Table Of Content

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 1 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 2 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 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 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. 7 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 8 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. 9 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. 10