Hi there
I have a very basic problem. I am trying to create a simple 2D elevation in Layout but I find that I cannot delete parts of lines as I can in SketchUp usually ie a line is drawn, another line meets it at a perpendicular angle and I want to delete the bottom part of the original line. I can’t seem to do this as I end up deleting the whole lot. I have tried ungrouping but this does not work… HELP would be HUGELY appreciated!
Most likely you need to use the Split tool to split out that line from the rest. Look for the knife blade icon on the toolbar.
While you can draw it in LayOut, I think you would be better off to draw the elevation in SketchUp. Create a scene showing the elevation and save the file. Then send to LayOut to create the document.
Thanks so much DaveR. I am new to the whole of SketchUp and want to be able to produce great 2D drawings initially and then move on to 3D. I was under the impression that Layout was a better way of drawing 2D - especially as allows user to scale properly and export and print etc. Do you think this is not the case? Better to make drawings in SketchUp in Top View and Parallel projection and then send to layout?
Yup, for sure.
While you can do 2D drawing in LayOut and the Scaled Drawing tool makes that easier, LayOut is really intended to be the tool for creating presentations and documents from your SketchUp models and other assets. The best route would be to make the model in SketchUp and send it to LayOut.
I would also suggest you are wasting your time starting out drawing in 2D since you plan to then go to 3D. Instead, start out making your 3D model in SketchUp. After you’ve got it modeled in 3D you can make your 2D elevations and whatever other views you need.
The 3D model has the benefit of giving you all the views you need and as far as the elevations are concerned, you can be assured they will all agree. If you draw your elevations in LO, there’s no connection between them so they can easily show different information.
Better to make one 3D model and create scenes showing the required views in SketchUp.
Thanks DaveR - that is really helpful. I’ve got a lot to learn!
Best wishes
Thank you. And if I have a small project for which I just want plans and elevations (can’t do the 3D bit yet but do need to produce some plans) still best to do in SketchUp rather than Layout?
I appreciate your help!
I would do that. At least then you’ve got a good start if you want to make it 3D. What is preventing you from working in 3D now?
Yes. I have some jobs that definitely warrant modelling in 3D and others that don’t. But I do them all in SU and then export to LO for presentation purposes.
I think the recent development of being able to make scaled drawings in LO is great but it has probably made people think it is a 2D CAD package and the companion to SU as a 3D package. It would have to be pretty much as powerful as AutoCad LT for that but it isn’t and isn’t really intended to be.
Here’s an example of how you might make really good use of the scaled drawing feature. Say you drew detailed plans in SU and exported them to LO. Now you want to add drainage runs, typically shown by dotted lines. SU is really poor when it comes to linestyles (something every AutoCad user is very familiar with). You want them to relate to the scale of your imported SU scene, so you draw them in scaled drawing in LO. Doing that will also automatically create a group which is handy. And it’s easy to alter the dotted line type, colour, thickness, etc.
As @DaveR has said, it also provides a great start if you ever do want to make a 3D model later.
This makes perfect sense - thank you so much. I had thought, exactly as you suggest, that Layout was the solution to my 2D needs but have struggled to get it to do exactly what I want. I will now persevere with learning SU properly (only just realised that making plans/elevations easiest with top view, parallel projection etc) and then import to Layout for presentation and printing and so on.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reply on this!
Many thanks
I haven’t learnt how to do 3D yet! About to start a course. My main concern was trying to work out if SU and Layout could do everthing I need in terms of both 2D and 3D. I had thought Layout was the answer for 2D but now realise that better when doing simple 2D plans etc to carry on in SU and then send to Layout to make look presentable etc.
Thanks