I use SketchUp Make 2016 because my graphics card couldn't handle 2017. When I tried using 2017 it would work OK for a few minutes, until the model got a little size to it, and then every new command would slow to a crawl. If this sounds like what's going on for you then maybe your graphics card isn't capable enough. Dave R1 was kind enough to diagnose the problem for me and steer me to a workable solution. Frankly, I was happy with the 2008 version I was using until Trimble stopped supporting access to the 3D Warehouse for that version. In any case, SketchUp does everything I need. As for learning it, I followed a written tutorial by Dave Killen and in about 6 hours I had learned enough to use it for simple models. I knew 2D AutoCad but I don't think that was much help as SketchUp is entirely different and, IMO, easier to learn as long as you follow a tutorial to learn the proper ways to do things.
(01-15-2019, 10:05 AM)jteneyck Wrote: I use SketchUp Make 2016 because my graphics card couldn't handle 2017. When I tried using 2017 it would work OK for a few minutes, until the model got a little size to it, and then every new command would slow to a crawl. If this sounds like what's going on for you then maybe your graphics card isn't capable enough. Dave R1 was kind enough to diagnose the problem for me and steer me to a workable solution. Frankly, I was happy with the 2008 version I was using until Trimble stopped supporting access to the 3D Warehouse for that version. In any case, SketchUp does everything I need. As for learning it, I followed a written tutorial by Dave Killen and in about 6 hours I had learned enough to use it for simple models. I knew 2D AutoCad but I don't think that was much help as SketchUp is entirely different and, IMO, easier to learn as long as you follow a tutorial to learn the proper ways to do things.
JOhn
With the release of SU2017, SketchUp eliminated CPU rendering and started to require a suitable graphics card. For those with older computers or ones that have less than adequate integrated GPUs, SU2016 is a good option and it's still available.
Not to be pedantic but it wasn't really a case of Trimble not supporting access to the 3D Warehouse for SketchUp 8. Part of the agreement with Google when Trimble purchased SketchUp was that at some point the Warehouse content would have to be moved off of Google's servers. That resulted in the link SU8 used to access the Warehouse pointing to a nonexistent server.
Out of curiosity, who is Dave Killen? Perhaps you mean Tim? He's my co-contributor on Design. Click. Build.
my computer used to have a really nice gpu, but it doesn't support my 43" monitor, so I got a cheaper one. I suppose I'm going to have to upgrade. Fusion really runs poorly on this computer. Maybe that's the cure.
(01-15-2019, 02:02 PM)EricU Wrote: my computer used to have a really nice gpu, but it doesn't support my 43" monitor, so I got a cheaper one. I suppose I'm going to have to upgrade. Fusion really runs poorly on this computer. Maybe that's the cure.
In a way it's too bad "old arn" in the computer line isn't like "old arn" in the woodworking shop.
DaveR1,
Thanks for your informative reply. I'm assuming that the concerns I've read about are equating "cloud" based with "web" based. I have not yet used the web version, but I intend to do so soon. I am very interested in whether sluggishness is a valid concern as a commenter expressed above along with others I have read. Can you address this?
(01-15-2019, 11:24 AM)DaveR1 Wrote: Out of curiosity, who is Dave Killen? Perhaps you mean Tim? He's my co-contributor on Design. Click. Build.
Sorry, it was Tim Killen. He wrote a tutorial that was available for download from FWW 10 years ago or so. I tried the online tutorials first but I just don't learn well that way; old school I guess. So I bought Tim's tutorial, printed it out, and found it easy to follow.
(01-15-2019, 07:20 PM)Willyou Wrote: DaveR1,
Thanks for your informative reply. I'm assuming that the concerns I've read about are equating "cloud" based with "web" based. I have not yet used the web version, but I intend to do so soon. I am very interested in whether sluggishness is a valid concern as a commenter expressed above along with others I have read. Can you address this?
I guess I can only report my experience with it. I've been working with SketchUp Free since the original beta phase started. (And it was called My.SketchUp) I haven't seen any sluggishness even when working with larger models that I created in Sketchup Pro. It has worked just fine for me. I did a video awhile back showing creating a table model in SketchUp Free. It was done to show that it works with no internet connection but you can see it seems to play just fine. I could send you the link by PM if you care.
No worries, John. Tim did the e-book on the basics. I did a DVD/downloadable video on the basics as well as an e-book and video on some advanced techniques.
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