Layout not opening docs created on other machine

SketchUp
1

Hi all,

In our office we have two Macs running sketchup/layout 2021. Recently we have run into an issue where files created on one machine will crash layout on the other machine when trying to open. The issue arises going both ways on the machines so it doesn’t appear that a specific machine or file is causing the issue. Further to this point is that it causes layout to go into a pattern where we cannot even open the software itself without rebooting the computer. We have even had it happen so bad that we have had to totally reinstall the software just to get layout to open.

Is anyone else experiencing this? Please help.

2

Can you share a LayOut file that does this?

Where are the references saved? Local drive or a network drive? If a network drive, do both computers have the same access to the references? What happens if you first embed all the references?

3

All files or specific ones? Are the computers identical?
A shot in the air, but could it be about a computer resource like a damaged font file?

4

Files are saved on network drive and both machines have access to the same references. It doesnt happen with one specific file, rather all files created on one machine or the other.

5

So what happens if you first embed the references in the LayOut file?

6

Only files that were created in the last few months.

7

Can you explain what you mean by embedding the references?

8

To add another layer to the matter, after several reboots today on both machines everything is working again…

Files that were causing issue yesterday are now today not causing issue. The files were not changed. Could this be some sort of network issue perhaps?

9

Yes, it very well could be network-related.

10

Would that explain it being quite random in nature?

11

Selecting the references in Document Setup>References and unlinking them.

The reason for the suggestion is to make it so LayOut on the other computer opens the LO file without looking for the references out on the network. This would help to identify a network problem. Sounds like you have it working again, though.

12

Thats an interesting thought. I will give that a try if/when the issue arises again. I guess then once you’d have the drawing open you would just have to relink all viewports etc to the appropriate documents, a bit cumbersome.

13

If you have this problem again I would open the LO file and use Save as… to create a new file that you can experiment with to see what happens. If the LO file with embedded references opens on the other computer, at least you have an idea of what to be looking for to resolve the issue.

FWIW, it isn’t unheard of for files that are only saved out to network locations to become corrupted if there’s a momentary gap in the data stream while saving. Although much more common with cloud-based files, it has happened with internal networks as well. The usual advice is to save files on the computer’s internal drive and sync to the network location.

14

Sounds like a good plan. I will also have to look up syncing to the network rather than working from it.

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