New 3d warehouse search engine has problems

So I use the 3d warehouse right out of the program, not a browser, just so you know from the start.
Since the last update to the warehouse search options, (around beginning of 2017) I’ve had serious trouble. I start typing in the search field, and the dropdown menu often won’t let me type anything besides what it’s predicting that I want to search for. Hope you understand what I’m saying.


If you look at the screenshot, I had typed out “trough sink” in full, yet the search engine predicted that I was searching for “trs” and backspaced all the other letters.
Obviously, this is immensely annoying.

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From your screen shot it is impossible to tell you typed “trough sink.” It looks like you typed “trs.” When I type in “trough sink” I get the following. That leads me to believe there’s nothing wrong with the Warehouse search.

I know it’s hard to believe, but I can guarantee, that I typed “trough sink” in full. Is it a problem with my computer?

I don’t know but it you typed all those letters and the only ones that worked were T, R, and S, I’d be a little puzzled, too. Clearly your keyboard works since you were able to type the words in your post.

Since it couldn’t hurt, maybe clear your caches for IE and check to make sure IE is up to date.

I’ve been having some issues too, If during the import process another window is open, not only will the item no longer import into SU but SU locks up requiring a shutdown from the task manager. This is a repeatable issue. I try to now make sure I am in a full/max window during an import just in case the mouse inadvertently catches outside the SU space. I did contact support on this issue without resolution, maybe it’s my system?
Additionally, there is a teasing issue with the new interface too. When you go back to the wharehouse for an additional / like model, the previous search appears and yet cannot be accessed without retyping! It would be handy as one is likely looking for like models? so that the previous search remains actionable, or goes back to a blank search to avoid the frustration.

Sorry, didn’t mean to get off topic on a rant as the 3D wharehouse is an invaluable resource, but while I’m at it, is there some kind of guideline for the upload of models as it would be great to encourage modelers to scale their models correctly so we don’t bring in an 80 foot high chair into an 8 ft high room. Be nice to have all the faces the correct way too but that might be asking for too much.

Cleared IE and Chrome caches and restarted computer, and it’s working now, so I don’t know what to think. This isn’t the first time it’s happened, and I don’t want to restart every time it happens in the future, but thanks for now, I guess :smile:

And no, my keyboard has no issues. I’m on a four-month-old Latitude, and I type “all day” in other software with no trouble.

Clearing the IE caches has helped on many occasions. It’s worth remembering. If you are still using SU2015 as your profile indicates, keeping IE up to date and periodically clearing the cache will go a long way to heading off problems.

Clearing Chrome caches is alright but won’t impact SketchUp.

That is kind of off-topic :slight_smile: but I’m all for it, though I don’t see how to enforce something like that.

When I run into stuff like that, I end up swallowing hard and bearing it, cause as you say, the benefits of the warehouse out-weigh the annoyances.

Maybe we could create two divisions of the warehouse: those who upload useful, “clean”, models, and those who upload random, off-the-wall, and messy files because they have nothing else to do… :confused::smirk:

Yes, still on SU2015. As a sort of freelance, part-time intern (if that exists) can’t afford to update every year.

Thanks, good to know. I didn’t know IE cache had anything to do with warehouse since I’m running out of the program, so I did Chrome too, just in case. Now I know.

I would be for it, too. I also think it would be impossible to enforce. Anyone can upload any SketchUp file to the Warehouse. Very often when I search for components there, I find they are poorly modeled or grossly over modeled. (I’ve seen some kitchen appliances that are so overly detailed that you could just about reverse engineer them and make your own real copies.) On the rare occasions I use a component from the 3DWH, I import it into a separate file to check it out and clean it up to make it usable. More often than not, though, it’s faster for me to draw the thing from scratch than it is making the downloaded one usable.

SU2016 and before use IE on Windows machines for all web-based interfaces like 3DWH. It doesn’t matter what your default browser is. So it’s important to keep IE in good shape.

Thanks one more time. Will do.

I use models all the time (I’m in kitchen drafting, and paid hourly) but I always clean them up, coordinate materials, etc. Occasionally, I even re-upload my cleaned-up appliances, of course crediting the original author, but hopefully helping someone else out down the road.
And yes, there are times when it’s faster to start from scratch.

Yeah. I’m paid hourly, too, and so I usually take a quick look and make a decision. For me it’s often not worth the time to search the 3DWH. It’s a good resource for many people, though.

Are you aware of the SketchUp-programs ?

Sketchup has a Certified Content Developer program to enhance the quality of 3D-models of the 3D Warehouse.

@MobelDesign are you still having the issue with typeahead suggestions bing borked, or did that go away after updating IE, etc.? Apologies for the inconvenience, but your experience is certainly not by design so we’ll do what we can to get you sorted.

@whiterabbitdesigncompany we are aware of the regression related to SketchUp 2017 no longer returning users to the previously viewed page when using 3D Warehouse in the app. This is actually an issue on the SketchUp side but we’re investigating options to fix on the 3DW side. The fact that things are hanging for you is not a good thing. I’ll have @Barry check on the status of your support ticket.

@whiterabbitdesigncompany et. al. This blog post and embedded video was also published to support the info that was published to the nascent 3D Warehouse Content Developer Center that @MikeWayzovski referenced above.

It would be hard to enforce as it’s open to all to upload which is great, but I was thinking it would be a more friendly procedure whereby during the upload process a dialogue box would appear saying “is this model scaled correctly, are the faces aligned etc” which might prompt people to make those adjustments before hitting the upload button? or not…

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The x in the search bar indicates you’re not running 2017, so confirm that you’re updated to IE 11. Older SketchUp’s use IE’s web stuff, and in 2017 we control it ourselves without IE updates needed.

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@MikeTadros thanks for your concern. After clearing IE cache, I haven’t noticed the issue anymore.

Thanks, @MikeWayzovski, I’ll look into that.

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@whiterabbitdesigncompany Don’t know if you’ve checked out the blog post from @MikeTadros, but it’s exactly what you’re asking for. All we need now is for it to pop up on the upload dialogue.

No I hadn’t read that, but good to hear that there could be implementation
of this kind of idea…sometimes we all need this kind of reminder.

Steve Hardie
323 363 5649

Overly detailed appliances and plumbing fixtures are a pet peeve of mine too. All that unnecessary detail can really slow things down, but what really bugs me is that despite the obsessive detail, they’re rarely very accurate. A stove model might be an eighth inch wider at the top than the bottom, and a sink model could be a quarter inch larger than the manufacturer’s spec says it should be.