Layout references incorrect 'working' model

[PeterA]

SketchUp Pro 2020 Version 20.1.228
macOS Catalina ver 10.15.6 (19G73)

I have just found that the Viewport in Layout is not updating after making changes to my SketchUp model. It looks like the model the Viewport references is in the LayOut>working folder, which is fine except I cannot relink or update the reference link. Neither right clicking the viewport or updating the Document Setup makes any difference to the referenced file! it always points to the file in the working folder instead of picking up my .skp file saved on my Mac (in Dropbox).

If I change the models file name (****.skp) to something different then I can relink the file from Layout. If I close and reopen Layout (double clicking the .skp file) it opens but will not update again with the same issue. Seems to be that once the working file is created it takeover from the original SketchUp file.

Very strange.

I created and worked on this file a week ago with no problem, just today.
No Mac updates or SketchUp updates have been noted since and nothing new downloaded on my Mac.
I tend to keep all my models on my Mac in a ‘Dropbox’ folder and never had any problems related to this yet so don’t expect it to be this.

Wondering if anyone else has come across this with an obvious quick fix… that doesn’t involve starting from scratch.

[DaveR]

Can you share the LO file? Very likely you’ve made some change to the viewport that has disconnected it from the model. You could select the viewport and reset all before trying to update the reference.

[PeterA]

Hi Dave, thanks for quick reply,

I have 6 pages and multiple viewports for 2D drawings. Wheres the ‘reset all’ as not immediately obvious to me (on a Mac)!

Screenshot 2020-08-03 at 16.39.27|271x500

[DaveR]

It’ll be in the upper right part of the SketchUp Model panel when you have the viewport selected.

[PeterA]

Excellent cheers, useful 101 reminder for 2020 version.
Unfortunately not helped in this case.
Layout obviously opens my file but then gets stuck referencing the working file instead of the original!
I deleted all files in the working folder and watched it create a new file when I opened Layout again, then it seems to get stuck referencing this file.

When I try relinking, updating or editing it always stays pointing to the .skp file in the Layout>working folder and will not budge.

I will try
a) move this file and rename it in another folder.
b) I will make sure this isn’t happening to any of my older drawings.

I’ll get back to this tomorrow hopefully.

Peter

[DaveR]

The “Missing” status is a clue. How did you go about adding the SketchUp file to the LayOut file in the first place?

[PeterA]

Hi again,
I always do a ‘File>insert’ and browse for the skp file etc. This issue is definitely something new in the last ‘several’ days as it is affecting old files as well so I will just have to carry on working through this.

I have also moved a skp / layout files out of ‘Dropbox’ and into the Documents folder (so nothing backing up online constantly) and it still has the problem. Seems if I close down Layout and reopen it the file path is stuck looking at the skp file in the working folder. I guess this is like a temp file used whilst the Layout is running, just that mine won’t release it.

I noticed the skp file name has a load of random numbers appended to the file and although it says it is missing it is actually looking at this 'temp’skp file in the working folder, so it still works just not on the original skp it should be using!

Anyway looks like a bug to me, I’ll have to keep Unlinking it and Relinking it which works for a while.

One thought… I have it set to auto backup… perhaps to this working skp file? I’ll try turning this off and see what happens. Then I will also try turning on the “Create a backup” option incase that affects it.

Thanks for the help anyway.

[DaveR]

@PeterA

I always do a ‘File>insert’ and browse for the skp file etc.

Do you do that for each viewport you create from the file?

@PeterA

Seems if I close down Layout and reopen it the file path is stuck looking at the skp file in the working folder.

If you inserted the file when it was in the “working folder” and then move the .skp file, LayOut won’t be able to find it the next time you open the project. The reference path becomes a deadend.

@PeterA

I noticed the skp file name has a load of random numbers appended to the file and although it says it is missing it is actually looking at this 'temp’skp file in the working folder,

The numbers are something LO adds to the reference file name. The fact that the path is pointing to a temporary folder indicates to me that you aren’t adding the .skp file correctly. Operating systems (both Mac and Windows) regularly delete temporary folders/files as part of their maintenance procedures. Obviously if you have LayOut looking at a temporary folder, at some point the file isn’t going to be there and you’re going to have problems. This also rears its ugly head when people use Copy and Paste to add content to their LO projects because copying creates a temporary file in a temporary location.

@PeterA

Anyway looks like a bug to me, I’ll have to keep Unlinking it and Relinking it which works for a while.

From what you describe it looks to me as if the bug is in your work flow.

[PeterA]

cheers, It will take me a while to work through what’s going on but if / when I find out I’ll update this.