Though I use LayOut most of the day, and admittedly pretty much every day, today I opened SketchUp, used irregularly, but in this instance to work on updates to a building system (File > Factory > Site), a key part of this process is the generation of reports from DCs!
My anger! Just before Trimble launched their subscription model, I was marketed to, suggesting that version 2021 was the last opportunity to secure a freehold version of SketchUp Pro before I’d be subjected to an ongoing subscription! And today, upon attempting to generate a report, I was notified this function would cease operating at X date, while stating “as a security issue”! Surely security issues are the responsibility of Trimble (as is Windows) and can be delivered as a “patch” to those who had no knowledge upon purchase just two years ago. They should or must be made aware! I was certainly not made aware of any likely downgrade of my “freehold” license before purchase!
At present, given that SU / LO do exactly what I need and that I have limited use beyond that functionality, being notified that one of the functions I do require will soon be no longer available seriously gets my back up!
This has absolutely nothing to do with the dollar (at least in a rough sense, there is no added functionality causing reason to upgrade); this is about honouring what the marketing suggested: a freehold license, and I’d assume, a license without any “reduced” functionality at a later date!
You won’t be able to access the 3D warehouse and extension warehouse from sketchup as well, basically all the functions that require internet connection will stop working, but it has been like this for a while, Trimble gives support just to the current version and the two previous, so when sketchup 2024 is released the las version with support for those features will be sketchup 2022.
You can still download models and extensions from the 3D warehouse and extension warehouse websites, for generating reports there’s no work around other than use an extension, depending on what kind of things you model, you could use OpenCutList for woodworking or Quantifier Pro for construction, I use that one and it’s very good, you can add all the attributes you would add creating a dynamic component and in my opinion it’s faster and easier to set up than a dynamic component.
OpenCutList is free, Quantifier pro isn’t free but it’s still a perpetual license and the price is really low compared to the benefits and time saving.
Thanks mate, I do need to generate reports, as we gather all this data and populate a label that informs the factory of elements to be modified and it’s location on site! BTW I’ve looked at both your suggestions, both are great options, though neither suits our requirements!
Essentially, my gripe is around the falseness of advertising!
I do understand Tremble’s business model, but if “last chance to buy a freehold version” is a marketing ploy at the time, I’d imagine it is right to stick with this claim! Again, this for me is not about price or costs, I will certainly subscribe, but only because I need to, it’s about staying true to your stated / sold product!
Although I have downloaded from the warehouse, I did just out of curiosity, and I seriously use near to no plugins. And BTW I do believe myself as a SU/LO power user (since V3 and beta tester for around 10 years) and I use both in a far different way to the 99.9 percentile (example LayOut work below).
I understand, we all should thank Adobe for starting this trend of subscription business model. On the license agreement it says: If you do not have an active support and maintenance subscription, some features of the Software may not be available (e.g., add location, mapping, Integrated Services, etc.). The support time is given to the current and two previous versions of the software, it has been this way for some years now, even before 2021. there are people using old versions like the 2015 or older, they dont need all the features of supported versions, I guess that when Trimble said that 2021 was going to be the last one sold also with perpetual license, was meant to those users with old versions that don’t want to be attached to a subscription license. Im not defending Trimble it’s just the way the world works now days, there are very few softwares that still offer permanent licenses and they all don’t give support to perpetual license holders.
I guess in truth, the thing annoying me, is that the marketing that made me jump in to buy the final perpetual license of Sketchup was misleading, as it came with no warning that this version would cease functioning within 3 years!
Btw, there are plentiful applications that provide an option to purchase outright perpetual licenses! They look at it that these perpetual holders will be the “source for answering basic knowledge questions on the use of the application”!
While I use Sketchup for just a part of my work, and thus obviously need to move to a subscription, I do hope, once that work is over I can maintain my current license to continue my work in LayOut as it can produce stunning works like the examples above (no sketchup - just layout!).
That’s false, sketchup 2021 will keep functioning, only some features that require internet access won’t be available from sketchup like the 3D warehouse and extension warehouse that you can still access from their websites, generate report won’t work as well but there are plug-ins that replace that feature like quantifier pro and OpenCutList, every other feature from sketchup and layout will keep working normally, there’s no need to upgrade to 2023 unless you really want to be able to download models and extensions directly from sketchup, use a new added tool or you can’t replace the generate report feature for anything similar.
I don’t have the 2021 perpetual license but if I had i wouldn’t feel forced to upgrade, I’ve never used the native generate report feature, in my opinion Quantifier Pro is better and I wouldn’t have any issues downloading extensions or models from the website.
By the way, the support just for the current version and the two previous ones didn’t start now, it’s been this way for some years now.
yes, you are correct it not stopping SU2021 operating… it is stopping some functions within SU2021 from operating… and this is within three years of its purchase… Quite frankly I cannot recall any other software I have ever used, removing native capabilities after three years… yes there are workarounds…
I really don’t understand how anyone could defend that corporate attitude… Imagine the outcry if Telsa said sorry your car display will stop functioning after 3 years… you can go a buy an ipad if you want as a work around… My main gripe regarding this is that the Trimble Notice warned me the feature would be DISABLED… ie (turned off) not that it would just be “Not Supported” …
You’ll be ok, the software will function just as it is now.
SketchUp and Layout will do what they do.
Anything that is an internet related service (things that run with an ongoing cost to Trimble), or things that use the [old and extremely insecure] internal web browser won’t work.
3dwarehouse
Extension Warehouse
Add location.
If Trimble exploded tommorrow, then you’d still be in a better place than a subscriber, as those servers wouldn’t be there anyway and the subscribers wouldn’t even be able to model anything.
I need to generate reports from some fairly hefty DC’s, and I need to generate reports to firstly ensure they are to a format that can be read, and to secondly set them up with the round two software they need to link with. So no, it won’t work just as it does now!
Who is defending Trimble, I just said that it’s not true that the software will stop working and gave the alternatives for the features that won’t work after the end of support.
I am totally disagree with SketchUp marketing policy about this matter. Consumer Report will know what to do when they receive my complain about SketchUp old versions downgrad and reduced accesibility to 3D Warehouse and Extension warehouse. Rights of the end user must be full filled as original agreement terms. If you bought a product with some caracteristics and properties, you should use it as is as long as you want without a downgrade by one of the parties, this apply to all products, say cars, fixtures , software and all more. The end user agreement was signed, and both parties (Trimble and end users) must honor this agreement as was signed.
This old versions downgrade is ilegal and end users must be compensated due to breach of contract (end user agreement).
You can still access the warehouse but you cannot do it from within SketchUp as the web functionality has been deprecated. No one is taking away your ability to download and use models from the 3d Warehouse, and as explained in multiple threads there is a plugin that will help you open new file types while still using an older version.
CORRECTION - you CANNOT use .skp downloaded files from the 3D warehouse. It’s disabled for older versions due to “security” Bulls**t. The only way to download and use on older versions is to download .stl format which is pretty much useless as the imported model will not have any materials or layers.
removing features from the paid pro version is a blatant slap in the face by Trimble.
I do not use Sketchup every day and do not see any economic reason to pay yearly if I need to use it once or twice a year.
Trimble - make a monthly subscription an option as the annual version does not work for everyone.
Correction to correction: This thread is about version 2021. The file format for all versions from and including version 2021 is the same and version 2021 can open the files currently dounloadable from the Warehouse. Users of v.2021 (or older) must go to the Warehouse with their Internet browser. Users of older versions than 2021 can download the Warehouse models as Collada (DAE) files that work better than STL for materials etc.
