Updates to the Home Tab and Trackpad Navigation

The Home Tab is getting a facelift
Today, we’re streamlining the Home Tab for SketchUp for Web and SketchUp for Schools. To better focus on its primary use case, file management, we’ve pared down the Home Tab to the Recent Files and Trimble Connect menus (Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive for SketchUp for Schools users). The rest of the features have been moved to more logical spots in the application, and we’ve refined the menus across the UI. Read on for the details!

You’ll first notice that when you create a new file, you’ll be able to choose from new templates including seven popular measurement conventions. The app saves your choices, so the next time you create a new file, you’ll default to that template. (You can always choose another template, too.)

When you open your new template, you’ll be met with the newest Scale Figure from the SketchUp family: say hello to Ty! Ty is our mighty Support Manager. He’s an avid maker, enjoys strumming his ukulele, and has a quirky sense of humor. Can you guess where the dinosaurs on his t-shirt are from?

If you’re looking at the Home Tab and wondering where some of the features went, not to worry! No functionality was harmed in the making of this update—just relocated:

  • The Account Menu is now available in the upper right corner of the Home Tab.
  • Add Location and the Import/Export Status Dashboard are available in the main menu of the modeling window. You can also find these features using Search.
  • Upload to 3D Warehouse (SketchUp for Web only) can be found as an option in the 3D Warehouse panel in the main modeling window.
  • Options to export your file as SKP, PNG or STL files are available in the Download Menu in the modeling window (and in Search).

Trackpad navigation, ready for prime time
Today, Trackpad Navigation is also graduating from “Labs” status. As a refresher, we introduced the ability to optimize navigation controls for use with a multi-touch trackpad a few months back on both SketchUp for Web and SketchUp for Schools.

Based on your feedback (thank you!), it’s now ready for primetime. We’ve adjusted the sensitivity sliders to make it easier to dial in the perfect settings for your device, and we’ve included a new option for two finger swipe: Trackpad Zoom. If you’re used to zooming with the trackpad, this new option allows you to maintain that workflow, but also gives you access to modifier keys for additional control of your view: Shift + swipe to Orbit; Control + swipe to Pan.

Lastly, we’ve added a menu in the status bar across the bottom to make it quick and easy to switch when you’re on the go or back at your desk with a mouse.

We hope you enjoy these changes. Let us know if you have any questions!

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Just in case anyone did want to know what the shirt was from, it’s from the best tv show/movie that never caught on:

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I saw, and loved, Serenity (the movie), before I knew there was a series. I did watch the series too!

Here’s another video, where we see Ty modeling the featured teeshirt.

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