Dissolve layers vs hard off and on, & allow us to select dissolve duration

I would love to see an option to dissolve a layer when you turn it off. It would be very handy when making a desktop recording movie of a “change” or transition.
For example, in describing a renovation, I could put the walls to demolish on separate layers. If I turn them off one by one, It would give the scope of the demo work. Recording this desktop activity would then allow me to send the scope to others. next step could be turning layers on of the new wall locations… ja?

There are no layers in SketchUp to put anything on. You assign tags to objects for controlling visibility.

Currently the dissolve thing is easily handled in post processing of an exported animation.

What version of SketchUp are you using? Please complete your forum profile.

Hi DaveR
I do have a layers window. I use the layers to provide information on the rendering which I need to then turn on and off, depending on my task.

For instance, when I import an Autocad drawing, I place it on its own layer as a group. I then create new layers each for wall, windows, doors roof, etc. This way I can pick and choose what I need to see [and thus export] If I need to send a “rendering” of only the windows, then I make only that layer “visible” [yes they are floating in space] and send to my window vender- then she can see and make her proposal to supply the windows. The neat trick with the layers is I only show what needs to be shown to the person who needs to see it- in many ways, just like Autocad.

I can create a “HVAC” layer and turn it on or off to show the contractor the routing.

I find using Quicktime for a desktop recording, while I dictate, is very efficient and most valuable to convey information to my client and team. “Dissolving” layers whilst making these movies would just be a step up in my service.

Then you are using an old version of Sketchup. Please complete your profile.

Again, nothing goes “on” a layer in SketchUp. With old versions of SketchUp, layers are assigned to objects.

Why not just export an animation from SketchUp? You could get better quality and have more capabilities.

I am using SU 2018. my upgrade is ready and I will get to it soon.

If I need to do a voice over, after a SU animation export, it is many more steps and I just don’t require that kind of fidelity.

been doing it this way for years and it works well.

So I guess my thread should just conclude. Thank you for your feedback.

I was trying to suggest something you could do now to get what you want.

A little off topic but you said your getting ready to upgrade. Your profile says your still running Mac/Yosemite. Yosemite is not supported on SU2020 or SU2021. Might want to do some checking , start a new post maybe, to find if there are any problems running the newer versions of SU on an older Mac OS.Just a thought.

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Is this a presentation issue? If you just want to show someone a transition and have it animated, use Keynote or PowerPoint of SketchUp scenes. I’ve done this with different renderings of the same view but model changes (but it could be straight SketchUp scenes). Keeping the view / image exactly the same, one version of, say, a porch, dissolves to another while the house and surroundings appear unchanged / immovable.