Multiple Page Sizes in LayOut

If you’re checking the apps that come with SketchUp, you also might wanna check the StyleBuilder app. You can make your own personal styles, which SketchUp uses to render lines and backgrounds.

I’d definitely use the ability to have multiple page sizes in a document.

I regularly generate my erection drawings at 36x24 but a lot of the individual drawings go on 8 1/2x11. I use two LO files now, and that works fine, but it would be great if I could do it all in one file…

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In my opinion I think thats a simple issue and could be include on next upgrade.

In my opinion anything related to application programming might be much more complex than it looks.

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Speaking as a professional software developer for ~36 years, you are correct, Sir! :slight_smile:

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There are a LOT of use cases for this. Often you try to make drawings as small as possible because smaller paper sizes are cheaper to print, but some drawings have to be on a really large paper to fit with the adequate level of detail. If you make a presentation that is supposed to be hung on a wall you can vary paper sizes to make it more visually appealing. If you present a project as a booklet you may want a fold out spread for the largest and most important imagery.

On the other hand SketchUp isn’t the kind of program that is supposed to do everything, but do the vast majority of what you need and do it well with a low learning curve. If this can be implemented in a way so it doesn’t bother users who don’t need it and doesn’t introduce bugs or strange behaviors elsewhere I’m in favor.

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Small paper sizer are much more practical on site.

I prefer to have big and small sizes together in the same layout drawing because when I make a model revision I change all the derived views in one time, and change the “rev” autotex to update all the pages.

If different paper size for each page is difficult to implement (otherwise I suppose it would’t be such bushy argumentation) perhaps different paper orientation per page would be simpler? This would be of some help.

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I don’t see how that would be simpler. Problems such as handling shared layers, what to do with the camera when switching between pages, or how to let the user change these settings would still need to be solved.

Some suggestion (hoping to give my contribution)

Save the camera when switch to other page, and reset that view when come back to that page

I think we all agree that shared layer and page format have to work together, my suggestion is to handle this manually, the user have to create one or more shared layers for each page format.

Currently the camera isn’t saved on a per page basis. I find this very practical as I can switch between different floor plans and still view the same region.

Well, imo shared layers should be removed anyway and replaced by SketchUp-like components. Edit one instance and all copies are edited. This also has the benefit that identical elements, e.g. titleblocks, can be placed differently on different pages if needed to fit the drawings. But that’s another topic.

Of course the problem is more complicated than I can see from outside, my suggestion goes in the direction of the flexibility, without losing the ease of use and practicality. That said I try another couple of shots.

You are right, is very practical I prefer to maintain this too. Maybe the solution should be something like section brake in word? So the different page sizes groups could be handled together.

This open an other big topic: create components in layout :slight_smile: A title block component can be used in both page sizes, and different position.

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This was one of the major pluses of ACAD’s layouts.

A design concept could probably all be done on one type of sheet size… i.e. A3 for presentation.

But for construction documentation… one could have a complete small project in “one dwg file”. I.e. A site plan at 1:500 or 1000 could be on an A3 or A2, while a 1:50 detail plan dwg could be on an A1 or A0 and a schedule (door, window or finishes) could be on an A4, A3 or A2 drawing. etc… etc…

This could be output to PDF and if the contractor required printing, then the costs would be as cheep as possible!

Also less “sheet planning” for printing was required and allows some of the pages to be bundled into specific work sets “Shedules could be a bound booklet” … “details or pans hanging dwgs” … and saves on filing space. Less mixing of information to try optimizing sheet printing … i.e. 1:100 plans on A2 detail plans on A1 and schedules on A4 or A3 … all in the same electronic drawing file!

Why same drawing ? Less updating between dwgs, when changes happen = less mistakes or forgetting to change things between drawings!

This is 101 drawing office workflow basics!

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My current workaround is to have 2 or 3 typical title block outlines in one template on specific layers (A4 / A3 / A1), with “common information”; (i.e. logos, project info), repeated on these layers in the appropriate positions for the different sizes. Then set these to visible on all layers.

Specific sheet / page info, (description, dwg & page number etc … again in the appropriate positions for the different sizes), on separate layer for that page. (I.e. NOT set to visible on all layers).

Then per page … and depending on sheet size insert the appropriate “common information”, page outline and the page info & set layer to visible or not.

When printing … then in “document setup” set the page size one at a time for each page type. First print all the A4 pages then A3, A1… etc, using the page interval in the printer’s dialogue.

But it makes drawings a little bit larger and printing tedious.

Is this happening? This was a 2017 post. This is an important feature to have. No project is the same and therefore differing page sizes is important… Right now designers need multiple layout documents to get this job done…

Hey Marc,

Just some ideas. Not something i need particularly but can add to the discussion:

Use 1:
A text-based document is a4 portrait but has a3 landscape drawings in it. Quite common if we are preparing a short letter, table or memo followed by a drawing, or using an appendix with a few drawings in it

Use 2:
One of the big uses I can think of is to have pages set up in a template that act as master pages. So one LO file but can use that file to generate any page size.

Use 3
Starting in portrait but later realising your work would look better in landscape, so wanting to try both options.

Use 4:
A landscape document but it needs to incorporate a large table/specification sheet or other info that sits better in portrait.

Use 5:
Marketing documents (brochures), instructionals and material for workshops/stakeholder engagement sessions. These often contain a range of material from drawings, to diagrams, to text or surveys.

General comments:
LO needs better text functions so that it can be used to create a presentation of a project…title page, table of contents page, some pages of text/photos, then some drawings.
Right now it really just does the drawings, and we need to use InDesign for all the rest. So $300yr for indesign subs when we really just want slightly better tools in LO.

General Question:
When are we getting pdf import to LO?

Not sure if Mark would respond, as he left the building some time ago.
Better ping @adam or @trent

I’d caution those looking to load up a single LO file with multiple sheets for a full cd set. The bigger the file, the slower it functions.

As a licensed architect for 28 years now, I would have no use for this. I’d rather the focus be on speed and improvements in existing features.

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If you have page outlines drawn and you export to a single file with oversize pages, a PDF editor can crop and remove the excess white space from all pages with a couple of clicks.

oh wow, seems the tag alert saying " 3 years later" did not appear when posting the reply (using chrome on android).
So I though ti was recent :laughing: :grin:

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