sketchup free version ? pro version?

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central florida
I just started playing with sketchup for the first time. I downloaded the free version which seems pretty basic. I printed out a sketchup 8 ref. card but there seem to be twice as many icons on the reference card as there are on the sketchup tool bar.

the reference card says sketchup 8. Is there more than one free down load or am I just doing something wrong?

The website also says I can try sketchup pro for 30 days for free. It is something I might like to have. Is it very similar to the free version so as I would gain a lot of knowledge by playing with the free version for a bit and then I would be able to make better use of pro for the trial?
 
...there seem to be twice as many icons on the reference card as there are on the sketchup tool bar.

the reference card says sketchup 8. Is there more than one free down load or am I just doing something wrong? ...

Nothing wrong - you just havent selected enough tools yet.

Go to "View" - "toolbars" and select the large tool set. There are also several other selections in "View" so you can play around a bit until you get things looking like you want them.
 
Keith,

As to the icons, SketchUp does start with a very basic set on purpose. The idea is to help new users avoid getting overwhelmed by a whole lot of tools. Start basic and learn good modeling techniques (make components of parts as you go, draw with precision, etc.) Then add other tools as you go.

You can do as Jim said and choose the Large Tool Set but if you do, deselect Getting Started or you'll wind up with a number of duplicated tools which can be confusing and is just a waste of screen real estate. My preference is to enable individual toolbars instead of using the Large Tool Set. I have the following native toolbars turned on.
  • Camera
  • Construction
  • Drawing
  • Styles
  • Modification
  • Principal
  • Sections
  • Shadows
  • Standard
  • Views
You might also turn on the Google toolbar but it's probably not that useful when you are just starting out.

As to the trial version of SketchUp Pro, I would suggest that you stick with the free version for now. Learn to use SketchUp without the 8 hour time limit and then, if you start to think you need the additional capabilities of Pro, download it and give it a try.

Check out the Design. Click. Build. blog on Finewoodworking.com.
 
I am working on sketching a wall unit around my fireplace. the problem i'm running into is the screen is not wide or high enough for me to go to scale in inches. the top or bottom of the project is cut off and I do not have much room on the sides but mostly the height I need more of.

I picked inches for the unit and I think it said something about wood working (cant remember exactly)

what would you use to design a wall unit 163" wide?
 
Keith,

It sounds like you're an AutoCAD user. ;)

You don't work to some scale other than 1:1. Inches is just fine. Zoom back with the center mouse scroll wheel until you can see the whole thing. Look for a PM in a few minutes.
 
Are my posts here invisible?

nope i can see every one dave but cant say the rest have there eyes open or not:)

I see you too. As I was reading the thread I would think "oh, I'll tell him this." but, then I would read down a few more posts and see that you had already covered the topic :).

BTW, Dad and I both seem to be learning some little tid-bit each time we go through Dave's DVD. Its not just the material covered; it is listening and watching Dave's approach to fundamental tasks. I have probably cut my time to sketch out a basic idea in half. This makes me use SU even more as I can now use it nearly as fast as the old pencil and paper and am left with something I can then formalize if I like it.
 
Keith,

It sounds like you're an AutoCAD user. ;)

You don't work to some scale other than 1:1. Inches is just fine. Zoom back with the center mouse scroll wheel until you can see the whole thing. Look for a PM in a few minutes.

Sorry about that. I read you load and clear. I meant to quote this one about the mouse but quoted the wrong person. I wish I knew auto cad but no. I have no experience with it. I started to look at the video links you gave me but I think they are advance for where I'm at right now.

thanks for the advice and love the prairie dog
 
now I have a new problem.

when i first started practicing and applying color to things, when i would go to the paint icon I could click on crayons and would see a box of crayons and also could select sliders to adjust the colors to get the correct color.

for some reason now when I select the paint bucket and hit crayons I only get squares of color and the option to select the sliders to adjust the color is gone.

Assuming I explained the problem correctly, how do I get it back the way it used to be?
 
keith ,, turn on your personal message button so you can read what dave has wrote you!!! its under your control panel..appernetly you havnt got that part turned on yet...correction its under settings At the top off the screen then go to privacy settings turn on private messages to receive them from member's here.. then you can read your PM from dave.
 
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