Yeah, hi. All I want is to find an animation tutorial that will remind me how to do a very basic presentation in Sketchup. I have the 2017 (non-pro) version.
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What exactly are you trying to animate as there are many paths to do it. Also depends if you want to just make use of the native tools or you want to use plugins?
It’s a folding chair. Years ago I was reasonably conversant with this part of S/U, but I’ve clearly forgotten a lot of stuff.
I’ve so far been able to allocate the various scenes, but when I click on ‘play’ all that happens is the scenes ‘roll’ back to back on the tool bar but nothing moves on screen. As I say, basic stuff, but no tutorials seem to be out there…
Hi Liam
I’ve looked at animations I did 3+ years ago and realized that what is missing is a plugin called ‘record position data’; I remember the re-assuring little chime that would sound when you clicked on it!
Can anybody provide a link for this thing? I’ve tried warehouse and all the rest of it but I just end up going round in circles. The password malarkey is the major hurdle: you click on ‘forgot password’, get the emailed link, jump all the hoops and then find the dumb thing has locked you out! What a gang-f**k. Lord knows, you guys must be under a far more patient star sign to me, that’s all I can say!
That’s it, then. All I want to do is show a chair unfolding from several angles via maybe a dozen scenes max. That’s it!
Somebody please help, it’s almost Christmas and we’ve already had our share over here with Brexit!
This thread may hold what you’re looking for.
Something like this
Edit: Just sketchup no plugins.
Yes, was this done using Keyframes?
Hi Geo?
Thanks, seems I need Keyframes? Looks good until you try to download, then it’s straight into gobledegook; why don’t these folk make this stuff intelligible and easy to USE?
Geo
SketchUp Sage
December 16
This thread may hold what you’re looking for.
I use Fredo’s animator which does a good job of making smooth animations.
What you may have done in the past is modeled multiple instances of the chair in its various positions of folding, assigned each one to a layer and then in scenes have each of those consecutive layers visible with the others off. When running the inbuilt animation of those scenes you will get an animation.
Is Fredo’s animator a free download; I get so far with Keyframes but find the instructions it too confusing to get into Sketchup
It’s free, but probably no less confusing!
Fredo version… not that refined but shows concept.
Can it really be any more poorly written than the download ‘help’ for Keyframes? just as well it’s free for 10 days; I’m having to pay someone to install it for me!!
I have keyframes back in Sketchup now; seems they were able to update the version I bought a few years back. : )
‘Animating’ different viewpoints is easy, I soon remembered how to do that. Getting anything to move, however, remains impossible. I’ve just put a model: ‘Spog’s pink box’ in the warehouse. I’m lousy at this kind of stuff, but even I was able to get components to move, spin, etc last time I tried a few years back. Is this kind of ‘option’ now only available in Sketchup Pro?
No, it’s an option only available with an extension, ruby code or a pre-made Dynamic Component [DC]…
making a DC is Pro only and always has been…
adding extensions is ‘Desktop’ only, but works for both current versions of Pro and Make…
john
I’ve played about with it and finally remembered that the roundel second to left is what allows you to record positions & thus generate some basic movement. Saying that, it is not consistent in use and the presence of no less than three different ways to play the same animation rapidly becomes tedious and confusing. My model is now locked up and useless with the only things that ‘animate’ being scene ‘indicators’ on the toolbar!
john_drivenupthewall
SketchUp Sage
December 28
spogadog:
Is this kind of ‘option’ now only available in Sketchup Pro?
No, it’s an option only available with an extension, ruby code or a pre-made Dynamic Component [DC]…
making a DC is Pro only and always has been…
adding extensions is ‘Desktop’ only, but works for both current versions of Pro and Make…
john
PLACCY KNEELER PROTOTYPE FOR LEEDS CURVE IDEAS 4.skp (1.8 MB)
Here’s the model.
For some reason it seems to get ‘overwhelmed’ after a few scenes are added, then fails to work.
There are only 5 scenes here; in the last one I’ve turned the component from pink to green, is that what has crashed it?
you only have one scene copied, but not updated, 5 times…
you also have 68 unused components, which are possibly causing issues…
john
You can set up your scenes and then with keyframe tool click the blue triangle to start it. In scene 1 move the item to where you want it, or rotate etc and click the bullseye (you will hear the bell ring). then go to your next scene and move the object as you want it and click the bullseye…continue through your scenes like this. You can then click the scene tabs to verify the moves. lastly click the film icon to export the scenes as an animation.
I would still consider Fredo’s animator as mentioned before.
Thanks all you guys. I eventually got there by doing pretty much what White Rabbit suggested. I just downed a few extra atenolol and plodded through the thing eliminating one task at a time.
I did notice that the animation looks lousy if you try to include shadows. Likewise, matters get tedious/confusing when you try and bring in new components; I got round this by going back into the respective scenes and hiding/updating retrospectively.
One thing that appears to have changed for the good is the ability of the programme to animate linear AND rotational motion in the same scene. This makes nuts and bolts that wee bit more ‘eye-candy-ish’! Like I say: I’m sure this wasn’t possible 3-4 years back - perhaps somebody knows?