Using Lay out

I have been trying to find the file “Taking SketchUp to the Next Level Chapter 14” in order to follow Aaron Dietzen’s book to learn how to use Layout, with no success. I use a Mac and have SketchUp Pro.

You mean this:

I searched next level chapter 14 and looked in Models.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your reply. I down loaded the link you sent and it is the model that Aaron used to instruct Layout. Now I need to know how to go from the model in the 3D warehouse to Layout to follow Aaron’s directions as outlined in his book.

Cheers, Leo

With the model open in SketchUp use File>Send to LayOut. Or in LayOut, File>Insert and find the .skp file you downloaded.

Go to page 352 and read the section titled Using LayOut with SketchUp models.

If you haven’t done it already you ought to go through the tutorials at learn.sketchup.com to get the basics before you try taking SketchUp Pro and LayOut to the next level.

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Hi Dave,

I followed your instructions and things are working. The reason I like to learn LayOut is that I need to generate mechanical 2D drawings for a machinist to make a part. These drawing will often have hidden lines/ghost-lines in the form of dotted lines. I am doing ok with SketchUp but I will follow the tutorials you at learn.sketchup.com . Can you recommend a book that strictly deals with LayOut?

Thanks for putting up with me.
Cheers, Leo

That can all be done starting from a SketchUp model.

This is an example from a set of drawings I did for manufacuring an object. I’ve turned off layers for dimensions and annotations but the hidden lines and other features come from the SketchUp model. There are a few other parts in the drawing package


The model wound up being modified about 8 times before getting to this final design. If I had just made these drawings in LayOut and then needed to make updates, I would have had to edit every view in the LO document to update the drawing. Too much work for me. Much easier to edit the 3D model in SketchUp, save the changes, and update the model reference in LayOut.

This is another thing I did in LayOut from a SketchUp model. No hidden lines but plenty of other detail.

I can’t suggest a book specifically about using LayOut specifically for what you want to do with it.

Thanks Dave,

I will work on my mechanical designs in SketchUp.
Your answers and drawing samples are much appreciated.

Cheers, Leo

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