Just asking for a simple Project North to set up once per file to create consistent accurate shadow studies. No need for a plug-in - just add the feature into the Model Info panel of this “Pro” software … please. Should be able to set once at the same as time setting the Latitude & Longitude.
This proposed “Project North” could be toggled off for users wishing override the real-world setting in order to use shadows for ‘artisitic’ effect.
Scene-by-scene behaviour of current plug-in is problematic for me - too easy to mess up without realising the software has reverted from a custom “true north” to the default “green axis north” axis.
At best, it is difficult to confirm whether some scenes are generating shadows based on “true” or “green” north). The current plug-in’s orange line plan marker is a useless indicator in a side view or building elevation scene.
Obviously a hot-topic rant - I had almost sent out a full set of innacurate set of shadows studies to my clients this afternoon because the south elevation scenes had reverted about 20° back to “Green Axis” north.
I never understood why they took it out and made it a plugin. Now that there are other flavors of SketchUp that don’t support plugins (Web and iPad) it needs to be rolled in as a native feature.
I know about Solar North plug-in & use it often - what I want is a better integrated (native) solution that you can “set and forget” the orientation for the project along with the geolocation (latitude & longitude) settings as part of the Model Info. This is not a huge ‘feature’ ask and seems to me to be a basic requirement for shadow analysis.
Overide capability would be useful if / when desired for modelling shadows in various scenes for artistic effect rather than generating accurate architectural shadow studies based on geolocation and orientation of model relative to true north.
I keep my structure model separate from my site. When I import my topographic survey the Civil Engineer always sets the orientation with true North oriented correctly so it matches the green axis. The structure is then inserted as a component and updated as I develop the house model in a separate file.
Doing it this way allows for more accurate solar studies with the site model and more artistic license when generating floor plans and elevations from the house model.
