SketchUp 2023 taking a long time exporting 2D graphics

[box4444]

I’ve updated to the latest SketchUp 2023. (23.1.341).
Whenever I export from SketchUp, I get the Status bar forevvvvvvverrrr. So long. Much longer than prior versions of SketchUp.
Bit of background:
I make things in SketchUp, then export them (as 2d graphic pdf), and put them in my company’s template for drawings (in Illustrator; it’s to create a consistent style across the board for us).
I use a mac (Sonoma 14.1).
I’ve noticed people posting similar things, but for Layout. My issue is stemming from SketchUp. Are there any fixes for SketchUp? Or am I the only one experiencing this (so it might be my computer and not SketchUp).
Any help is much appreciated! Thank you ahead of time!

[ateliernab]

hi,

• please share a file with us. right now, just from what you say, no way for us to know if it’s file or software related

• eh, well, sonoma. it is technically not supported by SU23. so yeah, there are risks of bugs or weird things like that, although it appears to work fine for many people. Best case, it’s not related. worst case, you might have found a bug to be fixed in SU24

• ok, say it’s not the file, and not sonoma, could you try to simply send the view in layout, turn it to vecto, and export it to pdf as well ? just to see if the problem touches just SU or if it’s wider.

[box4444]

File attached of the one I’m trying to export today. These are some cots inside a shelter.
I make camp layouts for customers (search & rescue, fire depts, health orgs, etc.), so this should be relatively small potatoes compared to what I usually export.
Shelter_Cots.skp (2.2 MB)
I wasn’t experiencing exporting problems until I did the latest '23 upgrade.
Forgot to mention, I usually operate in HiddenLines for Styles w/ Profiles set to 2.

[RLGL]

On a Windows 10 box, the export without changing the options, was close to instant. It also opened in Affinity Photo immediately. Also on the latest 2023.

[ateliernab]

ok, it’s the springs.

I tried to make a simple pdf with the springs, stopped after 2 minutes.

deleted them, got a pdf in 3 sec.
they are too detailed. way too detailed.

they are as much detailed as any other tube, and you got a lot of them.

When you export as a vector format, say pdf, SU exports ALL the individual faces.
Thing is, your model is so detailed, it contains 5,7 million lines and 2,8 million faces.

I’ll estimate, since you’re cutting half the model, let’s say it’s 2,85M lines and 1,4M faces. And the exporter has to process them to see witch one is supposed to be seen and witch one is not, then generate all the small faces.
I don’t have any older SU version installed on my mac right now, maybe someone can try ? @colin was anything changed to the mac export tools in SU23 ?

By deleting the springs, I got this

so the springs are the problem here.

---

what to do then ?
Two things. first, your 5 beds are 5 groups. you would be better of having a component with 5 copies. because then, fixing one would fix the rest.

Then, considering the level of detail needed for camp layouts, you could replace the springs by simple cylindres or, if you really need them to look like springs, simpler - low poly springs.

here is a simple follow me. considering the scope of what you’re trying to convey to the clients, I would use simple tubes. I mean, they’ve seen a cot. and if you really need to show them how it looks like, then maybe an actual of a cot would make your life simpler.

[ateliernab]

ok, while waiting for UPS, I took 15 min to clean up the cot and make a simpler low poly spring

cot.skp (354.8 KB)

and here is your file with my new and improved cot components in it

Shelter_Cots.skp (1.1 MB)

the pdf exported in 20 seconds, I guess the low poly spring was still a lot of polys.

here is a version with cylindres only. even faster export, 4 seconds.
Shelter_Cots TUBES.skp (1.1 MB)

---

problem is that the person who made the springs in 3d made it super detailed, because it was the “focus” of the 3d. But then, when the focus shifted to the cot, the spring was too detailed. then when it moved to the whole tent, it became a black hole of geometry.
a single spring was 38K lines.
the whole project without the spring about 184K. meaning that 5 springs contained more geometry than the rest of the project

[box4444]

Thank you thank you thank you. The simplified versions are sooooo much better. Many thanks for pinpointing the issue (and providing the fixes). I will now comb thru my other components that are giving me the same troubles and simplify some areas.

[ateliernab]

@box4444

I will now comb thru my other components that are giving me the same troubles and simplify some areas

• turn on the hidden lines, zoom out a bit, and look for black holes, areas where there are so many dashed lines that you can’t see anything. it’s not 100% accurate, but usually, these areas are a bit too detailed compared to their surroundings.

• a free extension, CG Impact Report. it looks at groups and components and tells you the number of copies, the amount of geometry (lines + faces) and the total.
  

8 million entities (lines + faces) for a couple hundred springs, it’s a red flag.