I don’t know how long I’ve been in the wrong layer. I had a problem where every time I erased wall lines after I closed a rectangle the wall would disappear. I tried everything. Checking my wall depth. Making sure I was hooking to the correct lines, etc. And then I noticed that I was on the Line Layer and changed to the 0 Layer and then it wouldn’t let me work. I kept getting a message that said that I was working over a Layer that already had lines there (or something to that effect).
Some options to help in fixing your model yourself.
To start, copy you model and add something like layer repair to the end. (in future, use an iterative process for saving your model - every time you make a significant change, or at least daily, make a small change to your model title such as adding a letter or number combination which will give you a model history - you can then go back to a previous model where the layers where better ordered, while loosing some work unfortunately).
Next, with the copy, work on all components in layer zero to start by turning off the visibility of all other layers. It may help to change the texture / color of all components in layer zero (maybe a few other layers to), depending on model complexity. Consider using a 50% texture transparency too, for that layer, or when making subsequent layers visible (through the layers dialogue - mine is on the right hand default tray, but can also be accessed via the menu).
Continue working on subsequent layers as you make them visible (requires logical choice and understanding which layers have become interconnected). As you work, you will find some components are now duplicated on different layers, so it is then a matter of organising which components you want on which layer.
Layer0 should always be the current [active] layer.
Draw all of your geometry [lines and faces] on Layer0.
Make groups or components to contain logical assemblies of the geometry [or even other groups/components].
Only use other Layers to control visibility of these ‘containers’.
Switching these on/off controls visibility.
Layers do not separate geometry [as you’ve discovered !].
You can easily fix your wayward layering.
Use the Layer Manager, and select and delete [ - sign ] the problem layers - when prompted choose to assign the default layer [Layer0] to objects that had that deleted layer.
You can then make new layers to assign to containers as described above.
One thing to watch for is exploding containers - SketchUp assigns the container’s layer to the resulting entities - so you can end up with geometry not on Layer0 !
There is utility [by me] called LayerWatcher.
This warns you if you try and reset the current layer away from Layer0, it also forces all newly created geometry to have Layer0, and it has context menu tools to reassign Layer0 to selected geometry and geometry in selected containers, and it also has an Explode to Layer0 tool to ensure that the contents of selected containers get Layer0 when exploded - unlike the native explode layer mess [but again simply fixable using this tool’s utilities]…
If you’re not already a member, then the SCF register page offers a free membership - read it carefully…
Thanx everyone for your responses. I KNOW! I’m supposed to stay on the 0 Layer, so why doesn’t SKUP make it’s own warning system when you go off the ranch??? I was almost finished with the first floor. I was having technical difficulties with walls that seemed to have changed their wall depths (even though I drew rectangles and extruded them) and was trying to fix them. Hence the turning on the Layer1 to see the floor plan. Anyway, I did make a component of my walls after I extruded them all, but I have yet to understand how all that works. I have made LOTS of progress since extruding walls and would hate to have to revert back to that.
But thanx again everyone!!!
P.S. TIG, this is so way over my head it’s not even funny. But thanx for trying to explain. R~
I can only zip my file otherwise it’s too large to post. The problem is with the entire east wall that divides the living room and bedrooms. Every time I erase lines on the wall on the living room side the walls on the other side delete as well. It seems like overtime I fix one problem another is created (1.3 MB)
I thought I had made a component out of my walls after I extruded them, but somehow it has disappeared and I don’t know why/how. I did purge my component file once, but I don’t think that should have deleted that file? Its all very confusing trying to learn on your own.
Anyway, I am having problems with the main wall in the living area. every time I try to heal the lines from the closet and bathroom area it erases the walls too. I have been over and over the problem, but can’t seem to correct it. If I don’t get the wall correct I won’t be able to put in the fireplace on that wall. It’s very hard to explain. I’m sorry.
My advice, when you create composant or group, try to select (wall) triple clic and after create a group or composant.
Just a thing, I’m french so my english is not good, I try to help you.
OK so try to create a lot of layer for:
source (picture)
Wall
Window and door
When You look at my last creation, I create 50 or more for separate all elements.
That is SO COOL! I did not know you could do that much with Sketchup! But it did not show me the 50 separate elements you created. Just kidding. Is that for a real project to be built savoirpourtous?
P.S. Your english is better than my french! Keep in mind, everything people “tell” me to does requires that I figure out how to implement the instruction. I see I need to study my Sketchup for Dummies section on components and Layers.
I try to heal you model, but let me some time, I try to add line to close your floor, you have to know when you create a model, take your time, and do a save, for example object_00.skp, and 01, 02.
If you do that, you can come back on old project.
I hope my advices are useful.
About savoirpourtous, I created a channel and a web site where I speak about Blender, Inkscape, Gimp, Sculptris ans so one.
All software are free (I like to share knowledge and culture)
And to finish, a few videos on Japanese but just for the fun
Oh my gosh! You’re awesome!!! How did you do that so fast? I will never be as good as some of you, but there’s hope I can at least design my own house!
I don’t know how Sketchup says you are a “Basic User” under your name.
It is a trust level of the Discourse platform in which we are discusding SketchUp.
It doesn say anything about the level of SketchUp… https://forums.sketchup.com/faq
I was just kidding MikeWayzovski (love the avatar…loved the movie!). I just meant he is SO good he should take the test and skip high school and go straight to college. Give him the “Expert User” title. LOL.
Ref: The model you shared in your 3rd post in this thread. Re: Layers
After close inspection of the model, I find all raw geometry is assigned to Layer0 as it should be.
There are no misuse of layer issues.
You did make a component of the walls.
There’s also one named ’crawl space’ which is the foundation and floors.
Did you look in the Components Browser > In Model? They’re there.
Purge Unused means just that.
Component definitions in the model file that are not used in the model space are purged.
Going over and over seems to be the root of the problem.
That is, drawing more and more lines in an attempt to fix things tends to exacerbate the problem.
The result is a clutter of tiny off axis geometry so small one must zoom in very close to see it.
See the screenshots below of the outside kitchen wall, adjacent to the lanai.
Generally, it’s easier and faster to erase problem geometry and redraw than to fiddle with it.
Make more use of Inference Locking and those off-axis modeling problems will go away.
See the learning resources in this recent topic:
Here’s a reworked version of the model you shared in your 3rd post in this thread: Bluff_Dr_1stFloor_Rework.zip (1.0 MB)
Hi George. Thanks for looking. Are you sure you’re not looking at the file that savorpourtous posted? As he, too, “fixed” my file. The only problem with people fixing things for me is that I will not learn to avoid the same pitfall over and over. Though, at this point, I am extremely grateful for the help[fixing]!
Although I now seem to have the knack for drawing, it’s the little things like looking for orphan lines that did not get erased and putting things on their own layer that I’m still learning. I’m also only halfway through my book Sketchup for Dummies, which says its so easy a third grader can do it. So that’s a slap in the face to those of us way past third grade.
As for the off_axis screenshot: I know I have problems there (if that is the living room wall I’ve been referring too. Sometimes I fix one thing only to have it cause another problem elsewhere. The thing I don’t get is that I created everything with a rectangle box and extruded them…so how did some walls end up not parallel? My house plan lines were hard to decipher as to which lines I was supposed to follow as there are 3 lines instead of 2 in the floor plan.
Thanks George. I will continue to plug away! I think I will really love this program once I understand what I am doing!
There was no layer issue to be found, just errant geometry and a lack of model organization.
Organization, meaning make each logical portion of the house a component bearing a meaningful name before you begin modeling the next portion.
It looks like you were on the right path, given the wall component and floor component were in the file.
Not sure how, when or why they weren’t left in the model space.
Neatness really does count.
Leaving bits & pieces of unnecessary and stray geometry floating about makes modeling difficult.
They’re like weeds in your garden, erase them before they ruin the crop.
Don’t fret about layers. Just set the Default Layer0 as the active layer and forget about them.
They’re merely a convenient means of controlling visibility; not an essential tool for building your model.
Concentrate on organizing the model as you go along.
Make each logical part of the house into a Component before you begin building the next part.
The geometry inside a Component is separate from the rest of the model and protected from unintentional alteration. Think of a Component as a container or protective wrapper, enabling you to continue modeling without spoiling what you’ve already created.
And once geometry is safely within a Component, it’s easy to control visibility while modeling within it.
Just kidding. Is that for a real project to be built savoirpourtous?
