Model Size & Computer Hardware

[Steven Shepherd]

Hello –
I just watched your Base Camp presentation and had come across your extension some time ago. Very impressive!

As an architect, I have used SketchUp in much the same way as you demonstrated in your presentation, and it has proved to be invaluable in assisting builders and tradesmen on my projects. My only limitation – the limitation that has stopped me from “modeling everything” – is the strain and sluggishness due to model size.

Have you had this problem? You eluded to getting “yelled at” – I would guess for model size – by the “efficient modeling folks”.

How do you address this issue? What do you use with regard to computer hardware (CPU and graphics card)?

Thank you again for sharing!

Steve

[John Brock]

Hi Steve-

Thanks! My models do get quite large but manageable as far as I am concerned. Estimator has a checkbox setting to allow you to cut off “Real time reporting”. Basically, estimator is scanning everything selected in SU when selected, so in a large model it can slow things down – hence the option to cut it off. I rarely do that though. Some simple things I came to learn to do to keep file sizes unnecessarily large is to purge unused components and materials (careful not to purge things you need. You know when you import a component into your model and later delete it, it is not actually deleted from the file until you purge it. Also, be careful of large texture files. In addition to modeling everything, I want high quality textures for my renderings, etc., so I have to be mindful of bloating a file with texture files (some you may not realize are large). I am not a computer nerd/expert, I just know I had a decent computer built with quality graphics card because I render a lot. Feel free to email directly at john@estimatorforsketchup.com if you have any questions, etc. Always here to help! and thanks for watching the presentation. Basecamp was a blast!

[Steven Shepherd]

John –
Thank you for the reply! I sincerely appreciate your commitment and assistance to the SketchUp community. Not only that – but you found a way to stop “wearing the bags” for a living! Every builder I work with mentions that they’re going to stop “wearing the bags” at 50. Some find a way out but most do not … so congrats! (And of the new (or coming) Grandbaby … we just had our first several months ago).

Anyways … Thank you!

Steve

[John Brock]

Thanks for the kind words and congrats to you as well! My son is an Army officer and deploys for 9 mo to Afghanistan next month, so he will miss the birth and first six month, but we will soak it up.

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