SketchUp for Free?

[Chris Knight]

The really great thing about Free Sketchup is that my grandson now has a copy so he'll soon be able to help me out when I get stuck! :lol:

 

[mahking51]

As SteveM pointed out, I'm just a tad ticked off after spending £200 odd quid last month....
No sign of the release then....
regards
martin

 

[Colin C]

As SteveM pointed out, I'm just a tad ticked off after spending £200 odd quid last month....
No sign of the release then....
regards
martin

Try complaining to them about it , it like when nintendo ( games consel ) released the N64 for £600 and two weeks later it weht down to £300. Some peolpe did get some money back, give it a try

 

[Gill]

Wow! Even I can use this program :shock: !

Thanks for pointing it out.

Gill

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Taffy, I haven't downloaded the free version so I don't know about import capability. Look under File>Import and see if there are options for DXF and DWG files. that's the easiest way to get an answer.

Martin, I believe the free version does not allow the use of Ruby scripts some of which are marvelous tools. Some things that you can do with the scripts can't or can't easily be done without them. Weld.rb is a good example.

You also have the option to export 2D images (JPG, PNG, etc.) at much higher than screen resolution. The free version won't do that. I think you'll find with time you'll be happy you have SketchUp 5 Pro on your computer. I imagine some others will decide they want those capabilities and upgrade. I suppose that's what Google hopes, too.

 

[Jake]

Is there a good place to look for explanations of what Ruby scripts are around, what they do and how to use them, Dave?

 

[Shady]

Dave, I'm pretty sure, from a quick skim of the help file, that it does support Ruby in the free version - it's not annotated as 'pro only', which sounds brilliant. I get the impression that the differences have been very carefully focused on precisely the output issues that a professional user would need - resolution, export etc - and precious little other functionality has been damaged. Biggest 'non-professional' omission appears to be the 'TIN' terrain capability, so you're limited to displaying your work on a flat background, in the first instance... I can live with that....

 

[Argee]

Am I missing something? It's an eight-hour trial version, as far as I can see, which could already be had from several sites. :?: :?:

Ray.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Try these links Jake:

http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDep ... _Depot.htm
http://su.plugins.ro/
http://members.cox.net/rick.wilson/

There are quite a number of scripts available on those three sites.

Also take a look at the Scripts section of the downloads on the SU site.

I use these scripts frequently:

weld (welds line segments and arcs--whatever edges are selected--together)
pipe along a path
tube along a path
apply to (Allows you to get a component definition from one component and apply it to another. Very handy when you decide to make components of things that weren't previous done.)
curve stitcher 2.1 (creates faces between two curves)
make faces
delete co planar edges
trim extend to

There's a bunch of selection tools to allow you to select by type of entity.
there's a goup of projection tools that allow you to project lines to faces or whatever.

Lots and lots of tools out there.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Ray

Am I missing something? It's an eight-hour trial version, as far as I can see, which could already be had from several sites.

There is a new free version which is not limited to eight hours.

This takes you straight to the Google Sketchup download page.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Jake]

Thanks Dave, some reading for me over the weekend!

 

[Argee]

This takes you straight to the Google Sketchup download page.

Thanks, Neil. The first link, by the OP, was to the 8-hour trial, hence my scepticism.

Ray.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Who you calling "OP"?

Sorry if I gave a bad link. Hope you're all set now.

Dave

 

[StevieB]

I'm guessing OP meant original poster rathr than old person Dave

Steve

 

[dennyk]

I just an email from CNET, it has the link for the free sketchup