I am currently working on a model using SketchUp Pro 2015 on MAC. I am using a lot colors in my model that have similar tones. In the past, if I was confused about a similar looking color, I would use the eyedropper tool on the painted color and in the material box, a grey bold square would highlight the used color. I have noticed lately that when I used this eyedropper ID method, it will only highlight certain materials and colors but all of them. For example, I have a lot of teals and blues I have specifically labeled with the exact paint name. When I use the eyedropper tool to identify, it will bring me to the correct row in the materials window but will not highlight the box with a grey bold square. Don’t know why it works on some colors/materials and not all of them.
I used to really rely on the eyedropper tool to help me identify the right color but now it’s not working as well. Has anyone else ran into this? Any suggestions. Thanks so much.
The only problem I have with the eye dropper happens when I have active sections and visible section planes. If I’m eye dropping something through the plane, it picks the section planes applied material. Do you think that can be the case?
Thanks for getting back to me JQL. I don’t think that is the case. It’s happening when I have the regular model open and not in section planes. Thanks.
Barry, using Sketchup Pro 2015 on my MAC (OS system is Yosemite). No, I am not using the Apple system-wide color panel. I am using the SketchUp materials panel. Again, it is highlighting some of the boxes but not all. Not sure why. Have attached a screenshot of the SketchUp materials panel I am using.
Note that the Apple eyedropper just picks up pixels, whereas SketchUp gets the material. I haven’t found a case where SketchUp didn’t highlight the material in the material browser, but there could be, since you’re seeing it.
Barry, thanks so much the image. Yes, I am definitely using the SketchUp Bucket Tool (and using the command key to use eyedropper). Bummer about not seeing other cases about this. It is definitely not working on certain colors on mine. I know the colors that are not being “identified” by a gray box when using the eyedropper are from the same paint company. I pulled these colors in as a “new texture” and there are labeled correctly. The only thing they are not doing is having the ability to be specifically indented when I used the eyedropper.
I’m having to use my MAC right now because I was having problems bringing in new textures to my PC version-Sketchup Pro 2015 (have addressed this with tech already and still waiting on resolve…I have that Dell Inspiron that seems to cause some problems with SketchUp).
If you or anybody has any other ideas, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again.
Is there a simple model you could upload where particular colors don’t show the gray highlight border? Just in case it’s a model specific issue. At the very least if we can command-pickup colors that highlight, but didn’t for you, it would suggest something wrong with your system rather than SketchUp.
BTW, I’m running MacOS 10.11, and I constantly see the gray highlight border.
Can you get the names of the colors? Perhaps they’re not unique, and generating confusion in SketchUp so it doesn’t hightlight? That’s it. I named mine the exact name of another material: Steve_Pants. Sampled it, no highlight.
Hey there Colin. Yes, I’m running MacOS 10.11 as well. Like you, I would consistently see the gray highlight border in past models. In this particular model, I’m not seeing the gray highlights for all surfaces…just some (I’m not seeing the paint colors from paint companies I recently added as new textures). Not sure if it’s because of how I’m labeling the newly created textures’ names (e.g. Blue Teal-Sherwin Williams, Gulfstream-Sherman Williams, etc) but haven’t ran into this issue before.
I did a couple things to test if it was my particular model. I cut and paste the model in question in a new file. What’s interesting is that it didn’t include the original model’s colors in the “colors in model” section. They are completely gone. So I couldn’t even test the eyedropper highlight test.
I then made simple model in a new SketchUp file and did notice that it was working again. Again, not sure why this happening. To your point, it could just be this particular model.
Barry, I’m definitely making sure I’m calling my new textures a unique name. Not sure if it’s because of how I’m labeling the newly created textures’ names (e.g. Blue Teal-Sherwin Williams, Gulfstream-Sherman Williams, etc) but haven’t ran into this issue before.
I did a couple things to test if it was my particular model. I cut and paste the model in question in a new file. What’s interesting is that it didn’t include the original model’s colors in the “colors in model” section. They are completely gone. So I couldn’t even test the eyedropper highlight test.
I then made simple model in a new SketchUp file and did notice that it was working again. Again, not sure why this happening.
Layout aside, 10.11 is going well, and we’re in the third revision of beta 4. I’m sure that the same model would have the same issues for Joel under 10.10.
Sorry for the error…thought Collin was referring to the most updated MacOS (I’m currently running 10.10.3) I’m hoping all bets aren’t off because it would be great to get some help. Between my PC SketchUP Pro 2015 crashing (Dell Inspiron models were having problems forcing me to use a 32 bit on my 62 bit computer and I’m still having problems crashing) and my current challenge with my MAC version, it’s been difficult to work on models. Have been a pretty devoted customer and really want to get my SketchUp up and running correctly.
This is the closest post I could find dealing with the functionality of the Eye Drop Tool. I just want to add that it would be much more efficient to use this tool if it also popped up some text telling me what material I was hovering over.
I am using TomToms “Material Replacer” plugin to get this functionality at the moment, but the text is almost to small to read on my Macbook retina screen.
