Regarding the leaders jumping around after a model update, here is a post with others including myself having the same problem:
Although I have not experienced this problem lately, my work around for when I do is to set all the leaders as they should be, then cut and paste them back in place. This removes the linking to the model and thus keeps the leaders static.
I do this also on an ad-hoc basic with one or a few labels.
Thanks for sharing - we rarely do these types of details, but when we do a wall section or detail for construction, we also draft on Layout. I appreciate your advice!
This might work… I sent these posts to Ali - here is her response:
“Ok - so I just tested in 24 - cutting and pasting does work but you have to go to draw a dimension line, turn off auto scale, set the scale of the drawing, draw the dimension, adjust the lines, cut then paste. Quite a few steps…but it does look like auto-scale stays turned off until you re-click it so you don’t have to do that step over and over…”
Is this what you all are doing? If we can find a work-around and both stick with 24 that will help with our immediate problem (fingers crossed). It creates some other problems because the auto-scale is helpful so it sucks to lose a function to get our work done!?!
I very rarely, if at all, use Auto Scale – I know what the scale of the viewport is on the page and it’s minimal time to set the scale in the dimension inspector.
If you have a Layout Layer dedicated for dimensions (I’d say good practice) before the dimensioning, you can activate that layer and draw all you dimensions to that layer.
Temporally lock or turn off other layers as required and grab all the dimensions in one go.
In fact I just remembered that you can right click on the specific layer in the layer inspector and select Select Entities.
Yes, in the original forum thread link I mention that Auto-Scale needs to be off for dimensions. Hopefully this is enough to get you through your current projects.
As mentioned by others, grouping and/or placing all dims and leaders on one layer can help manage this. Keep in mind every time you adjust an end point to a dimension or a leader it will re-link to the model, so you have to do the cut-paste trick again after any adjustments.
This may all be artifacts from working on SketchUp models and/or Layout files that were created in older versions and simply are not playing well with the latest editions.
For new projects, consider trying to re-create your standard startup SketchUp file by copying and pasting only the essential items from the old SKP file into a new fresh SKP file. For Layout files, such as title blocks and scrap books try doing the same and copy and paste all graphics and assets into a new fresh layout file.
Consider doing a small scale test to see if this alleviates the chaos of what leaders and dimensions are pointing to after updating the models in Layout. If it works, let us know.
The reason I think this might work is that I have not experienced this issue recently, so hoping I won’t see it again in my new files.
I’m curious what OP is doing in the SKP model just before they go back and refresh in LayOut. The only time I see issues with leaders and dimensions is when I move the model, make components unique or replace / redraw them (or use solid tools on them), or adjust section plane positions. Of course if I change the camera position this might also affect dimensions / etc. - but that is rare to do once I have thing setup.
there is something wrong with sketchup and layout 2024 version. I noticed an upgrade this week. under the radar. I have been complaining a lot recently about how average 2024 version is.
I too have issues transferring from sketchup to layout.
some times file auto upgrades (linked) other times you have to manually upgrade)
dimension shift as well.
sketchup team needs to acknowledge that people use it professionally, and it has to work.
I too am at wits end with Layout. I have written about this in the recent past. I am drawing in Sketchup properly as well as using Layout properly. I’m in Apple so maybe it’s a Sketchup/Apple problem?? My “workflow” is fine. Layout has major issues. In printing (waiting for literally hours) for it to perform this task and re-rendering as well. When a client wants a drawing, I become anxious because it’s embarrassing to have them wait til the next day. What to do???
Post a file so we can have a look.
And if you do post a file best to create a new post with a title outlining your specific issues.
In my case it was when I would copy and paste an existing viewport of, say, the ground floor and then change the scene to the first floor, and – even though in SketchUp the scenes are perfectly aligned – the model in the viewport would shift.
Not all viewports would be affected.
The SketchUp team were aware of my specific issue and I had shared problem files with them.
In the past, I have on the rare occasion had this problem when I have reset the viewport style or tags in Layout.
I don’t think that I’ve had the problem since the 2024 patch release even though I’m still working on files created with 2023.
I’m resonating with B-Skeel, I too use Sketchup and Layout for my daily living, and we can’t charge by the hour to our innocent clients when we struggle to make the software co-operate. I’m a solid user since 2012 but each new upgrade generates its own set of cringes. I feel the software designers are trying to add more flashy features to attract new users, which are not needed by working professionals, they just get in the way. I’m back on SU and Layout 2024 but had to abandon it earlier this year just to get a project done. Now gamely trying to get back on it. Love the software in general, it’s my living, but it’s creepy when there are deadlines and my creative side could just draw it, instead of being blocked by the software’s various little glitches.
My work focuses most heavily on schematic design, not as much detailed construction documentation. So we are constantly editing the model based on client requests or refining the design and then updating it in Layout. However, we hold the camera positions for anything that is in parallel projection or might have dimensions. I’m usually just adjusting a wall or window opening location, really simple stuff.
Again, I’ve been working in pretty much the same way for over 10 years and have only recently encountered issues with using SketchUp & Layout. We built our workflow because the SketchUp/Layout interface was so stable and reliable.
For this reason, in the past I didn’t spend much time on this forum, but I’m grateful for all of the help this week!
I feel your pain! I have been using SU since it was a free Google ap and the last version I purchased was 2018 and have been on it (with V-Ray) since. This year, wanting to stay up to date on technology, we decided to go for subscription with 2023/24. I have had it for several months now and mostly because of time but also because I noticed several crashes (on a much more modern and performing computer), I am still using good ol’ 18 with VRay 3.6. I get crashes here and there but my older system (Alienware Autora R6) is mostly the cause but less than on the newer system and SU24… I will continue the gradual transition but due to these issues, can foresee keeping on using the 2018 / VRay3.6, at least until Trimble manage to make that platform much more stable than it is currently.
FYI - we received this answer from SketchUp. Thanks for all of the help in the meantime confirming there is a problem and suggesting a work-around. I’m almost back on track with the deadlines I missed this week & the work-around is working, but I’m salty that we have to resort to it - finishing the work is much slower, and I don’t work fast in the first place!
This has also helped with my existential question - we are going to try to ride out issues with '24 and avoid upgrading again for as long as possible. (Which might mean living with the dimension work-around in the long term too, I’m not sure it will be fixed before they release another version that I will avoid because there will be new “bugs” lurking.)
I appreciate all of the help! In the past I didn’t spend much time here because SketchUp was reliable and we didn’t have issues to post. It’s good to know this works but I also wish I wasn’t here having this conversation - LOL.
I have similar issues but had not found the time or the words to explain the issue. I like the way you’ve explained the issue b-skeel. I do lighting designs and I place symbols over a photo to show where those fixtures are installed. The majority of those symbols have an arrow that is extended to show where it is to be aimed. Often times the lighting is done in zones so we will show each zone (one at a time) on duplicates of the same photo to clearly convey the design back to a customer. I will usually do all of the zones side by side in the gray space off to the side of my layout (pg. 1) and then cut and paste them onto the appropriate pages once each has been completed. Most of the arrows will point in different locations as soon as the image is pasted. The same will happen if I try to move the image with the symbols even the slightest bit on the same page. Countless hours wasted.
Using SU 2019 and Layout 2020 on my mac. I, like you, use it exclusively for my design practice.
I experience the same issues that @b-skeel is experiencing. I haven’t posted about it because I felt there was no hope, but I appreciate you bringing it up to the forum.
Which Mac OS are you on? I was having trouble using Sonoma with SketchUp last year - we bought new computers, so an older OS wasn’t an option.
This post has made it crystal clear that most people NOT experiencing problems with Layout seem to be using older versions - ugh! For many reasons we have had to upgrade but at this point, since we have a workaround, I’m hoping we can hang on and just stick it out as long as possible with '24.
