May 9, 2007
      
"The future
      is here. It's just not widely distributed yet." - William Gibson
      
Click here
      for the Sktchpdt - a
      bare-bones SketchUpdate that gets right to the point. 

      

      MORE BUGS FIXED, AND READY FOR VISTA

      Millard says the second SketchUp 6 Maintenance Release (we call it
      "M2") is ready to go, and we've posted it to
      the usual place for you to download. This upgrade is recommended for
      all users, and (among other things) adds support for Microsoft Vista.
      Here are the full release notes (Windows
      and Mac)
      for those of you who like that sort of thing.

 Please note: If you're ready to go to
      Vista with SketchUp, there are a few things you should know: most
      graphics card developers are still tuning up their drivers for Vista. See
      hardware
      requirements and pay special attention to the graphics card
      requirements. Don't forget that upgrades
      to SketchUp Pro 6 are free through June 30, 2007 - on July 1 they will
      revert to $95 per seat.

      

      HAVE SKETCHUP PRO 6? ALREADY HAVE
      LAYOUT

      Lots of people don't realize this, but LayOut
      is actually part of SketchUp Pro 6 - it's not something extra that you
      have to buy. If you have it and you want to know why you should fire it
      up, here are some reasons: 
      

       
LayOut lets you do everything you'd expect to
           be able to do in a professional 2D layout package: create multi-page
           documents, use master pages and layers to manage your content
           efficiently, create vector graphics (like drawing symbols), and create
           templates to lend consistency to your firm's work. 
       
When you insert a SketchUp model into your
           LayOut file, you can orbit, zoom and pan it around until you like
           what you see. You can apply styles, turn perspective on and off, and
           even control shadow settings without leaving LayOut. Best of all,
           you can assign different drawing scales to each of your model views.
       
Your LayOut file is linked to the SketchUp
           models you insert into it, meaning LayOut "knows" when one
           of your models has been modified since you last worked on your
           presentation. With a couple of clicks, you can automatically update
           your SketchUp model references so your LayOut file reflects the
           changes.
       
Ever end up having to create two presentations
           - one paper, one digital - every time you need to present your work?
           LayOut was designed to eliminate the redundancy in most workflows by
           letting you create a single document for print and online
           presentation. LayOut lets you go full screen. And while you're
           there, you can orbit your models, play animations and even make
           annotations directly on your drawings.
      
      
WE'LL BE THERE

      We've got a number of tradeshows coming up, so if you're in the area,
      stop on by! Here's our list: 

      

      Maker Faire: May 19th and 20th at the San Mateo Fairgrounds (in sunny California). We'll
      be demonstrating Google SketchUp and putting models into the 3D
      Warehouse.

      

      International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC): May 20th to the 22nd at
      the Las Vegas
       Convention Center.
      We're booth #132, and we're also sponsoring the Next Generation party on
      the night of Sunday, May 20th. To get tickets, you must pre-register
      on the ICSC website. Yes, there will be drinks, and yes, there will be
      Google schwag. 

      

      Google Developer Day: May 31st. If you're a programmer-type, this is
      going to be a huge event.
      We'll have a session where you'll learn how to extend SketchUp using the new
      features in the Ruby API.

      

      MODELING MARATHON

      One of our gaming-industry contributors to the SketchUp Forum (his code
      name is "monsterzero"), has decided to go on a modeling
      marathon for the month of April, which we think is just pretty dang cool.
      Monsterzero's past work includes this,
      this,
      and of course, this.
      For more information on his marathon, check out Monsterzero's website.

      

      WE'RE STYLIN'

      Have you been using any of the cool new styles in SketchUp Pro 6? Here
      and here
      are a few examples of what people have done with their projects. Want
      more? How about here,
      here
      and here.
      And remember, no SketchUp drawing is an island. You can submit
      your ultra-stylish SketchUp drawings to the gallery, too!

      

AMERICA'S FAVORITE ARCHITECTURE 

      There are more impressive
      3D models to view, thanks to a new partnership with the American
      Institute of Architects and Google Earth. Check out this AIA/Google
      Earth YouTube video
      to see everything in action. In commemoration of its 150th anniversary,
      the AIA has released America's
      Favorite Architecture, a Google Earth layer featuring the American
      public's favorite architecture. Doing our part to enjoy the anniversary,
      we invite you to view all 150 structures, including many newly added 3D
      models of the ballparks, bridges, buildings and memorials that define
      architecture in the eyes of Americans. While you're viewing these
      architectural icons, add your comments to the lively discussion about the
      impact of architecture on our lives. If you want more information, check
      out this post
      on the Official Google Blog. 

      

      WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SKETCHUP
      TRAINING?

      We are happy to announce that you can now find your favorite SketchUp
      training classes, hosted by one of our authorized training centers, all
      over the world. Our time-tested Essentials 1 and 2 SketchUp Pro 6
      training classes are now available in 14 countries. To find a SketchUp
      Pro Authorized Training Center in your area, check out this
      link. Remember, if you don't see an ATC in your area, or if you are
      interested in starting one yourself, drop us a line at sketchupatc@google.com.

      

      SKETCHUP ON HGTV: A CASE STUDY

      We always love to hear how SketchUp models can lead to exciting
      real-world projects, whether it's in your professional or personal life.
      For example, how about using it to add value to a house? Matt F. can tell
      you all about that. An architect by day, Matt has a Masters degree in
      architecture and first started using SketchUp after seeing it
      demonstrated at Build Boston. He was recently featured on the TV show
      "My House Is Worth What?" on HGTV when he made several SketchUp
      drawings of a friend's house to assist with the remodeling process - you
      can see them here,
      here,
      here
      and here.
      As it turns out, the remodel was deemed "worth it" by the
      show's producers, and the construction should begin any day now.

      

      LAYOUT TIP: TEMPLATE OR SCRAPBOOK?

      This month we're looking at LayOut; specifically, when to use templates
      and when to use scrapbooks. 

      

      In the simplest sense, using a LayOut template is like pulling a piece of
      paper out of a notebook. You already know the size you're getting, the
      width of the rule, the color of the paper, and so forth. So, if you need
      yellow, legal-sized paper, you're able to choose those exact options (or
      pull them from your office supply cabinet). The same goes for LayOut. Not
      only do we have a bunch of pre-formatted templates for you, such as A3
      landscape graph paper or any number of nifty Titleblocks,
      but you can also create your own templates for use over and over again. 

      

      Now let's talk about scrapbooks. Since most people have a library of
      symbols - north arrows, scale figures, trees - that they use
      consistently, LayOut lets you create libraries (we call them scrapbooks)
      that can contain all the graphic elements you use on a regular basis.
      Basically, a scrapbook consists of a bunch of preformed, individual
      entities which can include the aforementioned symbols, to a specific set
      of fonts and styles, or even a particular color scheme. You can literally
      drag and drop one or many of these individual items from the Scrapbooks
      dialog box into your LayOut document.

      

      Say, you create presentations for your company that have a specific set
      of styles to use. For example, the name of the project needs to be in
      bold, 18 point type, and there needs to be a logo in the same spot on
      every page:

      

      1. You could create a template with everything already created and in
      place. You can still change the template once you've created it, but this
      may still save you a few steps, especially if the actual text doesn't
      change very much from project to project.

      

      2. Your other option is to create a scrapbook of these elements, which
      will allow you to yank a particular item each time you need it. This is a
      good option if you only need to use one element at a time, or if your
      presentation documents are very different for each project you do.

      

      That's All, Folks. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of the
      SketchUpdate. Stay warm, stay stylish, and as always...Happy Sketching!

      

      Caroline

      carolinet@google.com