I’m not a long time user to LayOut but have managed to put together a few sets of drawings thus far.
I’m having issues today with Viewports ‘misbehaving’. When I link to a new sketchup file, the new viewport opens but doesn’t show any content. Instead, it has a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in the lower right corner. So I click the render button in the Sketchup Model dialog and the viewport renders. BUT, there is still a yellow triangle in the Sketchup Model dialog box (was this always here and I never noticed it before?)
If I then change the scene in the viewport, it won’t automatically render the appropriate scene. It requires that I once again click the render button.
Additionally, opening a new scene in LayOut does not give me the same scene that I created in Sketchup - the tags and style have now changed in a dramatic way.
These are new developments as of today. The last project went along perfectly - I was impressed with the ease of bringing in pre-assigned scenes from Sketchup.
One final note - I did a test by creating a new SU file, drew a simple shape and saved the scene. Opening it in Layout produced the same result.
Thanks in advance for your input. User forums like this give me hope for humanity…
Could you share the LayOut file with us so we can see what you’ve got going on? I’m sure there’s a simple fix but seeing the file will make it much easier to help you.
Another observation I neglected to mention. After setting up my scenes in SU, updating them and saving everything - I close the file.
I then open LO, create a viewport and see that my scene is not as I left it in SU. Upon reopening SU, the scene has now been changed. I’ve checked this several times making sure I’m not getting something wrong in SU.
I assume this means you are using File>Insert to add the SketchUp file to the LayOut project?
This implies to me that you have Auto render disabled. I would leave it enabled at least to start.
It’s always been possible to have that yellow triangle. It indicates that the viewport has not been updated to match the scene in the SU file.
Another clue that Auto render is disabled. Tick the Auto box in the SketchUp model panel.
How are you “opening a new scene” in LayOut? Do you mean you are copying an existing viewport? If you’ve modified the visible tags or made other changes in the previous viewport, those changes will still be in effect for the copied viewport. Click Reset All for the new viewport to remove those changes.
I expect you just hadn’t hit the right combination of things previously.
FWIW, in your test file you updated I don’t see any of these problems. The embedded SketchUp file has no tags and since I have Auto render enabled, it all works as expected for me.
Are you updating the SketchUp reference in LayOut? If not, changes you make in the SketchUp model will not be reflected in the LayOut document.
Do you mean changed from what it looked like when you saved the SketchUp file? What changes did you make? And did you update the scene after making those changes?
I don’t see any problems with the embedded SketchUp file nor the test.skp file you uploaded.
Ahhh. I didn’t even realize I had un-checked the Auto Render! Doh!!
After re-checking Auto Render, the yellow triangle has vanished.
I typically copy over a new viewport - and then change the scene. I haven’t been making any changes to tags or other settings in LayOut (I think I got that excellent advice from you in someone else’s post!). Trying to keep to the power of the scenes in SU.
I’m realizing that the hiccup is most likely coming from the SU file in question. It has had a least one crash in the last day or so. I’m attaching a copy of it here.
It has a strange behavior where just switching back and forth between saved scenes produces inconsistent results with different tags and settings getting switched around. I’ll attempt to upload it here if it isn’t too large.
Actually that was probably from before LO2020. Although there are still changes I would recommend against, the tag visibility control in LO is extremely useful.
I see why you are getting what seem like inconsistent results when switching between scenes. In the Match Photo scenes you have nearly all Properties to Save and Properties to Update turned off which means that you won’t have any of those things as scene properties in the model. That’ll create all sorts of problems for you. I would suggest turning them back on for each scene and then go through and fix and update the scenes to show what you want them to show.
Think of yourself as a photographer and the scenes as locations for you to stand to take photos. Normally the photographer is in total control over who is in the picture, which way they are facing and so on. Right now in your model you have no control. It’s kind of like you’re just taking pictures of whomever shows no matter which way they are facing.
By the way, the reason those are unticked is likely due to the Match Photo thing. By default the original Match Photo scene will have the Properties to Save turned off and Camera Position grayed out because you can’t change that one. You need to regain control over those settings as you move forward creating new scenes.
Out of curiosity, why is the model so far off center in some of your scenes. For example in these. I think that would have something to do with why you aren’t seeing the model in some viewports.
Not sure I explained the scene properties thing very well. Here’s a quick video to sort of demonstrate. Since the Driveway View and Photomatched 2 scenes were created using Match Photo and properties such as Style, Active Section Planes and Visible Tags aren’t saved, those scenes will show the properties from the previous active scene. Although it is actually consistent behavior based on the settings, it definitely would look like it’s inconsistent if you don’t know about.
Thanks, Dave. You are a generous person with your time and knowledge!
Ok - I think I finally have a handle on the scene settings which is fabulous given that I really need to get this project done! I think I only accidentally did it right on the previous project.
It’s been a leap of faith to walk away from 15 years on Vectorworks where I had all this stuff figured out. I am still hopeful that it is a good move - I really do like many aspects of what SU has to offer, especially at the price point.
Those unusual off center model locations in the scenes are from templates I got with the Nick Sonder book. I’m still finding my way to my own process and path after reading thru his book as well as others.
Happy that was helpful. Maybe you did get by accidentally before.
I expect you will find it is. There are a lot of ducks to get in the row and some of them require a different process but once you do get the process down, it should be pretty easy.
As for the template thing from the venerable Mr. S, I would say stick with it. He has an excellent work flow. I disremember the exact application of the off-center model in his instruction. I use a different approach although I don’t do nearly as much architectural stuff as he does.
