With the new Overlay feature on SketchUp 2023, plugins can now do many amazing things while you are using the native SketchUp tool. And I have developed a version to support the Scale Tool called Scale++ (these features may not be new, but thanks to Overlay, it brings a better user experience than ever before).
You can see how to use it in this video:
The Control Handles feature allows users to control the display of handle points of Scale Tool, making resizing easier and more accurate. If an object has one edge that is too small compared to the other two edges, selecting the handle point will be difficult and annoying. This feature solves this problem quickly.
The Show Dimensions feature displays the object’s size while resizing with the Scale tool. You can even interact directly with dimensions by clicking on the dimension and entering the exact size (this is a wonderful thing that Overlays can do), making editing more accessible and faster than ever. This helps users adjust the size of the object more accurately and conveniently.
The plugin also has a Referenced Dimensions feature, which helps reference and suggests the size of other object variations in a model. You can also save dimensions, Favorite Dimensions, to store commonly used object sizes, saving design time and ensuring the accuracy of dimensions.
All features and commands are placed into Pet Toolbar - a unique toolbar integrated into the plugin. It appears at the right time and right place when users activate the Scale tool and will follow the mouse cursor (like a Pet)
I hope you like it!
OS Compatibility: Windows, macOS (Intel & Apple chips) SketchUp Version: Only support SketchUp 2023
Hi @DanRathbun, As I mentioned in my response to @tt_su about this question, you can interact with the geometries drawn by Overlay by checking the hover state along with some observers.
Hi @colin, thank you for taking the time to experience Scale++ and for your valuable feedback. Regarding your comments, I would like to respond as follows:
“click-drag-release” I believe you are using a Mac, this is a bug with Overlay, and I have reported it since the Beta version to the SketchUp Team.
“The buttons are not enabled when scaling raw geometry” unfortunately, you can only control the handle points of an object (group/component). The tip is to make a group before using Scale.
“Favorite dimensions” are the dimensions you edited by clicking on a dimension and entering before. Maybe I will add a feature that allows users to save dimensions with a dialog. What do you think?
Regarding the “Checked/Unchecked” status of the icon on the toolbar on a Mac, it has existed for a long time; it does not respond immediately after each click. I think this is a UI bug in SketchUp.
Ah … popping and pushing custom Ruby tools. I wondered why the Scale tool’s button kept becoming unclicked and the Select tool’s button became clicked when hovering over the Overlay dimensions.
… but, since Ruby tools can also draw to the view, a sibling extension (or a operational mode for this extension) might also act as a 100% tool for older versions. (Ie, it may be likely that a custom scale tool could also have that same functionality but would be more complex as it must recreate all the scaling features, ie: scaling boxes, grip handles, tooltips, etc., etc.)
But is it a wise business model to write for a version that is beyond support with the next major release ? (Yes, I know that those who’ve decided to stay with a 2021 classic license are left behind. But this is the nature when ceasing to upgrade.)
Yes Dan you are right in one way only. In the way that it is over support but we are talking about extention that is not created with sketchup team and i would say that a lot of users kept stand alone and without support just because the updates of skp were just going slow and usually were not that great and than it became super expensive in a way.
As for my workflow it is doing great job and third party plugins just do the working life easier.
And now 2023 update is up and no much of a great update. so 2021 version is as great as i need to get my work done and to tell the truth even 2017 would do .
I wish trimble would have coding guys like you and others that actually “pump the blood in sketchup’s veins”. But your great work has nothing to do with sketchups support and updates.
Exactly. I’m staying in the 2021 version. Permanent license. I switched it from 2020 only because of TAG Folders… and 1 year free upgrade
Unless the development brings substantial improvements, there is no point in paying the annual fee .
I’ll wait for that upgrade that convinces me to switch to renting
The reality is that if I were to pay regularly per year from the 2015 version onwards, we are in 2023… That’s 8 years… But the sum of those annual fees is not worth what is better now in 2023 versus 2015…
Sorry.
My colleagues some are working in version 8 and 2014 and basically have no need to change it…
I’m a Sketchup enthusiast… that’s why I’ve been buying upgrades. But not every year
The plugin utilizes new APIs introduced in SketchUp 2023. The features of Scale++ have been developed and released for older versions of SketchUp, and you can use Curic DimScale to display Dimensions and Curic Behavior to adjust Handle points.
As I mentioned, these features may not be new, but with the Overlay, they provide a better user experience!
