In SketchUp, 100% 2D. Zoom way in on a point cloud surface in SketchUp, turn on the Hidden Geometry, and observe.
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No, A point cloud (click here to learn more) by definition is a collection of data points in 3 dimensional space.
This is why I asked you the question, to better understand your flawed definition of what 2D is. You are confusing a 3D polygon modeling system with the planes that form the polygons. Your dogged instance that because a shape in three dimensional space is defined by “flat” planes that have no thickness, it is somehow in 2D shows a misunderstand of how polygon modeling, and cartesian coordinates, and geometry work.
So, it is a 3D Model?
Yes, it’s not a NURBS system, thats what everyone is trying to tell you, it’s a polygon surface modeler. It is totally different.
Polygon modelers use 0 thickness planes to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes. Other modelers use Non-uniform rational basis splines to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes, they are both representations of shapes stored as collections of data in a computer, there is nothing “solid” or “actually 3D” about either more than the other.
Well, technically there is no object that is perfectly flat and 2 dimensional objects only exist in mathematics. Except maybe a shadow, that might be 2D. You should read Flatland. I’m being cheeky because I have given this all the time I intend to. Good Luck in your search to better understand polygon modeling, start here:
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I don’t understand, your asking for a feature that would take a lot of work to implement that will change the way the program works, but there are already programs that work the way you want it to do it, Rhino, solidworks and fusion 360 are one of the most popular, fusion 360 has or had at least a free version for hobbyist, like it’s been said before, stop wasting mine on a program that doesn’t fulfill your needs and go straight to other of the softwares I’ve mentioned, you’ll be happier since they are exactly want you need.
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[quote=“endlessfix, post:22, topic:317487”]
Polygon modelers use 0 thickness planes to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes. Other modelers use Non-uniform rational basis splines to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes, they are both representations of shapes stored as collections of data in a computer, there is nothing “solid” or “actually 3D” about either more than the other.
Polygon modelers use 0 thickness planes to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes. Other modelers use Non-uniform rational basis splines to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes, they are both representations of shapes stored as collections of data in a computer, there is nothing “solid” or “actually 3D” about either more than the other.
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Polygon modelers use 0 thickness planes to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes. Other modelers use Non-uniform rational basis splines to define the surfaces or outer boundaries of shapes, they are both representations of shapes stored as collections of data in a computer, there is nothing “solid” or “actually 3D” about either more than the other.
That is the perfect summation! This is nothing more than computer semantics … it’s nothing more than 1s and 0s. I think FormZ has it done pat. You split a sphere in half, and you have two options: leave the two halfs as solids; or leave them as empty shells. Couldn’t be put any more perfectly … a surface/solid modeler. Nothing more than semantics about 1s and 0s.
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So I take it that you are an accomplished technical software code expert. You know exactly what can and cannot be done with SketchUp. Why didn’t you identify yourself as one of their top SketchUp programmers? This is the expertise I’ve been waiting for … the absolute, definitive answer to my question!
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Your claim that SketchUp is “basically a 2D program” is incorrect because dimensionality is not a property of the object itself but of the space in which it exists. In SketchUp, every entity—whether a line, a circle, or a cube—is defined within a three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, and Z axes). This means that even a perfectly straight line drawn along the Y-axis is still a three-dimensional object because its position is inherently defined in three-dimensional space.
The misconception likely arises because SketchUp’s workflow often starts with 2D shapes, which are then extruded into 3D forms. However, the existence of 2D shapes within a 3D space does not reduce the program to a 2D tool. A circle drawn in SketchUp, for example, has an X, Y, and Z position, even if it appears to lie on a plane. That same shape can be rotated, pushed, pulled, or otherwise manipulated in three-dimensional space—something impossible in a true 2D program.
Programs like CorelDRAW, which you referenced, operate purely in a 2D vector space, meaning objects exist only in terms of X and Y coordinates, with no Z-axis depth. SketchUp, by contrast, requires that every object, even what appears to be a flat shape, have a defined position in all three dimensions. This is why even a single point in SketchUp exists as a (X, Y, Z) coordinate rather than just (X, Y).
Ultimately, what makes SketchUp a 3D program is not how it allows users to construct objects but the fact that all objects are inherently placed and manipulated within a three-dimensional space. The software does not stack 2D elements to create 3D models; it operates in 3D from the start. The way curves are handled is a separate issue of how geometry is represented within that 3D space.
SketchUp doesn’t support true circles because it’s a polygonal modeler designed for speed and simplicity, not high-precision CAD or parametric modeling. Unlike programs like Fusion360, SolidWorks, or Blender, which use NURBS or parametric equations to define perfect curves, SketchUp represents all geometry with straight-edged polygons.
This approach makes SketchUp efficient for architectural and conceptual modeling but limits its ability to create true mathematical curves. While other software prioritizes precision for manufacturing and engineering, SketchUp focuses on intuitive, surface-based modeling. Implementing true curves would require a fundamental shift in how it processes and renders geometry. As others have already made perfectly clear, SketchUp isn’t built for design work that demands perfect circles—that’s what CAD programs are for.
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This is not a feature request it’s a rant.
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Looking at your website James I would question what qualifications you have to be making demands of the SKP team.
Blender, Rhino, Fusion, FormZ - lots of options out there that might do what you think you want.
Perhaps you should also update your website - Pro and Free are quite different now.
We provide training in SketchUp. CAD is becoming an essential tool for contractors, and SketchUp is becoming an industry standard. While SketchUp is relatively easy to use, getting accustomed to using its tools, and properly building in it, may take some expert guidance. Most importantly, SketchUp has a free version that enables a user to do most of what can be done in the pro version. The free version is very powerful design software, proving that there actually is a “free lunch”.
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Every application that does true Bezier curves uses NURBS. Try again.
I have nothing against SketchUp implementing other modelling modes in addition to polygonal (like Rhino does, integrating polygonal, NURBS and quad surfaces) but I manage quite well with the current toolset.
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James - looking at your website I’m curious based on the samples of work you share where does this change (and the other recent post about parametric changes to shapes) actually affect and benefit your work?
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My question for you would be, what are you asking for? Are you asking because you’re curious as a developer and want to know what the process would be? Are you asking because you want Sketchup to be something it’s not and need to know why changes that you want haven’t been made?
The issue is the way that you’re doing it, regardless of reason, is not good. You are walking into a farmers market, demanding to know why oranges are sweet and not spicy, and arguing against anyone who tries to explain why, saying that their answers are no good because they did not make the oranges.
As has been stated multiple times, SketchUp is a 3-D surface modeler and not a NURBS modeler. It is not a NURBS modeler because it was not coded to be a NURBS modeler.
Repeatedly saying that Sketchup is not a 3-D modeler is like you’re back in the farmers market yelling, “Oranges are not fruits!” Saying it repeatedly does not make it so and does not help you get the information you’re looking for.
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My $0.02 …
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Yes! It Is too much.
Try Blender, it should fit your needs.
SketchUp is perfect for what I do, and that’s why I use it. I’m simply curious about the future capabilities of SketchUp. The basic reason for my question comes from looking at the future of SketchUp as an industry standard. So I’m very interested in what is, or is not possible. I’m not looking for something that I personally need, rather something that would enhance the acceptance of SketchUp as an industry standard. I was introduced to SketchUp by an industrial architect, an industry that does have a need for curved surfaces. I was impressed how quickly his firm switched from AutoCAD to SketchUp, and can see how quickly they could switch to something else. I view SketchUp as lagging behind in some of the basic CAD tools, leaving it wide open to competition.
I’ve noticed in the Forum that veteran users somehow feel personally attacked when anyone makes a suggestion about improvements, let alone anything perceived as a criticism. What I’m trying to get is a simple answer from someone qualified to provide an answer. Instead I get these endless descriptions of what SketchUp is … that which I’m already thoroughly aware of. Much of what comes back, such as CorelDRAW using NURBS, is simply wrong. The rest is a disagreement based on nothing more than technical semantics.
So, is it possible for someone in the SketchUp programming team to provide a simple answer?
I held off on replying to this thread for as long as I could. I am not a programmer but I am a member of the SketchUp team. Additionally, TheOnlyAaron works for SketchUp too. Your question has been answered by some of the most qualified SketchUp users that exist.
Disagreement about what is and is not useful is fine. We all have different workflows and methods for creating content via SketchUp. Disagreement about how to improve those workflows is a natural consequence of that. With that all said, I’ll ask you what TheOnlyAaron asked you.
What are you asking this for? Are you asking because you’re curious as a developer and want to know what the process would be? Are you asking because you want SketchUp to be something it’s not and need to know why changes that you want haven’t been made?
Finally, I’ll add to those questions with this: You said that you do not personally need this as a tool. Why do you think other users would find value in it?
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I have submitted a list of improvements that I think are important to SketchUp. You might find it interesting that drawing perfect circles and curved lines is NOT on that list. I have what I need, I just want to work more efficiently.
I stated earlier that industrial architects are using SketchUp, and that they have a need for curved surfaces. I may not have such a need, but others do.
You should be concerned about competition. If you’re not familiar with the story of Ashton Tate, you should study up on it. SketchUp can be knocked off its perch in a heart beat. There’s a very good reason to make every reasonable effort to stay ahead of any current, or future competitors.
Ok, thanks for the reply JamesClark. I can assure you we are always concerned about our competition and are always hard at work trying to improve SketchUp. We do make improvements. Our most recent ones are out in the wild with the release of 2025. These improvements take a lot of time and effort. We also have to constantly maintain and understand code that was, in some cases written by people who are no longer with us at Trimble. That code can sometimes be over a decade old! Maintaining what we already have takes time too. We have to prioritize what we think the market is asking us for and what the developers of various third party programs and extensions are asking us for and at the end of the day, sometimes we have to guess what would be best.
This is just my way of saying that we are doing our best to keep up with the industry.
Now that all of that is out of the way I’ll ask the same questions again:
What are you asking this for? Are you asking because you’re curious as a developer and want to know what the process would be? Are you asking because you want SketchUp to be something it’s not and need to know why changes that you want haven’t been made?
I can assure you that there are examples in Archicad of their 3D modelling that are significantly more troubled by faceting than anything you will experience in SU.