I call the main scene with no active cuts that shows all my section planes my “working model” scene. This scene has its own style. The section style will not have the planes visible. For building sections I have the planes and scenes pre set, so it is very easy to create the file.
As you’ve found, interior elevations are a much more specific item to orient viewsto cabinets and such. I use the steps.
In the working model I set a section plane in the direction I want and make it active.
Align the view to the section plane-right click “align view.
Select parallel projection
Select section style (shuts off planes) & zoom in.
Save scene and name (typically room name and orientation…101E) to allow more visible scenes in the silly single tab line we are allowed.
This is it! I am just toggling off the section cut in the Building drawings, but I did not update any scene in that drawing. So that section cut remains active in the Interior Elevations drawings.
This is essentially the process I have followed for the residential project I am also working on. Your templates have made the process easy. I am just at the permit phase and so have not had to create interior elevation sheets for that project yet.
When you create an interior elevation, you zoom into the room after creating a section plane in the direction that you want? But you obviously are moving the section plane until it gives you the cut you want, and then you are aligning the view and zooming in? Sorry for being dense but I really am trying to get the details of the process right.
Yes I zoom in so the scene I’m trying to capture is clear. Doing this helps identify smaller issues that may occur when modeling. It also makes setting the scenes up in LO much faster. It’s not required, but it really helps in LO.
You probably noticed the interior elevation template is pretty blank. It does have the styles though. The reason it doesn’t have preset scenes or section planes like then building section template is due to the specificity of interior elevations is so different between every project.
Yes it would be impossible to create a template with preset interior elevation section planes.
I do like creating the scene in the SketchUp model so that my work in Layout is simplified. Thanks for your help.
I am still getting my feet wet with transitioning to a template using a single SketchUp style. One more issue comes to mind, using a hatched texture with a Section Cut Face. My default style, is using ColorTexture, Section Cuts ON, Section Fill (Gray) ON and Section Planes OFF. Since the style has Section Fill ON and gray, the SCF is obscured with the gray section fill. In order to see the hatch texture applied to a Section Cut Face, I need to use the tool bar to toggle Section Fill to OFF. Then after the hatch texture is applied, selecting the default style will toggle Section Fill to ON with the gray fill color. Any scenes I capture in SketchUp will have Section Fill ON with gray color. In Layout I can select another style where Section Fill will be toggled to OFF allowing the hatch texture to be viewed on the Section Cut Face component. Similar to earlier process for toggling the Section Planes on.
I will have to get used to this and I expect I can. It seems useful have in addition to the default style maybe to add just one or two other styles in the SU file. Perhaps a style that already has section fill toggle OFF, and maybe a monochrome style. This would be useful so only the perspective scene has color texture but other exploded and 2D scenes can be monochrome. One needs to careful as its easy to justify loading back up to several more styles.
I guess the simple answer is to turn off Section Fill in the style if you are going to use Section Cut Face to generate actual faces that can be textured.
I guess the simple answer is to turn off Section Fill in the style if you are going to use Section Cut Face to generate actual faces that can be textured.
That could work.
How do you suggest handling color texture when you have it. Just keep the entire model with the color texture showing everywhere ?
Mostly although styles don’t add that much to file size. Unless there are scenes that need different styles it doesn’t make sense to stuff a bunch of styles into your SketchUp model if you have access to those styles in LO.
Thank you Dave. You are most generous with your suggestions.
I am going to give it a try. I think as I continue to use it more I’ll see the possiblities. My template looks much cleaner with the single style as opposed to my old way with a lot of excess style baggage, where most would get purged anyway.
You should definitely have at least 2 styles. One set to a very simple line style with no profile edges. That one is for modeling. The other is for presentation set to your preferences.
For my building section files I have four. Working model style. A raster render style and two hybrid styles.
I do have a “modeling” style but when I get ready to send to LO I change it to my “presentation” style. Have not found a need to keep both in the model.
I have to for the inevitable changes that happen during construction. All the developments here require we provide record drawings before final release.
I often have to make changes to models after the first draft. Temporarily change the style to my “modeling” style but it isn’t saved as a style in the model.
I never understood why every section cut needed a separate style. Settings from cuts /scenes imho should be kept in de scene settings, styles are for: style, how thing LOOK. Line linewidths (yes!) and the rest of the bunch.
The plethora of styles is a big problem on larger models, its so very illogical. Large models have their own headaches, this one is a big problem for me because my logical mind still refuses to grab it after maybe 15 years. Its an everlasting anomaly which never seems to go away.