Layout Files Always Corrupt

For the past few weeks, every time I save a layout file and go to open it again later, it pops up with “Error reading layout file”. I have read that this means the file is corrupted. However, I keep losing work and it won’t allow me to open any past files either. So I end up having to start from scratch. Please help!

Where are you saving the files to?

I save them to a folder on my desktop

How are you adding reference files to the LO project?

Maybe you could share one of the files and @colin can try to fix it.

Did you install SketchUp correctly? That is, did you right click on the downloaded installer and choose run as administrator?

I use the insert tool in layout. I’ve been using sketch up & layout for over a month now and this has never happened until the past week. I haven’t changed the way I do things.

I will upload the file so someone can take a look

Well, since Sketchup 2019 hasn’t changed since last year, what has changed on your computer in the last week?

Nothing that i know of. The only thing i can think of is maybe it got a virus? I’m not sure if thats a possibility. If it is, can the file still be recovered?

Might be a virus. Might be a Windows update.

Impossible to tell if it can be recovered without seeing it.

It is currently uploading and should be available in a few minutes

Good grief! Over 2Gigs?

Do you purge your SketchUp file? Are you using File>Insert for every SketchUp viewport?

I don’t believe i purge anything. Yes i use file>insert for each sketch up viewport. Im fairly new to sketch up, so that might be the incorrect way to do it?

You should be purging unused content from the SketchUp model to limit file bloat.

Absolutely that’s the incorrect way to do it. That winds up creating a separate reference for every viewport. You should only insert the SketchUp model once for the first viewport and then copy that viewport to use for the other viewports. Once you’ve created the additional viewports you select the desired scene for it.

It’s not surprising your files are corrupted and can’t be opened.

Makes sense. I will try to do that. The older files that I have that layout will still open are all under 1gb. So there’s definitely something happening

I can’t open the LO file you shared. LO files are basically ZIP files with the extension changed. I tried changing it to ZIP and opening it and it won’t open that way, either.

I suspect the right thing to do is start over on this project but do it the correct way.

Can you share the .skp file for this project?

So that opens. 198 Mb is a pretty good sized file but there’s no way if it was properly used in you LayOut file that the LO file should be 2 Gb.

I expect it to be a large sketch up file. My job requires extensive detailing of homes for construction purposes

I fixed the incorrect Tag/Layer usage in your model…
Screenshot - 11_11_2020 , 2_39_10 PM

…and purged unused stuff…
Screenshot - 11_11_2020 , 2_40_16 PM

…which reduced the file size by over 40%. I expect there’s more cleanup available, too.

Those fixes didn’t change the amount of detailing in the model.

Another thing you should be taking care of is getting correct face orientation. Should be no exposed blue back faces.