Can anyone tell me if the current Sketchup Free includes a bezier tool, or whether there’s a technique which can simulate one? My understanding is that the SketchupFree web version can’t accommodate plugins so presumably that’s not an option.
I have a fairly simple requirement to draw three or four converging curved lines.
Regards,
Chris
There is not a Bezier tool for SketchUp Free.
That’s correct. No extensions for SketchUp Free.
Exactly what you are you trying to model? Probably the easiest option in SketchUp Free would be to use the various Arc tools, perhaps explode the curves, and then use the Scale tool to scale parts of the curve.
If you have an image of the curved shape you need you could import the image and then trace it with the various tools and get close.
Many thanks for your very quick reply.
I’m modelling a model railway layout and and need to draw in the track centre lines. I know I could build it up from arcs and straight lines but I’m trying to fit them into a specific space so it needs a degree of trial-and-error which Bezier curves would make much easier. I’m aware that here are many packages that specifically design layouts but I want to use Sketchup to give an accurate representation of the baseboards, buildings etc.
Regards,
Chris
Understood. An option would be to use a dedicated track planning application that has a vector export option (DXF) and then import that into SketchUp Go. It would require that you upgrade from Free to Go but that would give you the option. I designed this N-scale time saver for a long N-Trak model using XTrkCAD and exported the centerlines as .dxf. I used the Kato Unitack library since we already had a pile of that kind of track on hand. Then I imported the .dxf into SketchUp and used the centerlines as Follow Me paths for a simple cross section profile I drew of the track.
At the time when I was a model railway owner the tracks consisted of pieces of predetermined length and circular radius. To build that kind of tracks I would create a component library of the different pieces available.
Thanks - I think I have an XTrkCAD install somewhere so might give this a try. I can’t use library components since it will be handbuilt track which doesn’t conform to model geometry but it sounds like the principle should work for me.
Regards,
Chris
Thanks, but I’ll be hand building the track so unfortunately it doesn’t conform to common model component geometry.
Regards,
Chris
Good deal. I think you could do the layout design in XtrkCAD for handbuilt track although I haven’t done much of that.
