Reload Models on Locked viewports

I frequently lock viewport’s layers when my viewports are all set. That way it’s faster to dimension and leader without the hassle of an accidental double click in a viewport.

However, while I’m dimensioning I frequently have to remodel some stuff in Sketchup and I need to reload models.

However, reloading locked viewports is hard:

  • It’s not possible to access locked layer viewports through rightclick menu to render them or reload their models. It should be possible;
  • It’s not possible to right click on a empty space and reload all models on page, though we can render all models on page. It should be possible to reload.
  • Strangelly enough you can change the viewport style through sampling with the eyedropper tool, wich is something that clearly shouldn’t be possible with locked layers.

The only possible ways to reload the model are throught Model Preferences > References or by Unlocking layers… both too slow and unlocking is specially dangerous as the purpose of locking is staying locked and unlocking and reload takes some time so I tend to forget to relock them.

Somethings should change here.

How about this in the meantime?

Temporarily unlock the layer, right click on a viewport and choose Open with SketchUp. Lock the layer again.

As you make changes in the SU file, save them. On returning to LO, the viewports should update automatically assuming you have Auto-render enabled.

Sorry Dave, I thought I had answer to you already but it seems I didn’t reply and the draft was stuck here… Here goes the original reply:.

That’s clever!

I’m usually already working on Sketchup and only after do I open Layout, but I do think the link we get when we open the sketchup model from within layout is handy in some scenarios.

The problem is that I save a lot when working inside sketchup and I don’t like to keep reloading my big files everytime I come back to layout as I’m there, stuck, being unable to work for several minutes.

I think I could change my workflow, but I think this would be a useful feature too.