I am a cabinetmaker, I have been learning and using the free version of sketchup for 10 months now and I really like what I can do. I can draw a job, run cutlist, and export the cutlist to a spreadsheet with 100% success.(Just within the last couple of months have I achieved this). I can see how I need to graduate to the pro version but wanted to ask everyone’s advice here on how to go about it. Should I buy 2016 before 2017 comes out or should I wait for 2017. I dont want to loose the ability to use the cutlist extension as it seems like the best plugin of its kind right now. Also there have been a few threads about plugins that help convert the files for cnc processing but I wasnt able to get any info on what those plugins actually are, anyone know? What is the initial cost to buy PRO, and what will it cost me annually? how does all of that work? I am totally new and Ignorant so all input is greatly appreciated
When you first buy a licence it includes maintenance and updates for 1 calendar year. Thereafter you will have to renew (currently US $120.00 per year) maintenance which will renew your access to updates as well.
It’s getting close to the time when the new release is to be expected, so there is an argument for hanging-fire for a few weeks. However, it’s sometimes the case that the odd extension doesn’t work with the latest version until the plugin developers get a chance to upgrade it. I’m not saying that this would be the case with any of the extensions that you use, but it is a possibility.
Against that, if you did decide to wait for 2017 and did experience any such problem, you could always drop back to Make 2016 in which all the extensions currently work. (both versions will happily cohabit the same system) You could even do all the heavy lifting in 2017, then save as a 2016 file, open it in that version and hence be able to use any problem export extension until such time as it was upgraded…
SU Pro is currently $695.
If you decied to wait for 2017 you cannot activate version 2016 because the license is bound to the SU version purchased for.
Local resellers who are additionally able to provide a maintenance runtime of 2/3 years can be found at the offic. SketchUp Pro Resellers page.
I’ve never actually tested it, because I’ve always used the Pro version, but surely the free version stays free even if you purchase a later Pro version?
you can use multiple revisions on the same system.
btw, the Make version is free for non-commercial usage only.
But that doesn’t really apply if you’ve already actually bought the Pro version and are merely using the Make version to temporarily export stuff until the extension publishers manage to catch up.
The whole purpose of the stipulations on usage with Make are so that people using SU commercially actually purchase a license…which would be the case.
This was my entire point about purchasing 2017 Pro and maybe using Make 2016 to cover any shortfall in plugin compatibility…which may not even be an issue anyway.
what applies is the offic. Trimble SketchUp Make Lincense Agreement only which seems not to cover your usage case.
It’s not my usage case. I’ve always used Pro. But the license terms state that if you use SU commercially then you must purchase a Pro license, which is the case, as Jonathan is enquiring about doing exactly that. I really don’t see what the difficulty is.
the license agreement of the Make version doesn’t grant the right to use the Make version in a commercial surrounding regardless if a Pro license is existent or not, no more no less.
Being aware of this, it would be nice if a SUP license could be used regardless of an older SU revision required because of e.g. still using an unsupported OS or plugins not being compatible with recent versions:
I really don’t see the point in pursuing an obscure point of terminology, which is entirely hypothetical; dependent as it is on a particular extension not working for a few weeks…which it almost certainly will, in any case.
Especially when the release of SU2017 is likely imminent, rendering the whole original question somewhat academic. By far the most likely scenario is that Jonathan could simply buy 2017 Pro and get on with it.
Thanks to everyone for their input. To those who are concerned, rest assured that I have not been using Make for commercial purposes. We have been in business for 29 years without it. The last ten months I have devoted my time to learning the program at my pace in order to see if it would be a good fit for my business. Being able to work on learning the program at my own pace without the large investment has been a great gift to me as I work full time and raise a toddler by myself. I have tried several cabinetmaking software programs and they all have free trials, but they are limited in time, and every time the program has failed to be able to do what i need it to do in the time given. I was not completely sold on Sketchup until a month or two ago when I discovered how to properly use cutlist combined with its export to csv function. Until then I thought it was going to be like all other software where I had to “live with some things” that it did differently from what my shop has been doing for the last 29 years. I really enjoy that i can work in this program and shape it to how we do things around here.
I have heard some grumblings in recent posts about how good the free program is in comparison with pro, but without the high quality of the free program with no set time limit of its use, I doubt i would be here today ready to buy the pro version
Make and Pro are the same core application with only several limited functionality - besides LO mainly the vector-based 3D CAD filters and the volume tools - removed for Make. Actually, the Make version is much to capable and should be stripped down further or better discontinued to motivate commercial Make users to buy Pro and to pay for a effort they make a draft on.
Ive been using the pro version for years, been a great tool for cabinet business. I have yet to figure out how to preform a cultist, care to help me with this?
Thx.
You should have started a new topic rather than redirecting this one, but since the answer is simple OK. Just get the CutList extension from the Extension Warehouse or sketchUcation plugin store. There is also Cutlist Bridge 4 which is a different extension with additional capabilities, though some people find it to be more complicated than they need.
Start a new topic after you try CutList if you run into difficulty.