Google Sketchup Users Guide

390 Pages·2007·3.2 MB·English

Contents
Contents ....................................................................................................................... 1
Welcome to SketchUp (Microsoft Windows) ............................................................ 7
Technical Support ....................................................................................................... 8
What's New in this Release? ...................................................................................... 9
Learning SketchUp.................................................................................................... 11
Concepts .................................................................................................................... 13
Designing in SketchUp ............................................................................................. 14
Drawing Quickly......................................................................................................... 19
Viewing Models in 3 Dimensions............................................................................. 26
Adding Detail to Your Models .................................................................................. 29
Presenting Your Models ........................................................................................... 37
Modeling Terrain and Organic Shapes.................................................................... 40
The SketchUp User Interface.................................................................................... 43
Introduction to the SketchUp Interface ................................................................... 44
File Menu .................................................................................................................... 47
Edit Menu.................................................................................................................... 52
View Menu .................................................................................................................. 55
Camera Menu ............................................................................................................. 57
Draw Menu.................................................................................................................. 59
Tools Menu................................................................................................................. 60
Window Menu............................................................................................................. 63
Help Menu................................................................................................................... 65
Toolbars...................................................................................................................... 67
Context Menus........................................................................................................... 71
Dialog Boxes.............................................................................................................. 72
Drawing Axes............................................................................................................. 74
Inference..................................................................................................................... 76
Principal Tools........................................................................................................... 79
.Select Tool .......................................................................................................... 80
Eraser Tool ......................................................................................................... 84
Paint Bucket Tool............................................................................................... 85
Drawing Tools ............................................................................................................ 88
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Line Tool ............................................................................................................. 89
Arc Tool................................................................................................................ 93
Freehand Tool .................................................................................................. 96
Rectangle Tool ................................................................................................... 98
Circle Tool......................................................................................................... 100
Polygon Tool .................................................................................................... 102
Modification Tools................................................................................................... 104
Move Tool ......................................................................................................... 105
Rotate Tool ....................................................................................................... 111
Scale Tool ......................................................................................................... 116
Push/Pull Tool .................................................................................................. 120
Follow Me Tool ................................................................................................. 124
Offset Tool ........................................................................................................ 128
Intersect With Model Tool....................................................................................... 131
Position Texture Tool.............................................................................................. 133
Construction Tools.................................................................................................. 141
Tape Measure Tool........................................................................................... 142
Protractor Tool ................................................................................................. 145
Axes Tool .......................................................................................................... 149
Dimension Tool ................................................................................................ 150
Text Tool ........................................................................................................... 152
3D Text Tool....................................................................................................... 154
Section Plane Tool ......................................................................................... 156
Camera Tools ........................................................................................................... 158
Previous ............................................................................................................ 159
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Next ................................................................................................................. 160
Standard Views........................................................................................................ 161
Matching Photos and Models................................................................................. 162
Orbit Tool .......................................................................................................... 169
Pan Tool ............................................................................................................ 170
Zoom Tool......................................................................................................... 171
Zoom Window Tool .......................................................................................... 172
Zoom Extents Tool........................................................................................... 173
Zoom to Photo ......................................................................................................... 174
Walkthrough Tools .................................................................................................. 175
Position Camera Tool ....................................................................................... 176
Walk Tool .......................................................................................................... 178
Look Around Tool ............................................................................................ 179
Sandbox Tools......................................................................................................... 180
Sandbox From Contours Tool ........................................................................ 181
Sandbox From Scratch Tool ........................................................................... 182
Smoove Tool..................................................................................................... 184
Stamp Tool........................................................................................................ 186
Drape Tool ........................................................................................................ 187
Add Detail Tool................................................................................................. 189
Flip Edge Tool .................................................................................................. 192
Google Toolbar ........................................................................................................ 194
Get Current View Button ................................................................................. 196
Toggle Terrain Button...................................................................................... 197
Place Model Button.......................................................................................... 198
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Share Model Button ......................................................................................... 199
Get Models Button ........................................................................................... 200
Model Settings and Managers................................................................................ 201
Model Info Dialog Box............................................................................................. 202
Entity Info Dialog Box ............................................................................................. 212
Material Browser...................................................................................................... 213
Component Browser ............................................................................................... 218
Styles Browser......................................................................................................... 223
Watermark ................................................................................................................ 236
Scene Manager ........................................................................................................ 238
Shadows Dialog Box ............................................................................................... 241
Layer Manager ......................................................................................................... 243
Soften Edges Dialog Box........................................................................................ 245
Outliner ..................................................................................................................... 247
Fog Dialog Box ........................................................................................................ 251
Match Photo Dialog Box ......................................................................................... 253
Instructor .................................................................................................................. 254
Application Preferences Dialog Box ..................................................................... 255
Entities...................................................................................................................... 261
3D Polyline Entities ................................................................................................. 262
Arc Entities............................................................................................................... 263
Circle Entities........................................................................................................... 265
Component Entities................................................................................................. 267
Curve Entities........................................................................................................... 276
Dimension Entities .................................................................................................. 277
Face Entities............................................................................................................. 278
Guide Line Entities .................................................................................................. 279
Guide Point Entities ................................................................................................ 280
Group Entities.......................................................................................................... 281
Image Entities .......................................................................................................... 284
Line Entities ............................................................................................................. 285
Polygon Entities....................................................................................................... 286
Section Plane Entities ............................................................................................. 288
Surface Entities........................................................................................................ 289
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Text Entities ............................................................................................................. 292
Context Menu Items ................................................................................................ 293
Entity Info ................................................................................................................. 299
Input and Output...................................................................................................... 303
2D Graphic Import ................................................................................................... 304
3D Model (DWG/DXF) Import .................................................................................. 305
3D Model (3DS) Import ............................................................................................ 307
3D Model (DEM) Import ........................................................................................... 308
3D Model (SHP) Import..................................................................................... 310
2D Graphic Export ................................................................................................... 312
2D Graphic (DWG/DXF) Export ....................................................................... 313
2D Graphic (PDF/EPS) Export ........................................................................ 316
2D Graphic (Epix) Export ................................................................................ 319
3D Model (DWG/DXF) Export.......................................................................... 321
3D Model (3DS) Export..................................................................................... 323
3D Model (VRML) Export.................................................................................. 327
3D Model (OBJ) Export .................................................................................... 329
3D Model (FBX) Export..................................................................................... 331
3D Model (XSI) Export ...................................................................................... 333
3D Model (KMZ) Export ........................................................................................... 335
3D Model (DAE) Export ........................................................................................... 336
Section Slice Export......................................................................................... 338
Animation Export............................................................................................. 340
Scenes and Animations .......................................................................................... 343
Printing ..................................................................................................................... 344
Technical Info........................................................................................................... 348
Raster File Formats ................................................................................................. 349
2D Vector File Formats ........................................................................................... 351
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SketchUp and OpenGL ........................................................................................... 353
Codec Lists .............................................................................................................. 355
Bug Splat .................................................................................................................. 356
SketchUp Ruby API and Console .......................................................................... 357
Color Pickers............................................................................................................ 358
Uninstalling SketchUp ............................................................................................ 360
Common Tasks........................................................................................................ 361
Activating the Sandbox Tools ................................................................................ 362
Adding a Background to Your Model .................................................................... 363
Copying Geometry .................................................................................................. 364
Creating Models to Scale........................................................................................ 365
Creating and Using Keyboard Shortcuts .............................................................. 366
Drawing Accurate Angled Lines ............................................................................ 367
Flipping or Mirroring Geometry ............................................................................. 368
Reorienting Materials .............................................................................................. 371
Using SketchUp With Google Earth....................................................................... 372
Glossary ................................................................................................................... 373
Index ......................................................................................................................... 379

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Welcome to SketchUp (Microsoft Windows)
Developed for the conceptual stages of design, SketchUp is powerful yet easy-to-learn 3D
software. We think of it as the pencil of digital design. This award-winning software
combines a simple, yet robust tool-set that streamlines and simplifies 3D design inside your
computer. SketchUp is being used by anyone with the desire to Dream, Design and
Communicate in 3D!
From the entire SketchUp team, thank you for trying SketchUp, and welcome to the
SketchUp user community.
SketchUp Versions
SketchUp is available in personal and professional versions. Google SketchUp (free) is
available for free on sketchup.google.com.
Google SketchUp Pro is available to purchase at http://sketchup.google.com/gsu6/buy.html.
You need Google SketchUp Pro if you want to:
• Export models in 3DS, DWG, DXF, OBJ, XSI, VRML, and FBX file formats
• Use the LayOut tools to create page and screen-based presentations of your models.
• Receive free email technical support for two years after purchase
Google SketchUp (free) and Google SketchUp Pro 6 Documentation
This documentation represents all of the functionality in both Google SketchUp (free) and
Google SketchUp Pro 6. Functionality that is specific to Google SketchUp Pro 6 is identified
with the pro icon ( ) in this documentation.
Using this Guide
Familiarity with computer basics is all you need to use SketchUp. Continue with the Learning
SketchUp section of this guide for assistance with learning SketchUp. Or, read the What's
New in This Release section of this guide to become familiar with SketchUp's new features.

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Technical Support
Google SketchUp (Free) and Google SketchUp Pro users have different levels of technical
support. Review the following technical support explanation for your product.
Google SketchUp Free
SketchUp Free is a self-supporting product. There are several options available to find
answers to SketchUp issues:
• Use the online user's guide index to find a topic.
• Search the knowledge base to find a topic.
• Post a question in our user forum.
Visit the Online Help Center by clicking on the Online Help Center menu item in the Help
Menu (Help > Online Help Center). You must be connected to the Internet to access the
user forums.
Google SketchUp Pro
In addition to the self-supporting options for Google SketchUp Free, Google SketchUp Pro
users can request installation and configuration help using email through the Online Help
Center (your serial number will be required).
Please include the following with your email:
• A copy of the SketchUp file you are creating
• A list of your computer system's resources (CPU type, RAM, video card details, and the
exact release of your operating system, such as Windows XP Professional with Service
Pack 2)
• A detailed description of your question or issue

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What's New in this Release?
Google listens to your requests and attempts to implement many into SketchUp
enhancements and new features. Google SketchUp (free) and Google SketchUp Pro 6
contain the following enhancements and new features:
Matching Photos and Models
A new matching feature provides a way to set up a camera view so that the modeling
environment matches up with a photograph. Matching can be used to match an existing
model with a background photo or one can start from scratch with a photo and then trace
over it in 3D!
Styles
A style is simply a saved collection of SketchUp display settings. No more fussing with many
settings every time you want to change or customize your model's appearance. No longer is
it necessary to use scenes (formerly known as pages) to save your display settings. With a
single click, you can quickly apply a style to any model by selecting it from the new Styles
browser.
You can personalize your own styles and save them as part of a library, and you can easily
share your style files with others.
Watermarks
Watermarks are images placed in the background or foreground of the drawing area and
span the entire area just as sky and ground. Watermarks are great for creating
backgrounds, such as simulating paper textures beneath a model. Watermarks can also be
used to place logos and other graphics directly on the screen. Watermarks are part of
Sketchup's new styles system for easy management.
Sketchy Edges
Sketchy Edges is a new way to render edges to look as if they were drawn by hand. Sketchy
Edges are part of SketchUp's new styles system.
Fog
Add atmospheric haze to a model with the new fog display.
3D Text Tool
Now its easy to create signs and letters directly in SketchUp using the new 3D text Tool.
Choose from simple outlines, filled surfaces and fully extruded 3d text using most fonts on
your computer.
LayOut
SketchUp 6 features a set of LayOut tools for 3D designers who need a page layout
program to communicate complex concepts. The new feature will provide simple tools to
place, arrange, title and annotate SketchUp models, photographs and other drawing
elements to assemble presentation and documentation graphics for both print and screen.
Text and Dimension Improvements
We've made the text and dimension tools more versatile by supporting font sizes that remain
fixed relative to a model. We've also improved the quality on screen, in images and in
printing.
Speed
SketchUp is now faster, up to 5x faster depending on models and hardware.
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Force Inference Directions
Now its easy to tell SketchUp exactly which direction you want using the arrow keys. Left =
red, Up & down = Blue and, Right = Green. We've also added toggle functionality so you
don't have to hold the keys down.
Component, Materials, and Styles Browsers
The components and materials browsers have been streamlined to improve ease-of-use.
Intersect Tool
We've made the intersect feature more robust. We've also added two new ways to intersect:
Intersect Selected Only and Intersect With Context.
Paste in Place
Paste in place is an improvement to copy, cut, and paste functions. The precise location is
remembered for quick placement of pasted selections. These enhancements are great for
moving geometry in and out of components or groups without having to reposition your
selection.
Two-Point Perspective
Two point perspective views are now possible in SketchUp. Easily recreate this classic style
used by draftsmen and illustrators to create 3D renderings of buildings.
Better Modifier Keys
Use modifier keys to invoke operations like copy at any time during an operation.
Native Support for 3D Warehouse and Google Earth
Interaction with the 3D Warehouse and Google Earth is built into Google SketchUp Pro 6
and no longer requires a plugin.

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