Adding scenes to sketchup

Dan Worsick

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Baltimore, Ontario, Canada
I was working on a deck design and wanted to add a scene in the animation to show the top being added to the deck structure. So imagine a deck showing only the posts, the joists and stair stringers in scene 1 and in scene two with the deck boards. This way I could print out the joists page and the final deck configuration in scene 2 to help build it. I was able to create the scene 1 page no problem and created scene 2 which looks like scene 1. Problem is when I add the deck boards in scene 2 they also appear in scene 1. I've seen models where an object is built up through various scenes but I can't seem to do it. I tried using layers, making the scene 2 unique but whatever I add also shows on the first scene. :dunno:
 
You are right that Layers are the key, Dan.

Put all the top deck boards in a layer, then in scene one, mark that layer hidden.

Make the scene look the way you want, then right-click on the "scene 1" tab and choose "Update", then the hidden layer will stay hidden when you click it.
 
Dan,

Art has the right approach. Do yourself a favor though and read the Help files about Layers in SketchUp. Especially follow their advice about keeping Layer 0 as the active layer (draw all geometry on Layer 0 and leave it there.) and only make layer associations for the components.

FWIW, I generally draw all of the components,then create the layers and make layer associations afterward. Then I create the scenes with the desired layers turned on. This reduces the need to update scenes after making them. Before starting to make the layer associations I uncheck the visibility boxes for the layers. Then, as I make the associations the components begin to disappear. When the drawing window is blank I know I've associated all the components with layers.

By the way, the only thing for which there is a Make Unique command is components and it is only available when there is more than one instance of a component in the model.
 
Especially follow their advice about keeping Layer 0 as the active layer (draw all geometry on Layer 0 and leave it there.) and only make layer associations for the components.

Is there a sketchup-for-dummies web page somewhere that uses crayons and one-syllable words to explain WHY we should do that? I've heard the advice several places, but never a simple WHY we should. :huh:
 
Art, the reason for drawing and leaving geometry on Layer 0 is because if you don't, it is very easy to mess up your model. Unlike many applications, SketchUp layers do absolutely nothing to separate entities from each other. They are only used to control visibility. If you inadvertently place some geometry in a component on a different layer than the rest of the geometry, it will easily be screwed up.

I've repaired a number of models for others who didn't follow the "rule" about handling layers. The last one I did was a very complex desk. When you turned off the layer containing the drawers, several faces in the case also disappeared leaving openings in components. Parts of moldings would disappear when you hid other layers with the intent of making the moldings easier to see.

Play with the layer visibility on the attached SKP. This was purposely done and is very simple but I think you can see what happens when a few edges are placed on a layer other than Layer 0.

Besides, it's a whole lot less fuss to just do as they say and leave layer 0 as active. There's really no reason to put geometry on other layers and you're less likely to mess up your model. Associating layers with components/groups is sufficient for hiding them when you don't want to see those components/groups.

Think of layers as being the control for the cloaking device. When you turn off visibility for a component it hides the geometry.
 

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