Google sketchup

[John Rumm]

Not the same as being able to download the original cad model so that you can user or adapt/ adopt / Improve it tough is it?

[Andy Burns]

heh :-)

The lesson I learned as far as sketchup is concerned, when creating the structure of a room, is to get the plan view right as a 2D shape on the floor first, and only /then/ use the extrude tool to "lift up" the walls, it can handle out-of square objects that way, but as soon as you start moving single points and vertices about, you can end up with "un-editable" sections, which just won't behave as you want them to.

Also save multiple versions frequently, not so much due to the software crashing (it's quite well behaved) but because unless you keep inspecting your model from all angles, it's easy to miss the fact that something you did to the inside of something, affected the outside of it while you weren't looking, it can be painful to backtrack.

The use of "components" for anything e.g. furniture or the kitchen units that you want to move about independently from the structure is a must.

Adding dimension lines on a separate layer helps (you can then turn that layer on/off at will) and the dimensions update in real time when dragging things, so it's like having multiple tape measures working at once.

[Mike Halmarack]

I suppose if it 's possible to take individual objects from these entire models to use in other projects that would be pretty useful.

That makes the possibilities extensive enough for me. Thanks.

[Brian Sharrock]

There's nothing to stop you taking a digital photo (.jpg) of your desired 'surface' and applying it as texture to the surface. I photographed the front faces of my washing machine, dishwasher, hob, oven and microwave to produce 'faces' which a pasted onto 'bog-standard' cuboids.

[dennis]

Very good. Do people still fit rising hinges? If so then a section to deal with that would be nice.

[EricP]

Careful you will get a rep as a pussy cat!

Indeed they do. :)

Yes. :))

[dennis]

I have mellowed a lot since my BY days.

[John Rumm]

I believe you can, or at least that is what the contents of the 3D components library seem to hold. (its a bit frustrating at time since some companies have modelled their products (not in itself a problem) but by the time you have paged through the tenth page of widgets that all look identical where the only difference is the size of the screw thread etc it can be a bit tedious.

There is a moderate choice "built in", you can download an expansion pack that offers vastly more choice, and you can import your own bitmaps as well.

[EricP]

I had noticed.

I automatically gravitate to your posts, with expectation of the usual adrenalin flush of indignation and rage, but have been sadly disappointed of late. :((

Should you find yourself in the position of actually approaching, say a speed limit, then I would urge seeking urgent assistance.

The rest of the world may be going to the dogs, but some standards are too important to be abandoned.

Worried of Bristol.

:oP

[John Rumm]

Ta

Yup, and on fire doors sometimes.

Not much too them is there? A bit of a chamfer on the top of the door at the hinge side normally sorts it.

Perhaps I could stick a bit in the preparing the door section.

[Mike Halmarack]

That would potentially add a lot of detail in one fell swoop. It might be a bit more difficult to get a small area of grain pattern to tile over a door convincingly. If I were to do it in the way you describe, would I need to cover my drawing of a door with a photo of a door, to give it realistic effect?

[Mike Halmarack]

Yes I can just imagine the dulling effect of having to plough through all that. Being able to pluck objects out of drawings on a similar subject would be a big help, if that's possible.

I'd have thought that with a Google enterprise like this, on-line libraries would be the main method of making stuff available. You've certainly whetted my appetite, it's time I went off and had a look. Thanks.

[dennis]

I wouldn't worry too much.. I have actually broken the speed limit a few times. It is permissable in emergencies. Even the police who are following appreciate you getting out of the way by accelerating rather than jumping on the brakes like the majority of speeders do when the blue lights come on.

[Andy Hall]

Have you turned yourself in?

Ah I see. What defines an emergency?

In this context is a "speeder" someone who exceeds the speed limit or someone who overtakes Dennis?

What about drivers who slow down when the red lights come on?

[dennis]

Ask the police who want to get past. Maybe you are clairvoint but I am not. I don't have the knowledge of why they want to pass athough past experience shows that they are usually attending a crash a few miles on. When they are chasing speeders you see them pass first.

I have also taken an accident victim to hospital once in the past.. It semed like the right thing to do but it was a real pain getting the blood out of the seats and carpet. He did survive after having surgery and 44 stiches IIRC.

The driver was banned for dangerous driving and speeding amongst other things.

You will have to explain your reasoning behind that statement as its nonsense to me.

See above.

[Lurch]

On Sun, 13 May 2007 15:33:57 +0100, "dennis@home" mused:

There's a good story relatEd TO THAT, but I can't find it. It's really annoying me now.

[ARWadsworth]

Problem solved.

We both went to the pub and I paid for the beers. A a pity Sheff Utd were relegated as my mate now owes me £20.

Adam

[Lurch]

On Sun, 13 May 2007 18:02:08 GMT, "ARWadsworth" mused:

I noticed Orange, rather than sending me the usual %football result% (full time), this time I got %football result% Sheff Utd Relegated. Cheers.

[Brian Sharrock]

snip

The 'take a photo' route is a 'large area' effect. I took photos as plane and upright as I could manage orthogonal to the object. I did this for rendering (pebble dash) ; brickwork; fences and the kitchen equipment. The .jpgs were then pasted onto the Sketch-up object; be it a house wall or a kitchen cabinet (cuboids). There's a reasonable tutorial for the technique. basically you plonk the 'photo' onto the object and drag (distort) little pins representing the corners of the object (say an oven in a housing) until each 'corner' aligns with the corner of the Sketch-up object. [It's a damm sight easier to do than explain] For a wood grain effect - which I've tried- the slight problem is the mismatch in sizes between the grain-effect (photo texture) and that of a door. For me, it 'worked' because I applied texture onto my Kitchen cupboards from photo's that weren't too far off the size I wanted. To answer your specific question; for a panelled door; it's be tempted to apply a wood grain (photo) texture to each stile, rail and panel.

[Andy Hall]

Seems like you got off lightly.....