Layout sucks?

What version of SketchUp and LayOut are you using? Your profile says 2019 Free Web.

I’m afraid you’re right…the piece of software has as enormous P O T E N T I A L, but the programmers can’t get it to work. I’ve made several suggestion which can make LO faster, but they don’t listen. I wonder if they have tested it actually. However…a very very disappointed customer here.

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Dave, do you have a smooth going LO version? What’s your secret? Inner peace? Yoga? Meditation? aaaargh…! :sleepy:

Yeah. I don’t really have any problems.

Holding my tongue right. :wink:

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Mmmm…you’re right having my tongue to the left. Will try it.

But what is the magic you have and we don’t???

Clean living.

I live clean, act clean…actually I decorated my entire house for our newcomer; Mrs. Lay Out. But it’s not clean enough and she has many secrets. Right now she’s the laziest in the house, eating drinking, watching tv. You’ll have to put so much energy in here to let her do…well not much actually. I’m really thinking to divorce. I need inspiration, want to run…open the windows and breath some fresh air. Ah now I understand…Clean Living…get rid of all the SH(##$ and make a change.

Thanks Dave!

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The key is clean SU modeling and a dedicated system of templates for both LO and SU. Don’t try and vector render a giant 3D model. No software does that easily and efficiently.

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Probably the best description for Layout I’ve read so far.

I don’t have the courage to ask for divorce because Mrs. Lay Out has double personality and most of the times she is called Mrs. SketchUp

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sounds more like a Mr Layout if you ask me…

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…it’s a tough relationship however. :sleepy:

I am sure Mr SU and Ms LO’s families didn’t talk to one another right from the start !

Not a marriage made in heaven!

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Layout has huge potential, it most closely reminds me of working in SolidWorks and using its equivalent of Layout to put together documents (Aerospace). I don’t know what it would take to make Layout a bit more robust and stable but if we can ever get it there it will be a complete game changer.

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Amen! Yes it is! That’s why it is so frustrating! It is a potential game changer! Unbelievable that they don’t put more effort into it.

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I get an interesting freak-out in Layout that I think I’ve tracked down to the moment I try to copy text from a table. Doesn’t always happen, but probably 2-3 times a week. I’ll go to issue a command and then the workspace appears to be resizing all the trays for 20 seconds or so and when it stops all I’ve got is the default tray. Takes 2-3 minutes to set my trays up again and then good to go… but annoying for sure. Found this thread while wondering if there was a way to solve it.

Anybody know how to save workspaces? Then I could just reset with one or two clicks.

BTW I can’t get on board that Layout sucks - could use some polishing maybe, but I’ve found it to be intuitive and very powerful. All software has a laundry list of features people want to add. That’s why autocad has like 10,000 commands.

I think the answer is: A serious and sincere effort and commitment from Trimble to remake LayOut into a state of the art 2D presentation package that is worthy to be SketchUp’s partner. Indeed this could be a game changer, but so far Trimble doesn’t seem interested in playing! Trimble: Please give us “LayOut Pro”!

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Layout is terrible, arguably unhealthy, pretty please Trimble, help us.

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I read through every single post here and I could not agree more with many of the users. I am a registered Architect who has been using Sketchup since the ‘Last’ days. I have been using SU Pro for more than 7 years (previously paying for every service contract) and trying very hard to use LO with what is assumed to be the correct workflow.

Every a members asks the pointed question of “how to optimize LO” there is never a great answer. I usually see, model less, draw less, make less groups, check your graphics card to make sure it compatible. The simple most straight forward thing I can come up with is LO hates SU, and eventually hates getting larger in file size. Seriously, I can use LO as a very fast drafting software (sans text copy and paste) and things seem to work ok. The second you start bringing in any model information vector or not, LO just starts to have issues. I have watched every youtube video tips and tricks. I have triple checked my render resolution and every other button worth checking. I have combed through the SU file and paid attention to all image resolution and scrapbook items. But the truth is transitioning a Schematic Design model and LO file into DD or (OMG) CD’s wow.

I wonder how many users who don’t have issues with LO are using this for documentation for a drawing set? What does the line work look like? The range of drawing sets and documentation from a designers and Architect’s think could be a big span, no less what Trimble might consider.

I have done countless size projects with various degrees of detail in LO via SU model and I cannot think of one project that is not a complete dog once transitioned into LO. I can feel the stress build when I try to resize and re-render a viewport, just waiting for the bugs-plat to hit me in the face. Each project I do, I say out loud, I am never using this software again…As a sole practitioner, who has used many other professional BIM and drafting software’s, I thought it would be great to blaze a different path. To be proud of not defaulting into what every other firm is using. I am afraid I am turning the page on this concept and will have no choice but to put LO in the rear view.

My hope is that Trimble sees the value in developing a product for professionals and to tackle this market. My hope is that they see how close yet how far Layout is from being able to be stable and predictable for those who need to turn a profit to stay in business. I know nothing about building software, I just know I have used many design/drafting tools in my 21 years in the industry. Without seeing an improved LO I cannot be moving forward with any future iterations of Sketchup Pro. The non-focused updates I have recently continue to make me shake my head in dismay. My hope is that I can stop shaking my head, get excited about future releases of Pro version software from Trimble.

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I’m also a licensed sole proprietor. I couldn’t do the number of projects I do without SU and LO. My CD sets are typically 60-130 D size sheets.

I did 9 projects in 9 months last year.

So, while I hear the frustration, there is a way to get LO to perform.