ATTN: SketchUp Users

[pkirby]

I'm sure some are aware of this but wanted to share for the benefit of those who have not heard. Yesterday, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase SketchUp Pro so that I could have more options for exporting my drawings. To my surprise, the Pro license includes a program called "Layout" that allows you to make multiple drawings from one model. This video will explain it best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW3uVssmANg&feature=player_detailpage

I wish I would have known about this a few years ago because I would have purchased the Pro license a long time ago.

[myxpykalix]

Paul,
I don't know sketchup very well at all and watched the video and wondered how this feature would help you for designing say a table and parts and how saving those different views would translate to some type of usable info on the shopbot?
How for example are you using it in relation to what you do on the shopbot?:confused:

[CNYDWW]

Jack, i find it useful for assembly diagrams and directions. It doesn't have much use for cnc dirrectly.

[pkirby]

Jack,
You're correct that the Layout program doesn't apply directly to CNC, but I find it useful for the following purposes:

1) Presentations for clients.
2) Shop drawings.
3) Creating assembly manuals.

[adrianm]

I've had Sketchup Pro for years and Layout was one of the two best things ever added to it under Google's ownership.

The other was Dynamic Components. For a woodworker they are a massive timesaver being able to parametrically adjust the size of the models without affecting things like material thickness.

[myxpykalix]

ahhhhhh........so in other words i'm not really missing anything by not using this!

[cedars]

Thanks guys! I've had pro version for a year and hadn't discovered the layout function. I can see that it will be a valuable tool for any of us professionally involved in the trade.