Has anyone done this kind of task in Sketchup. I have only seen the Photomatch tool used in street views. Any help would be appreciated. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/photomatch-aerials Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:55:23 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/shadows-and-daylight-saving-time mike maybe a dumb/obvious question here, but in the most recent podcast about shadows, you mention SU doesn't account for daylight saving time, and you need to adjust accordingly. so, if I want to depict summer afternoon shadows, at 4:00pm(ie. during daylight savings time), do I set the time in the shadow settings dialogue earlier (to 3:00pm) or later (to 5:00pm)? I'm thinking I'd set it 1 hour earlier, i just want to confirm. thanks. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/shadows-and-daylight-saving-time Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:18:13 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/dvd-link-problems Hey guys Am I doing something wrong here? I installed the"dvd access" gizmo. But every link takes me to your homepage. After trying several links the last time, my browser opened and a new tab opened about every 10 seconds, always to your homepage, even after ejecting dvd.I had to shut off the computer. It happens with both level 1 and 2 dvds. Could it be a compatibilty issue with firefox? Pat Logue http://web178.plainblack.net/general/dvd-link-problems Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:33:42 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/zooming-in-gets-clipped-off I believe I emailed this question in before I figured out where to post. I think I've now posted this into the right topic. My question has to do with "zooming in": when I (we, everybody in my office) zoom in too close, say to a detail of a corner, like 2 feet away, everything explodes, like there's an imaginary section plane cutting everything off; sort of like a "clipping plane" in other modelling softwares. This makes it impossible to get close enough to do really detailed work. The same phenomenon happens when doing simple animations via scenes; the walls etc. of what I'm walking through get cut away at what seems about 2-5 feet away from my camera point, but in a really random way. It happens regardless of what face style you're in. It all seems to be worse when shadows are turned on. It makes it hard to work at a detailed level and what's worse it makes animations, which are otherwise very effective with clients, become distracting/annoying. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/zooming-in-gets-clipped-off Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:41:51 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/turning-torso-tutorial In issue 99 of 3d World Magazine there's a tutorial by Tim Danaher on creating the Turning Torso building in Sweden. Quote 'Turning Torso, a 54 floor skyscraper in Malmo, Sweden. Designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, this tower is remarkable for turning a whole 90 degrees on its vertical axis while rising 190 metres.' There are also project files available for download by putting the magazine disc in your CD drive and clicking on the link. I'm posting this because I figure a lot of SU users wouldn't necessarily be 3d world readers. Trevor. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/turning-torso-tutorial Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:24:42 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/vcb I've just downloaded the free version and viewed some of the tutorials. I am unable to enter any values in the VCB. Is the free version able to perform this basic function? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/vcb Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:30:46 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/texture-orientation I added a lumber texture to a plane to simulate a decking but the boards run the wrong way. Is there a simple way of turning the texture 90º ? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/texture-orientation Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:18:34 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/aligning-a-nut-to-a-cylinder-and-placing-in-a-model__ I created a simple cylinder I want use as a center railing component on some stairs, and I want to put this nut on the end of it: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=522ce07beb73bde9a3500fd11f34f651&prevstart=0 I've found it fairly difficult to get it aligned. I've put construction lines on the nut and cylinder to get the center aligned and eventually got something close, but found it difficult to move the nut up and down the cylinder and keep it aligned, especially when I got the component in place on the model. Any thoughts/suggestions? http://web178.plainblack.net/general/aligning-a-nut-to-a-cylinder-and-placing-in-a-model__ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:13:33 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/spacenavigator SpaceNavigator and watch the podcast on it. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/spacenavigator Mon, 10 Dec 2007 09:43:03 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/the-most-useful-companion-program ok suppose your'e on a budget and Going to buy sketchup . Any suggestions as to what is the single most useful companion program? photoshop, camtasia, an illustrator program, etc...? Thanks, and Merry Christmas Pat http://web178.plainblack.net/general/the-most-useful-companion-program Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:59:30 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/field-of-view-change-for-multiple-tabs http://web178.plainblack.net/general/field-of-view-change-for-multiple-tabs Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:56:40 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/animation-scene/quicktime-player hey guys, how's it going? Question- when creating animation scenes in SU pro and exporting it to play with Quicktime player- how come the quality of the model is gone??? When I play the animation scenes using SU everything (materials, line work, etc..) all is fine but when it is exported to play w/ quicktime, well it's not the same. http://web178.plainblack.net/general/animation-scene/quicktime-player Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:52:35 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/printing Hi, Thanks for all the help, as a cabinet maker SU has started to work well for me. A question, printing a drawing shows whats on my lcd screen. How do I get part of a drawing to fill a 8 1/2 x 11 size paper? Regards-Rob http://web178.plainblack.net/general/printing Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:57:35 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/graduated-sky-color Hi all, Is there any way to change the sky from a graduated (faded) color to a solid color? What I'm trying to do is have a solid color background when plotted. If I set the background color to what I want it defaults to white when I do a print preview, but if I change the sky and ground color to what I want then it plots correctly, except the sky color is faded at the ground plane. So is there a setting for a solid non-faded sky color? Thanks much, m http://web178.plainblack.net/general/graduated-sky-color Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:22:23 -0600 http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-proficiency hello first of all, Mike & Alex thank you for all of this great information. I look back at my first project and laugh at how much more quickly I would have completed it, had I only found this website. Which leads me to my question(s) to anyone. How do you guage proficiency in sketchup? What are the expectations of clients? Is there there a way to measure how quickly I should be able to do a project, and to determine price? Do you charge hourly or by job? I realize that the answers could vary widely, I'm just looking for rough guidelines. Thanks Sincerely Patrick Logue (rural Western PA) http://web178.plainblack.net/general/sketchup-proficiency Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:38:09 -0600