The new solid tools look nice, though most are only available in the $500 pro version. There is also a new startup theme for working with wood but I don't know exactly what it means to select it.

I noticed the new version fixed the performance problem rotating and rendering a model when it is in full colored mode. It's now snappy quick which is a welcome improvement. Still a few minor nits (circles/arcs would be more desirable than polygons and lower surfaces sometimes appear through thin upper surfaces), but all in all find it an excellent piece of software as usual.

Another feature I'm excited about is "back edges". It's an alternative to xray mode that still shows textures on the faces, but shows dotted lines for hidden edges. I think it will make shop drawings much easier to read. Unfortunately there's a bug in Sketchup 8 that interferes with the TF Rubies. See my next post. CB.

Is there any indication of Google ever adding true circles to SU? Is there some reason that they're not doing it?

How's the project going canopy?

Brad

Not sure what a 'true' circle buys you. SketchUp - being a surface modeler needs to facet everything. More facets = more memory = more processor burden.

You can set the 'sides' of a circle when drawing it - if you need precise circles, set it up so that you have a huge number of sides (obviously this changes with the diamter...)

Loving the new 'back edges' mode.

For example, I was trying to do a descriptive geometry type of thing the other day, but it doesn't work very well if the circle is faceted, and if the cursor wants to snap to facets along the circle.

Rumor has it true circles/arcs are in the version 9 feature list.

I added a little update on my small build in the timber framing forum here

brad - check out this plug called TrueTangent


More at the link... including intersections, fillets, etc.

Mike, I think you linked to the wrong place, as that page is a discussion about plug in conflicts.

This is the link to the True Tangent page on SketchUcation:

True Tangent

Thanks for the heads up on that one - something I have wanted for a while now is to be able to snap a tangent line to a circle on SU

~Chris

Good catch Chris. Must have snagged the wrong tab when I was browsing.