My SketchUp complained about needing to update to version 2017, so I did. Now it wont open because my system isn’t OpenGL 3 compatible. It really would have been nice if it warned me, or even better, didn’t keep telling me to update.
So is that it? Can I no longer use SketchUp? There’s no option I can see to download the older 2016 version.
Do I need to go to a different program? If so, which?
It’s unfortunate that you took it that SketchUp was “complaining”. You could tell it not to inform you that a new version is available. Did you uninstall SketchUp 2016? If so, there was no need to do that. You can download SU2016 Pro here. You should always check system requirements before upgrading to a new version of any software.
What is your graphics card and graphics driver versions. It might be that you just need to update the drivers.
It’s normal to install an older version of software before installing a newer, so I thought I needed to. I’m kicking myself for not keeping the old installer.
I was using a free license - isn’t Pro going to insist I purchase?
you do prefer to lose all your SU knowledge and file base instead of upgrading your (probably old/weak) system…
“you do prefer to lose all your SU knowledge and file base instead of upgrading your (probably old/weak) system…”
Well, yes… because I was only just starting out with SketchUp really. I only downloaded it initially because I was building something from plans supplied in SketchUp format. My system is pretty good - boots up in only a few seconds, has a 1Tb SSD, 8Gb RAM, does everything I need as fast as I need, except (now) running SketchUp. I’m not replacing a £1000+ laptop, old as it is, because a piece of free software wants me to.
I’ll find something else if I have to. I’d just rather carry on using SketchUp if I can because it seemed like it would be easy for a beginner in 3D modelling without requiring any financial outlay.
I think you meant ‘uninstall’, and yes, that’s not uncommon if the application or folder name is the same. With SketchUp the folder name is changed, so you can keep old versions around.
I’m not positive it is like this with v2016, but normally you install the Pro version and get some time to try it out. If you don’t buy it, it would revert to being the free version.
Just installed 2016 Pro - it’s insisting on me adding a license, or cancel, when I open the program. 
donwload/install the functional limited Make version not the full-blown Pro version, at least if using it for non-commcerical purposes.
Unfortunately, Make 2016 isn’t available to download on that page, only Make 2017 which doesn’t work on my system.
won’t help much because more or less every better 3D modeler uses an accelerated display output processed by the graphics card and their driver (OpenGL/Direct3D)… but SU 2016 might be the solution because the accelerated display out can be disabled (= slow) if problematic.
for non-ENglish versions here.
Thank you! Downloading Make 2016 now.
I have OpenGL2 so it should easily be fast enough for the kind of modelling a beginner like me is doing. Come on - if GTA San Andreas could fun ok with all those 3D things, surely some very basic modelling would be a piece of cake. It’s not like I’m trying to model New York.
@ 5 FPS with all setting at the min.?
you not but others sothat system requirements cannot be case dependend… but apples with peaches anyhow, 3D modeling of precise geometry is something other than accelerated 3D throughput where unprecise objects don’t bother.
“@ 5 FPS with all setting at the min.?”
@25FPS at 1024x768 with most settings on medium. It’s playable, looks ok, bit of silly fun!
“3D modeling of precise geometry is something other than accelerated 3D throughput where unprecise objects doesn’t bother.”
Curious - software like Corel Draw throttles the rendering quality depending upon what you’re doing and how fast you’re moving things. I don’t even notice it doing it, because it’s so intuitive. Software like Sony Vegas renders things at low quality until you go for output - again throttling the render quality depending on the situation. Precision is more about calculation rather than rendering. I suppose I just assumed 3D modelling software would do the same, since you usually model in low quality then render in high quality as far as I know…
Corel and Vegas is 2D… the accelerated display output of 3D modelers is done by the GPU typically using the OpenGL industry standard. Cheap graphic subsystems integrated in and sharing RAM with the CPU are made for office/video/internet and regularly sub-par to dedicated graphics cards in performance as well as maturity of the OpenGL support, thus the system requirements (see above).
btw, you can quote either by selecting (a part of) the text and using the fly-out shown or by replying and using the quote tool (balloon icon at outer left).
Yes and no…
Corel is mainly 2D but does use hardware acceleration if available. It makes use of OpenGL2.
Vegas uses 3D - it has many 3D effects applied to video that are rendered in real time at a lower resolution than the final render, and again uses OpenGL or DirectX-3D. Most of the transitions that involve page curls, zoom in/out, rotating cubes, etc. are all rendered using OpenGL.
Laptops. Seriously, just look at the graphics card sizes and cooling required, and imagine trying to fit that in a laptop. Integrated graphics systems are much, much, smaller, and use less power, and are really the only sensible solution for portable computing. When you decide to only support higher versions of things like OpenGL without allowing fallback to lower versions, even if it means a big performance hit, you’re really making a decision to exclude laptop users. Whether that’s a sensible business decision is a debate for another time, but you can replace the graphics system in a desktop/tower very easily - laptops, not really an option most of the time.
should have be more specific, i.e. none of them are made for 3D modeling purposes.
surely not… actually no imagination required because countless notebooks with dedicated and capable graphics subsystems even for the small sizes are available… and even up to the workstation class series (Dell Precision, HP ZBook, Lenovo ThinkPad, Fujitsu Celsius etc.) with CAD GPUs (as e.g. nVidia Quadro) dedicated for a use with full-blown 3D ‘battleship’ modelers.
If you do not wanna profit of the advanced capabilities of OpenGL v3.0+ (transparency depth etc.) required by the recent (and future) SU versions, just stick with the predecessor version 2016, at least in the boundaries of their system requirements (OS).
Sorry for the trap one would think checks are done before the old version is deleted.
I just yesterday deleted my old version of SU2017 make M2 because of some of the things broke in that release and was able to install and older version and did not lose anything. Thimngs work fine now , crossing fingers.
The openGL version that Trimble quotes for it is 3.3 but worded some thing at least , what they really test to ??.
Long time ago I decided to find out what is really in my system independent of what seller are pushing;
Suggest you download and run Fresh Diagnoses (Fresh Diagnose - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download )and it audit your total system and make report of what you actually have;
Download and run OpenGL ( GLView: OpenGL Diagnostics - RealTech VR )viewer and that will do same type of test. About OpenGL V 3.0 it was decided to no longer require its backward comparability . MACs did that at about 3.3 and caused some problems with their users. About same time a review board was established to allow users special changes to avoid that major step change. I have an older graphics card and although spec at 3.3 it test at higher than 4.0. You need to see if you can get update to your 2.0 system.
Su was also using a test program called Speecy (Speccy - Free Download) that you may check out
In mean time can you post your profile with the hardware and software configuration you have?
Good Luck