We can’t stop wishing for having a capable way of outputting 2D architectural drawings. It’s still mandatory.
However Trimble is investing in the constructible model workflow. They’re not the only ones. You’ll find ideas about digital twins on all the AEC space. Even Epic games are investing on that.
Trimble connect is all about that: having a 3D model as central base of truth to any stakeholder of a project. It makes total sense as a model is richer info than paper.
We, smaller architectural businesses are a lot, and most of us are still far from this 3D model centric construction management. We need 2D data, both digital and paper as our main output.
However Trimble also recognizes the need for 2D output in the form of annotations, views, details… All that stuff that is still hard to create from a pure 3D model. Trimble Connect and Tekla are creating workflows that allow this to happen, but these workflows are still not extending towards full 2D output as what we can create with Layout.
I know that the main issue of this thread is that Layout is not working properly. Even if I believe that the SketchUp team is concerned with that and is active developing it, I also believe Trimble are not looking at Layout.
Trimble is more concerned with Trimble Connect, even if TC is not being used by SketchUp users a lot.
I just started using it last week. It’s not capable of doing what Layout does yet. But it is capable of doing amazing stuff.
As I do feel Trimble Connect is the future and Layout is a dead end, what I’m saying is that we should, as users, push for Trimble Connect development to fully support 2d output.
Layout will never be huge as it’s under developed and under resourced.
TC is being actively developed, with a lot more resources. What SketchUp can give to it is huge and the features that we need for Trimble Connect to replace Layout, would make TC huge.
Don’t forget Trimble connect supports SketchUp, Revit, DWG and many other files too.
What would it be worth to you to be able to produce 2D standard output from that multitude of files, including SketchUp models?