Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey AD,
Did you try Export->2D Graphic?

Hmm. I just tried that and got a similar (wrong) result. Must be a bug in Sketchup? I am using an Intel Mac right now so that may be my problem.

On the Mac I would just use command-shift-4 to marquee a screenshot. Are you on Windows? On Windows there are sharware apps to take screenshots.

The person in the model would show scale, if the objects were drawn with the desired dimensions (in the lower right, you can also tab into it and type in accurate dimensions) the person would appear correct relative to them. You can select and delete her(?) if you don't want them in the image.

I can't figure out how to remove the coordinate axes.

p.s. Bitchin'!

Thanks. Yes it's scaled, just at ten times size so i can have mm measures as well using cm.

I can screenshot but then i only have paint to paste it in. Yes, windows.

Hey again,
You can set the model to use mm instead of cm through the Window->Model Info->Units menu. Not sure if that is what you want.

My BIL had success through export, 2 d image
with drawings like AM came up with, growbed gravel and pumps and everything, this program will change the way our designs look (on paper anyway- still got to build it that sweet!!)

Unfortunately the option for mm is not in the freeware. I'm used to feet and inches but trying to 'keep it real' for these Ozzies. However, should I get good enough to do pics for articles etc I'll buy it and have the extras.

Plenty to learn in the meantime.

That is a very cool piece of software, much simpler than autocad, nice one Dave......

AA, you can change to mm or cm, at least I just did, and I haven't paid for it, and I got some cylinders like yours to line up by drawing a line first up the centre of where the row is to go, then when drawing the circles they can be snapped to the line......

AM, Looks like you've been doing it for years....

Hey AD:
The Units are kind of AutoCAD-ish (Arch/Decimal/Eng/Fract ). You have to change the format (Window->Model Info->Units) to Decimal to get the cm/mm option.

The coordinate axes can be hidden by the View->Axes menu item.

To make tubing, use the Follow Me tool. To do a circular tube you draw a circle on the first point of the tube path perpendicular to the path, choose the Follow Me tool, click on the circle, then as you move along the edges of the path the tube will be created/extruded along the edge. You can use the other tools to make simple shapes whose edges go along the path you want (like stacked boxes whose edges follow the path you want or something simple like that).

Here is a simplfied version of my bathtud system...
I did not know about this info when I did my pipes, it would have been a lot easier if I had, and neater:


I like being able to "walk around" something before building it, and this alows you to "take snapshots, like the three beneith

and the third view

Those are really good. A natural at this stuff!

I'm having trouble with the pipes. Can you give a 1,2,3 on this. I get follow me tool I only get one length can't go round a corner.

edit - Tis ok i got it now. Draw a line first, make circle beside it that joins on line endpoint, select follow me tool, start at endpoint, when you get to a corner (next endpoint) go round the corner and pull just past the end and wriggle a bit the pipe will follow.

NOt an easy thing to do, yours is looking great there AM, it certainly is an interesting tool......

Almost there...... Gunna take a fair bit of practice, I'm having troubleswith the pipe work and the follow me tool, you really have to get all of your lines in there first where the pipe work is running before you start it off. It's bloody hard to add bits of pipe in later

AM me thinks you have missed your calling as a drafter!!!!!

Bloody oath....... I've been a drafty for the last 13 years and I can't turn out a product that good......

EB yours was sexy too... gotta spread the love!!!

Had a play with the tutorials last night - but theres no way I'm going to be up to the standard of you guys. I think I will spend my time building my system instead. No seriously I'd love to design it using this tool, but I can't even get the pipe to work. I do the follow me etc, but when I take my finger off the mouse button, the pipe just goes back into the circle