Hi everyone, I am just strating to get into layout and have come across something strange that happens. I am 99% it is just something I have set up incorrectly, but I can’t find any answers. I will explain as simply as possible and attach files for you to help explain the fix, if there is one
I have set up a very simple style in sketchup so that there are no background/sky/ground etc so when in layout it’s just the model that is shown. When imported all the elevevations looks fine, apart from the side elevation which now for some reason has a grey shading in the middle. This is issue no.1 I can’t seem to figure out why this one has the shading and all the other elevation are fine.
Issue no.2 which could be related. When I adjust the size of the individual viewport on the PLAN elevation, if I clip it to a certain point, it puts in a black shading…again not sure why this is happening or if it’s just a bug? I have attached some screen shots, as well as the files so you can explore and advise me what might be happening
very much appreciate any help on this, and appologies if this is basic stuff, i’m only just getting into layout havign put it off for years!
I see Keith is replying so I’ll leave it in his capable hands. I will say I would recommend that you set up scenes in SketchUp instead of using the Last saved SketchUp view.
Henry, looked over your files. First thought I had was that perhaps the sync between the layout and sketchup files was off. The Sketchup file shows that you do indeed have scenes but when I looked under the right click menu in Layout I found that the scene list was not present. I did a relink of the sketchup file and then the scenes showed up. When I reselected the side elevation with the grey background, the grey went away.
Was curious how you are setting up scenes? As Dave just said, using last saved Sketchup View is not recommended. But then, I have not seen the right click context menu NOT show a full list of scenes which makes me wonder what how you arrived there.
Hi @KeithBrooks & @DaveR Thanks for taking a look at this. I have started to set up scenes for the job now as I have differenet versions I need to illustrate for the contractor. I have attached these files which are now updated, I still seem to have the grey box on the side/section view but only on the first page, second page is clean?
Hopefully it’s a simple fix, but as I say, appologies I am new to layout and trying to watch and learn whilst setting these drawing up
I only looked at the SketchUp file embedded in the LayOut file figuring it to be the same as the one you’ve uploaded. As Keith suspected, there is a disconnect. Perhaps you hadn’t updated the reference. Even if you had updated the reference, the scenes wouldn’t carry though to show in the viewports until you reset the Camera setting for each one and choose the view.
I’ve been working on your original file while I will upload shortly. The basic problems come from the way you have set up your SketchUp model and in this case using Hybrid instead of Vector rendering fixes the gray shaded areas.
Take a look at this LO file. I’ve added a second sheet with the same views of the scaffold planked version. I’ve also separate the text onto a different layer than the viewports which will help you with editing later if needed. Select one of the viewports and look at the Camera and Tags sections of the Sketchup Model window are set up. Note that the Camera section has not been changed. There’s no Reset button for that section. This means changes you might make to camera settings in the scenes will carry into the viewports.
Since you have two effective identical models, I set up scenes in SketchUp suh that you can change tag visibility in the SketchUp Model panel to show one or the other model using the same five scenes. This is better than using Hide in SketchUp since you have no control over what’s hidden in LO.
If this were my project I would use more tags in the SketchUp model to tag different parts and instead of having two entirely separate versions of the model I would set it up so the panels or scaffold boards could be swapped. No reason to duplicate the rest of the parts since they are the same between versions.
Hi @DaveR Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I thinki one issue i’m going to have is that i have been using outliner for model organisation, I used to use Layers, but switched to outlinner a couple years ago. I see tags has moved on a bit now with the ability to have groups etc so will look to start using as it seems the cross over to layout is essential. Just downloading your LO now and will take a look at the set up to learn from. I only have one model now and will have 3 pages, one complete, one showing frame and klamps, one just showing frame. I have split these in sketchup by hidding and saving seperate scenes, this is where tags would save me time and effort.
Like I thought, fairly simple fix, caused by user error! Have to start somewhere I guess, only way is up!
From experience I would say you are creating a lot of trouble for yourself by using Hide instead of tags. It can be done but I think you’re already finding it’s much harder to manage your model, especially in LayOut, because of your workflow.
Good luck with it and hopefully my version of the LO file makes some sense. I don’t know if you really needed the second page. I just made it because that other version of the model was there and it was easy enough to do by duplicating the first page and changing the visible tags for the viewports.
@DaveR yer it seem the move to tags is now the right options, will take a bit of getting used to but if it saves me time on layout which i’m looking to use more of, it’s a no brainer!
Thanks for the tips and tricks, would be amazing if there was some really good tutorials on layout, if you know any would be really interested. I was looking at how to add a material hatch on sections. You may have noticed i just created a shape ontop of the viewport and group it, but was thinking there might be a way to set up so you can have hatches come through in layout?
Maybe a topic for another day, anyway, thanks for the help, really appreciate it
I haven’t had time to look at your latest version of the files but tacing in LO is one way to do it. When I need to do that sort of thing I use a plugin by the Venerable TIG called Section Cut Face (from Sketchucation) which creates a face as actual geometry that can then be given a material in SketchUp. This is different from the optical delusion of the native Section Fill which will only allow you to choose a color.
