# Creating Scenes

**URL:** <https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758>\
**Category:** SketchUp\
**Created:** [December 23, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758 "2015-12-23T22:41:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 15\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![joerobinson1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ba0ec/32.png) [@joerobinson1](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/joerobinson1)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/1 "2015-12-23T22:41:41Z")

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.This is my first attempt at using scenes.  
[Plant Stand Exploded View (Scenes).skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/pakMGGbFN3fhL852BBY3GnnWFMy.skp) (1.3 MB)  
I’m trying to create scenes to show assembly of an exploded view. The first file shows Scene #1, The second upload shows what I want to be Scene #2[Plant Stand Exploded View (Scenes).skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/31ghGnWrYMObnm12oJGn605K8a5.skp) (1.3 MB)  
But, I when I use “Add Scene”, Scene #1 is changed to the second upload and Scene #2 is added.  
Hope this make some sense to somebody. Any and all advice gratefully accepted.  
Thanks is advance

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**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/2 "2015-12-23T22:45:19Z")

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I’m not understanding exactly what you’re trying to do. Is it that you want to show one leg with the rails in the first scene and add the second leg for the next scene?

Something like this?  
[Plant Stand Exploded View (Scenes) Revised.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/2Y1rqGEpu0t0wwZ3Q8RcBbviQkm.skp) (1.3 MB)

If so, you need to be incorporating layers into the workflow. If you add a component into the model space, it’ll show up in all the scenes. In very simple terms, imagine each camera is a video camera and switching from one scene to another is like showing one camera and then another on the monitor. If a new guy shows up and stands next to the guy who was already there, you’ll see both of them in each camera view. Of course with Layers, you can make some components invisible for various scenes.

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**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/3 "2015-12-23T22:51:39Z")

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I assume you want this???

have a look at the skp…

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/2X/2/296c01a2885cc90d7ea215e6e0e568906b1f6f95.gif)

[Plant Stand Exploded View (Scenes).skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/lzdmS8IqOaZfYFrV349DfyxnXzF.skp) (1.3 MB)

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**Author:** ![joerobinson1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ba0ec/32.png) [@joerobinson1](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/joerobinson1)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/4 "2015-12-24T17:26:21Z")

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Thanks for responding. Yes, that is what I’m trying to do. Unfortunately, I’m still using Windows XP and SketchUp 14. Can you send the file as SketchUp 14?  
When I searched for Creating Scenes, the information didn’t say anything about Layers. I’ll look again!  
Thanks again. Looking forward to file in SketchUp 14  
Joerobinson1

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**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/5 "2015-12-24T17:55:44Z")

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should be v14 now…  
[Plant Stand Exploded View (Scenes)\_v14.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/ddN3adyFvHmVGG7Hw3Qy2tqi6bE.skp) (1.3 MB)

john

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**Author:** ![joerobinson1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ba0ec/32.png) [@joerobinson1](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/joerobinson1)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/6 "2015-12-24T19:19:09Z")

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John\_drivenupthewall  
Well now I’m “drivenupthewall”! When I searched the Knowledge base, I found “Creating Scenes”, there is not a word about “Layers” in this article. : In the section “Managing properties saved with a scene” there is the following statement “This property applies if you use layers to control visibility” Is this what you are referring too. And if so, how do I use Layers and Layer visibility to “make it work”  
Everything I have read about SchetchUp suggest all “drawing” should be done in Layer (0). But I don’t see the exploded and Unexplored views in Layer (0). Would you elaborate on how to proceed!! How is visibility for Layer “unexplored” on in Scene #1 and off in Scene #2 ?  
Thanks again for your input  
joerobinson1

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**Author:** ![Gully\_Foyle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/gully_foyle/32/124_2.png) [@Gully\_Foyle](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Gully_Foyle)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/7 "2015-12-24T20:00:13Z")

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I can certainly understand the need for an exploded view on a model depicting the construction of an assembly, and this is relatively straightforward. With three sets of the components constituting the assembly, you could show a series of scenes that would step through a separate as-fabricated detail of each part, an exploded assembly view showing how the pieces go together, and a view of the completed assembly. Appropriate notes and dimensions can be shown in each scene. That would be quite doable.

What I don’t exactly get is the need for an animation. I suppose that would be nice if such animations were easy in SU, which they are not. You’re looking for object animation when what SU provides is scene to scene transition. Even assuming you pull it off, apart from the gee whiz aspect, I wonder how much value would be added by an animation that shows a tab going into a slot that’s right next to it (for example). That seems like pretty obvious, and therefore low value, information. I wonder if that small increment in value is worth the considerable trouble of setting up an animation in SU.

Just an observation.

-Gully

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**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/8 "2015-12-24T22:42:52Z")

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> [@joerobinson1](#):
>
> How is visibility for Layer “unexplored” on in Scene #1 and off in Scene #2 ?

each scene can have any Layer on or off…

all the geometry **is left** on Layer 0, but two copies of the grouped geometry are assigned to different layers in different positions…

open the layer panel and the scene panel…

go to scene 1 and switch the two layer ticks, then ‘update’ the scene…

go to scene 2 and switch the two layer ticks, then ‘update’ the scene…

now the two have been swopped…

@Gully_Foyle, it’s not **only** useful for animation as you can print each scene or send to LayOut etc…

I used an animated scenes in the gif to simply show the differing two views…

john

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**Author:** ![Gully\_Foyle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/gully_foyle/32/124_2.png) [@Gully\_Foyle](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Gully_Foyle)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/9 "2015-12-24T23:00:33Z")

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> [@john\_drivenupthewall](#):
>
> it’s not only useful for animation

Yeah, okay. But that’s what he said he was doing, and I was addressing him.

-Gully

Addendum: You know, John, as I look back at the discussion, I see it’s quite true that nobody said anything about animation until I did, so it’s not at all clear that that’s what the OP had in mind. My apologies for reading more into your animation than you intended.

-G

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**Author:** ![joerobinson1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ba0ec/32.png) [@joerobinson1](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/joerobinson1)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/10 "2015-12-26T22:22:04Z")

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John  
Thanks for all your help. Gully may not think the scenes and animation are useful, but by doing this project, I now have some experience with scenes. And, that is all I was afte

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**Author:** ![Gully\_Foyle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/gully_foyle/32/124_2.png) [@Gully\_Foyle](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Gully_Foyle)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/11 "2015-12-26T23:15:03Z")

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> [@joerobinson1](#):
>
> Gully may not think the scenes and animation are useful,

You’ve got me wrong: I’m a big proponent of scenes; in fact I recommended an extensive set of scenes for you in my previous post. Whether or not I think animation is useful is actually moot, since SU does not do animations in the ordinary sense.

-Gully

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**Author:** ![jimshipsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@jimshipsky](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jimshipsky)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/12 "2016-01-06T15:10:15Z")

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I noticed in joerobinson1’s model each of his lines is colored according to its axis.  
Not that I want to employ that feature, but I am curious how to do it.  
I use Pro; might it be Make only?

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**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/13 "2016-01-06T15:14:12Z")

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Go to the Styles dialog and go to Edit and then to Edges and select colour by axis.

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**Author:** ![slbaumgartner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/slbaumgartner/32/7302_2.png) [@slbaumgartner](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/slbaumgartner)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/14 "2016-01-06T15:59:58Z")

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Alternatively, you can select “color by material” and then paint arbitrary edges whatever color you want, not just the ones aligned with an axis.

As a side note, be aware that color by axis acts “to within tolerance”. This is not a good way to test whether edges are perfectly aligned with the axes when you are trying to find small errors.

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**Author:** ![jimshipsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@jimshipsky](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jimshipsky)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/creating-scenes/18758/15 "2016-01-06T16:13:21Z")

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Thanks Box.

This tells me there are many features in SU that aren’t mentioned in  
tutorials, which one only discovers by stumbling on them, as I did in this  
case.
