Hi @BIMworld: we haven’t seen reports of a discrete 2021.1 performance degradation related to a change in this release. I will send you a DM, as it would help for us to look at files that you are having a bad experience with.
re Hi @Mark ,
I am totally disappointed but happy because this morning Layout work fine … I can not understand … I was about to make a video to show the problem and share the example file with you. With the exactly the same file I had with enormous lags, I start to remake test (like moving photos or applying measures) and it is a miracle I do not have any lags any more!
I really do not understand what happens, let say my problem is solved now and Layout works fine.
I hope I will not have to come back for this problem :))
thanks for your help
I was struggling with LayOut and emailed tech support who provided this info which definitely helped!
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There are a few things that we’ve found can help speed things up for Layout:
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Go to File > Document Setup > Paper and switch the editing quality to medium or low. It makes the images look a it fuzzy, but it will still export nicely.
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Keep the SketchUp Model viewports in Raster rendering mode until you’re ready to export, if possible.
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Turning off auto-render can help sometimes.
Now, if the slowness is from a problem, it’s for one of three reasons:
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Hardware or graphics cards: Sometimes a docking station can prevent an external monitor from accessing the “good” graphics card, so check to see if Layout is using your 3D-class graphics card. If you have multiple monitors try only using LayOut on your desktop or laptop main screen, to see if your other monitors are not accessing your good graphics card.
One way to check if Layout is using your Nvidia is through the Nvidia control panel. Try this article and make sure to hit “Apply” in the Nvidia window afterwards if it fits what you see: How to manually set a default graphics card: Nvidia or AMD - Tech Advisor -
If you haven’t restarted your computer after installing the latest version of SketchUp and LayOut.
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If this is only happening in a few files, make sure that the SketchUp Viewports are as low-poly as possible and have any unnecessary layers turned off. In general, the more “agile” the SketchUp model is, the faster Layout can render it. This quick guide may help: Agile SketchUp Modeling Guide - Google Slides
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The last reason is if there’s a bug in the software. But we can only know if that’s the case once we try everything else, so let us know how the first things on this list go.
“using your 3D-class graphics card”
I don’t think I’ve heard that term since installing my Orchid Righteous 3dFX Voodoo.
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I want to notice that Section Cuts make LO extremely slow. If you don’t use Section Cuts, Layout is ‘acceptable’ to work with. At least, that is my experience…
I don’t often use the 3d warehouse but I needed some furniture yesterday so grabbed a few items. There are some great items available.
Problem is the vast, vast majority are modelled with hi poly counts. And often with high res materials. They certainly dont follow any guidelines or adiot 2d+3d versions .
So we have this fundamental disconnect where Sketchup models are high poly - because it’s a surface modeller without nurbs capability - yet LayOut hates high poly/high scenes.
Fortunately, as a workaround, I put all my 3d furniture on a separate Tag. Trying tonrender it in LayOut takes forever (20mins per scene).
What would be helpful is being able to lock that tag as “do not export to layout”.
Because 80% of my model size and complexity comes from items on tags that i dont use in LO…why even export them in the first place?
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Even if the tag/layer is turned off?
I have at times, selected all that high poly stuff, cut them, opened a new document and pasted them in place and saved that as a repository I can come back to and do the reverse process to put them all back in place again when I need them (like for a rendering).
I work with really large and complex models and LO really can handle these quite well. But if you want to dimension a section cut LO freezes. (If you listen to us Trimble…PLEASE fix this…PLEASE! 
)
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Hey AK_Sam,
You have very succinctly summarized another “fundamental disconnect” between our race horse SU, and the out-to-pasture nag, LO!
And Brilliant idea about a “do not export to layout” Tag locking feature! You should definitely put this into the “Feature Requests” category … not that it will necessarily be implemented …
In the meantime create section cut faces with the SectionCutFace plugin, isolate them in a scene, overlay that scene on top of your section and dimension the section cut face instead of the model. You’ll have no issues. Then turn on the model and either leave the section cut face scene on top or hide it.
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Thanks JQL, that’s a workaround which is okay, for a few sections. But when you have 40 section cuts to do in an interior scene you’re getting slightly mad. Especially when you have revisions to do. The section face tool isn’t that perfect as well if you want to have auto-update on, model is becoming slow and most of the times SU will hang. Problem is, I mostly design interiors with high detailed furniture etc, which is essential for my design and visualizations
Trimble is SO near perfection with Layout, can’t understand why they don’t put more effort in it.
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True, I take your point beause I have to deal with it too.
Usually our Sketchup autosections are fast and Skalp can deal with mildly complex projects too. Interior design with high detail like vegetation and detailed furniture is never presented along with architectural drawings. We usually do that by rendering floor plans and elevations.
Even so there are auto update features in Section Cut Face. It requires a different setup in Layout but exploring it might pay off.
In later stages of development, when we work/draw directly on section cut faces for detailing, we don’t like the autoupdates to take place, we rather update complex details manually.
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In Layout I never use/show 3d-vegetation(it’s killing LO) mostly 2d outlines. But high-detailed furniture I just have to show (I’m an interior architect). But do you draw on the section cuts in a later stage in LO or in SU?
You really should look at Transmutr from Lindale it helps you crunch down model’s geometry while leaving the overall shape and you should use these crunched down shapes as proxies for rendering (if you need to render). Otherwise, Layout will be bogged down.
Sometimes it’s not easy to keep a proxy system updated and I do understand why downloading models directly into Sketchup is happening, but there’s no workaround, you have to reduce that poly count or your Layout will stall.
Hi pep75,
I completely sympathize with your frustration w/ LayOut … I certainly understand the second part of your sentance, but I don’t think Trimble is anyway near close on the first part of your sentance.
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