I am trying to access “Materials” from the Window drop-down menu, and don’t see it as a drop-down choice. What am I missing? I’m using Windows 10 with SketchUp 2017. Did the menus change between 2015 and now, because I think the instructional video I’m watching is from a slightly older version of SketchUp.
It’s now docked in a ‘Tray’.
Available under the Window menu.
By default it’s in the Default Tray.
If you have managed to delete it you can re-add it then use the ‘Manage Tray’ item…
I’m trying to create/add a new material, and am looking for the a couple things: first, I need to find where to freeze a layer so that I don’t inadvertently change something on that layer, and then I need to find the create material button. I see both “Materials” and “Layers” on the default tray, but I don’t know where the choice is for freezing a selected layer or the button is for creating a new material.
Your profile indicates you are using Mac. From your description, I expect you are looking at tutorials for the Windows version of SketchUp. Is that correct? If so, the materials window and the process are different.
I am using a Windows 10 machine, not a mac, for SketchUp, and have also been having problems with objects “merging with” objects on layers that are turned off and therefore not showing. I also need to learn how to prevent this. But my first concern is finding out how to freeze layers so that I can manipulate the model without changing something that I don’t want to.
SketchUp doesn’t work the way you seem to think. To isolate geometry you need to make components or groups as you build parts of your model.
‘Loose’ geometry not in a component or group will remain connected to, and move unhelpfully with, all other ‘loose’ geometry that it touches. Layers do NOT, repeat NOT serve to isolate geometry, and cannot be ‘frozen’ - that concept is meaningless in SketchUp.
Please read many posts in this forum, use the Help about components, groups and layers, and ALWAYS draw your geometry on Layer0 which should remain the default layer (with very few exceptions).
Layers ONLY serve to control visibility in SketchUp. You should assign layers only to components or groups, and only to control their visibility - you can turn layer visibility on or off in the Layers panel. You can save a particular combination of layers’ visibility (along with many other properties) in Scenes.
Please correct your profile, then. It says you are using Mac OSX.
as said, you can’t, but you can easily ‘Lock’ groups or components with a Right Click >> Lock…
john
Thank you for making it clear that controlling things in SketchUp is based on grouping, and not on layers. But I’m still having trouble finding the icon to click for creating a new material to assign to a specific item. In the instructional video I’m watching, it defines a material based on a jpeg image found online, but so far, I’ve not found jpegs for that item (wall tile pattern), only pdf’s. That might be beside the point, though. I’m trying to create the site landscape for an architectural project, and have been having a tough time getting SketchUp to make the correct inferences when I’m moving or otherwise manipulating objects. I cannot seem to find the Blue axis to move a group straight up.
To move on any particular axis, tap one of the arrow keys after selecting the Move tool.
right arrow = red direction
left arrow = green direction
up arrow = blue direction
down arrow* = preselected orientation (magenta inference) - like perpendicular, on edge, on or perpendicular to face etc.
Or get moving in any inference-able direction and hold down the Shift key.
* Later versions of SU only - 2016 and later, if I remember correctly. Before that, it worked the same as up arrow.
Can’t help you immediately on the image question though