How to get nearly 100 elements into layout?

[kmylpenter]

Hello! I have another… very time consuming question!

Im designing a lot of stairs. Once I make entire project I need to export each step, each riser, each handrail, glass etc as separate element to layout in which I need to mark all of the dimensions for someone who is suppose to produce the elements based on my drawings.

As you can imagine the drawings need to be very clear and accurate.

Im new to Su Pro and to Layout but so far I figured that each element needs to be on a separate layer. Once its all on separate layers then each layer needs to have its own separate scenes for both top and front view. Sometimes such a stair project may have even a 100 elements. That would make over 200 different scenes to get all of it show in layout properly.

Do you have any tips on how to do it faster? What am I missing? Im trying to create some sort of template for layout but so far I spent nearly 4 hours on creating it and Im not even close on making it faster.

Before SU Pro I used to export each element to DXF, open DXF in CadReader, mark dimensions on each element and send it out as pdf. That would take me about an hour so I hope at least to get similar results with layout.

Thanks for helping outm cheers!

[colin]

How you described it may be the way it needed to be done before the 2020 version. In 2020 you could tag each item, which is the same as in earlier versions when you assigned them to layers. Then in LayOut you can control the visibility of tags, and you can set standard views. You should be able to do what you want using only one SketchUp model, that doesn’t even have any scenes.

[kmylpenter]

Thanks @colin. I surely have SU2020, you’re right creating the scenes may not be neccessery at all That’s indeed some time saved.

Ill see if I make a template and then use the same tag names will it update the drawings once switching the model to another project.

[shawb]

I don’t have SU 2020 so this is a bit of speculation! TIG has a plugin ‘Layers from list’, if this will work in 2020 with the new Tags you could create your 100 +/- layers/tags quite quickly. As you create each new stair component assign it to a discreet layer/Tag from the list . Place a second copy of each component in another area of your model space, placing each component on top of the last one. So now you will have a copy of each component all occupying the same space. Create a Scene for each view i.e. ‘Top’ & ‘Front’. Adjust the SU view (with parallel projection) update and save.

In Layout insert the SU file and set up two viewports. Now, I believe you will be able to duplicate just the same two viewports and change the layer/Tag visibility for each component. Each viewport can have a different scale. I don’t know if 2020 allows you to set all Tags to ‘off’ as a starting point? Any changes to the component in SU should still ripple through to Layout by updating the model as usual.

Edited this morning in the cold light of day!

[kmylpenter]

Here is the update.

I created a SU Template with the tags I use every time. This way when I create a new project I can assign certain tags to each component.

In layout I created another template in which I have added different sketchup models. I picked the style I want to use etc for each model view - black and white lines for single elements drawings and colorfull style for different views. Each element has its own tag, previously chosen from the model I created.

Now once I create a new layout project I can just replace the model file from all of the viewports at once. The problem is - once I do that the tags list gets updated, models are rerendered in previously set styles etc - but the tags itself do not work untill I reset the view. Once the view is reseted I need to once again change parameters of style, viewpoint (change to top view) and all of it.

So quite frankly - so far there is no quick way for doing this and thats a BIG problem to me…

@shawb Layers from list is not neccessery as you can simply create a template with preset tags to use the same tags on every project. Im on the way of using some of your ideas to speed up the workflow. Thanks!

[shawb]

If I am reading your post correctly, you are not assigning styles in the SU template but instead doing so in the Layout file? This may account for most of the extra work when inserting a new project. In my earlier post I suggested that you need just a couple of SU scenes. If you want to apply multiple styles for the Layout output you should do this in SU using extra scenes. For instance, if the top & front scenes have a ‘Shaded with textures’ style simply duplicate those scenes and apply a different style, say, ‘Hidden line’. It should not be necessary to change viewpoints in Layout either, this is set in the SU scene. In the ‘Scenes’ panel check that all the parameters are set to update when you have finished setting up for each scene.

The result will be that there will now be four viewports in Layout to select and duplicate but a lot less work.

[paul.mcalenan]

@kmylpenter

Now once I create a new layout project I can just replace the model file from all of the viewports at once. The problem is - once I do that the tags list gets updated, models are rerendered in previously set styles etc - but the tags itself do not work untill I reset the view. Once the view is reseted I need to once again change parameters of style, viewpoint (change to top view) and all of it.

This chimes with me

In this thread…

Layout 2020 Tags Bug...?

Just a mention of a potential bug in Layout (I’m not expecting any diagnostic by the forum). I can revert to a previous workflow so not crucial but given the fanfare about controlling tags in LO I would think that if this is a bug it should be fixed promptly. I use two to three stacked viewports in LO to control lineweight. Previously I would have a separate scene in SU for each stacked viewport. In LO 2020 we can get rid of all these scenes in SU and control tags for each viewport directly i…

and this…

Layout Model Style Control Issue

Following on from this post… I continue to have occasional issues with viewports changing from set conditions. I’m not sure if my original problem was with tags resetting themselves, at least I haven’t noticed that issue since I posted the above. My current workflow is to have one scene per section in SU and I have four styles that correspond to four stacked viewports in LO to control line-weights, etc… So, I’m back to work on a Layout file this morning after leaving it on Friday as it sho…

I outline some of the problems I’ve been experiencing.

A problem that seems to remain for me is similar to @kmylpenter.

In the SU project file I have four styles and a single scene for front, left, right, rear, etc and each scene has the ‘default’ style applied to it that I have designated from one of the four styles.

When I start another LO project and link the viewport stacks to the corresponding scenes in the SU project file - each viewport in the viewport stack resets itself to the designated ‘default’ style and I have to manually reset the viewports to their corresponding style.

I hope it’s not the case that for each elevational scene in SU, I should have four scenes per elevation each one assigned to a style.

For sure, the issue relating to the shadow tickbox I was having in my Layout Model Style Control Issue post, thanks to @DaveR hasn’t occurred again, and it may be the case that the issue I’m outlining now is simple to resolve…?

[kmylpenter]

I guess its easier to move each element in SU thank in LO. Now if only there was a plugin that would also rotate each component to face certain axis

Thanks for you input, thats some clever thinking as well. Ill try to setup needed scenes with styles and view points already applied to those scenes and will see how it goes.

@paul.mcalenan Seems like the issue you’ve described is exactly the same. You just explained it more properly - sorry for my english

[shawb]

No need for a plugin! Before you hit the ‘Create’ button for each new component select a non-perspective standard view (Camera/Parallel Projection/Standard View) then hit Create. Now, when you bring in your component it will be facing the correct way for your Layout viewport.

[kmylpenter]

Hmm… That’s intresting.

The basic shape of each step is created by s4u stair plugin based on my 2D drawing. This plugin creates the groups on its own so I have no control over the options. What I did afterwards to make it components I installed “Groups to components” plugin which converts selected groups to components. Then I’ve created a copy of all the elements and moved them one by one on top of each other.

Might be worth to do it by hand to have it facing proper way Ill give it a try, thanks!

[gsharp]

there is a plugin that takes all your components in a file and generates individual layout files of plan, elev, 3d view of each component … VBO is the author

https://extensions.sketchup.com/extension/f5a52340-d7d7-473d-b623-24d2d236fae3/vbo-component-to-lay-out