Was working on a large project and thought it would be nice to instead of having to make invisible every tag that i’m not working on, have a feature or a button or something in the tag window that automatically makes invisible all other tags except the exact tag i’m working on. If this is already something please tell me how thank you!
What is it you’re really working on. You don’t really work on tags in SketchUp. They are to be given to groups and components in the model (while Untagged is always active and all edges and faces remain untagged). If you are working correctly and you want to make a change to a group or component without seeing the rest of the model by using Hide Rest of Model in Model Info>Components. You can set a keyboard shortcut for that if you want. I use that regularly and with the keyboard shortcut it’s easy to toggle the rest of the model on or off even while editing an object in the model space. You can also set a keyboard shortcut for Hide Similar to hide other instances of a component you are editing in the model space.

So I’m working on an existing residence enhancements for a client…So the file is rather large and there are times where i want to work on hyper details of groups and everything in my model (groups or components) are tagged one way or another. So i was thinking if the Tag Window had some kind of a toggle or feature to hide all other tags except the exact tag that i am designing or detailing that would be a great feature. For Example if i’m working on details of a tree and i want to work only on a trees leaves and my trees are all on, a: Tree, tag then I don’t need my entire model visible and if i could select to only see specific Tags that would help me out when designing and detailing entire site models. I hope this better explains the feature, i would appreciate if it existed, it would help streamline my design process, Thank You
So this sort of thing doesn’t work for you?
That is a great feature, and i may actually use that when designing the cabinets for another project. But when i’m doing entire site plans i’m working with either far away site overviews, Up close architectural Scenes, or Section Cuts for Construction details. That being said, I already have Group and Explode Group on keyboard shortcuts and so I mostly just work with Groups and Tags. I get the scenes I need faster this way without having to input dimensions or details in a Component, and the client gets a Architecturally Engineered Design to review faster this way, everybody designs the best way for them… but yea a Tag Hide Others feature would be helpful ![]()
So you frequently explode groups to work on them?
What I show will work with groups as well as components and you don’t even need to access the Tags panel or know what tag has been given to the objects in your model.
You don’t have to enter dimensions or other information when you create components.
Well, maybe some day. What I’m showing works now and does what you describe wanting to do.
Depending on how big of a design i’m designing, As long as i have my tag set so everything i design or group is created on a specific tag, I have become accustomed to quickly creating a group with one key [W] (my whole Keyboard Shortcuts is custom and way different from the stock Shortcut Keyboard Set) or [Shift+W] to explode any selected group. When I am setting up scenes, certain scenes have certain tags turned off, and sometimes i make the video where a tag does the section cut from the bottom to top or vice versa, so as the scene goes from one to the next it shows tags appearing as if they are being built. It all depends on the depth of the design and my client. For instance this is for a repeat client who knows my work always comes out looking exactly like the design so when they ask for new designs i try and put as many details in it as possible as fast as possible…I’ll check out your recommendation and thank you for replying…The feature i’m talking about is exactly the same thing you shared just for tags
If we can bring this about thanks for your help!!
Why do you need to explode groups frequently enough that you need a keyboard shortcut for that? There’s no need to explode them in order to make changes to them.
You are way, right, that exploding tagged groups creates issues with geometry (edges and faces) becoming tagged? This can screw up you whole tagging system. You are also aware that Untagged should be left active at all times and tags should be given only to groups and components? ALL edges and faces should be created and remain untagged.
Again, you can wait for a feature which may or may not come or you can use what I described to do what you want right now. With keyboard shortcuts assigned you can quickly choose whether you are hiding the rest of the model even while you are editing a group or component in your model space.
For reference I started using SketchUp when it was Google SketchUp back in 2007. I started in the trades in 2005 building nice custom cabinets and furniture, then as i evolved my carpentry skills, I got into Residential Framing and learned hands on, on the job site and from blueprints the structural ins and outs of houses and apartment complexes. I then started my design build company in 2013 and have been design/building ever since to this day.
So i’ve completely evolved my design method for nearly 20 years now and I am actually all right with lines and planes being grouped and able to be tagged, mostly for presentation purposes like when i uncheck certain tags for certain scenes to achieve the architectural views through phases of construction. Sometimes i do like to use Components if i want to be able to click on doors and watch them move open, or if I am making a bunch of copies of the same thing. I do most of my drawing tool changing straight from shortcuts, the only time i use the drop down or click button tools is when i’m working with the sandbox tools. I’ve really just stuck to what works for me over the years and when running my design build company i try to move as fast as possible through a design to get to review,to then get to Layout so i can produce my prints to either create a masterful presentation or start applying for building permits.
All of that being said I will share an example of when I found handy to explode groups and regroup. I first creted the tag i used for the front deck and make sure my pencil is checked for it. For expediency when designing decking I first create a rectangle in the dimension of the deck, then i push pull to the depth and make a group. After the deck height is made, I create the posts, copy and paste and then usually divide to get equal spacing, then i worked on the stairs and ramps. I grouped seperately the stairs and the ramp and each group is a solid object. I then make sure the stairs, ramp, and deck are all where they should be then i select all three, [Shift+W], and with all highlighted i group them [W]. Then I have the Platform, Stairs and Ramp all in a group i can set the texture/color of the intended Deck Facia and I paint the whole group, to then finish up with a texture for plank decking on the tops that most closely resembles when I plan on using. I usually have to edit the texture dimensions to get the plank width exact and then i move the unique textures to achieve to finish look.
I used to design each deck board individually but have found that this method for me is fastest. Most everything I design is completely Custom for that is what clients are usually paying for, I help them see through their own visions for their projects unto completion in a timely fashion, or i do all of the designing and get to work (usually only for clients whom are familiar with my work and are looking for one of a kind designs).
I suppose to sum it up if i know i’m going to be joining solid objects then they quickly get [W] and i keep it moving get everything in place and [Shift+W] multiple groups to then [W] group in the tag i want them in. ![]()
Sometimes I have so much going on in a model and i see something in a specific tag and don’t need everything else in my model to slow the processor down, i had the idea Hey! It would be nice to be able to be able to work on a specific tag and hide all others at the click of a button, so here we are!! Thank You for your time and I will check into what you mentioned and keep my fingers crossed for the feature ![]()
I can attest to @DaveR advice to set keyboard shortcuts for “Hide Rest of Model” / “Hide Similar Components”. I have them set to just under the left homerow.

I use X constantly during my work. I find the Shift+X stays toggled on but it’s sometimes extremely handy to see what else I’m changing in the model.
@ivn2020 : I agree that a “isolate tag” would be extremely handy. They used to be called layers. Tag terminology heavily implies that there should be the capability of multiple tags on any one object, but layers and tags have always been exclusive, like layers in other CAD/graphics programs. And almost every layer system has an “isolate layer” function. I would be very surprised if there isn’t an extension in the warehouse that does exactly what you’re looking for, but I’ve never looked.
Speaking of extensions, the other tool I use pretty constantly is “Toggle isolated” from @curic4su . It comes as a sneaky hidden feature of his DIO2 plugin (which costs money and is 100 percent worth the money). What it does is to take a preselect and hide every object not under your selection. Then you can toggle it later after at any time to go back to the original state - it unhides only what it hid. That might be overexplained but basically what I mean is that if you hide objects a lot in your workflow - a bad practice generally - it won’t affect the objects that were already hidden before you toggled isolate. It just works. I have this function set to backtick key which is a stretch but easy to find without taking eyes off the screen. I use it less frequently than X and more frequently than Shift+X. It would have got the Shift+X slot if it had been here first but I got used to using vanilla sketchup.


