This issue has been plaguing me for some time, so I finally created a simple test case to illustrate the problem. Whenever I try to Print a view that contains text callouts (e.g., the Text tool), it sometimes cuts off part of the text callout, or it doesn’t appear at all. I finally noticed a pattern, which is shown in this test case…see the attached PDF printout and notice that:
The text box that is not attached to any geometry is duplicated at what appears to be the center of the page.
Any text callouts at that same position on the page are cut at that point, resulting in partial text callouts.
To get around this, I’m constantly repositioning the direction of the callout to avoid them showing up in the middle of the printed page. However, I have no workaround for the duplicate instance of the unattached text box.
To duplicate the problem:
Open the attached SU model.
View the Top View of the model.
Do a Zoom Extents.
From the hamburger menu, select the Print option.
Select the Landscape Orientation.
I check the White Background option, but it doesn’t make any difference.
Click the Print to PDF button.
Depending on your setup, it may prompt you as to where to save the file. Sometimes I get that, but not always (perhaps another bug). If it doesn’t automatically open in Adobe Reader, open it from where you saved it.
Notice the problems in the center of the page…The isolated text is repeated and any text callouts in the center of the page are cut off.
Try zooming in at different magnifications and notice how it affects the text callouts in the middle of the page.
I use the Windows desktop app, but have the same issue if I run it directly in the Chrome browser.
Let me know if you are able to replicate the problem and how we get it submitted to SketchUp for repair…
For the Free version we do rely on people helping in the forum. Normally by now someone should have suggested something. Me and a few others do check the forum for questions that really need us to answer.
I need to read your post now, to see if I understand what is going wrong.
It seam to be a bug.
There are missing “things” at the middle of pdf printout.
I was able to reproduce the “buggy” pdf file printing out from a web app.
FWIW, I was able to replicate this problem in the new SU Lab environment.
One thing that I failed to mention in the OP is that it’s even more frustrating because in the SU print preview (before you hit the Print to PDF button), everything looks normal and you can fiddle with the view and get it just the way you want to see it in the PDF file. It’s not until you create and view the PDF file that you see the problems. Then you have to go back and forth using trial and error to guess what the appropriate layout of your callouts is to get a good output file.
Also note that another ‘feature’, that I find particularly annoying, related to PDF printing (should I create a new post?), is that they embed code in the PDF file that causes the printer dialog to open any time you open the saved PDF file. Not very cool if you want to share the PDF with someone to view (not, necessarily, print). I’m guessing the offending PDF language is:
6 0 obj
<</N/Print/S/Named/Type/Action>>
endobj
I understand that the intended purpose of the Print command is to print the file. On the other hand, I know of many other apps that let you print to PDF without embedding this language in the created PDF file…the user has to then initiate the print process. Unless they can implement a way to provide both features (print on output, but view when opened), I think the better course would be to not embed the print code in the PDF file…IMHO.
This is an issue that we need to address. As a workaround, would you be able to use image like a PNG file instead of PDF? Go to Hamburger menu > Download > PNG ?
Is this related? Exporting text labels from SketchUp Pro, ends are cut off in either .jpg or .png format. Feels like a clipping plane issue in the exporter?
I’m having this same problem…about a year later from original post. Since I’m still having issues, evidently SU has not resolved. Has any update or workaround been made since September 2022?
You can upload it here. Download the file to your computer and then drag and drop the file in your reply. If it’s bigger than 16 Mb upload it to DropBox or WE Transfeer and share the link.
Will send to Office Depot for them to print “house plans” for submittal to county for building permit.
My plans include front, rear, L/R side elevations; framing plan with doors and windows, electrical, etc.
I basically have created multiple files but where I can I utilize one file with varying scenes and then print to pdf. I actually have an earlier pdf offload file that has the same text replicated in what appears to be 6 different “quadrants” on the pdf printout version.
Sounds like you really ought to be using SketchUp Pro with LayOut so you can create the plans in the proper format required by the county. What you are trying to do is really beyond the scope of SketchUp Free.
You may be right…but I have no plans of extensive use after my home addition. With so many manhours spent (on what SU Free should be able to do rather easily), I am too invested and have deadlines I’m bumping up against. If my files would easily convert to “Pro”, I’d get a license vs. starting all over again.
