Google's latest toy - a review by glatt

glatt · 04-28-2006, 01:34 PM

In their relentless quest for total world domination, Google has recently come out with a free sketching program. I think it is probably the same sketching program they used to create the models of building they have in Google Earth. In fact, you are supposed to be able to create objects with it and then import them into Google Earth.

The software is called SketchUp, and it's pretty neat. I loaded it on my PC at work yesterday. Played with it for a few minutes, and then got really serious with it at lunch today. They have a neat tutorial that takes five minutes, and teaches you how to use the software pretty effectively.

I haven't exhausted its capabilities yet, but I didn't see any easy way to draw a shape of specific demensions, other than to drag your mouse around and hope you can get the right size by trial and error. Since it's so hard to get precisely dimensioned objects, I think this is mostly just a toy.

It's very user friendly for screwing around though. Here is an image of my house. It's close enough that it really looks a LOT like my house, but it's kind of hard to get the dimensions perfect down to an inch or so. That ultimately ruins the usefulness of this software. I was hoping I could use it for designing woodworking projects. It will still be good for ideas, but not really good enough for making dimensioned drawings.

Enough rambling. Here's the house I made in about one hour or so. This is where I live.

Beestie · 04-28-2006, 02:18 PM

Holy cow.

I must have it.

glatt · 04-28-2006, 02:44 PM

Oh, and in case my post wasn't clear, these are models. 3-D objects you can spin around and look at from different angles. Walk through, and look at from the inside.

Griff · 04-28-2006, 03:48 PM

[drool] mmmm... free [/drool]

Happy Monkey · 04-29-2006, 09:27 AM

Cool... downloading now.

jinx · 04-29-2006, 11:59 AM

Wow, looks cool! Nice house...

Carbonated_Brains · 04-29-2006, 04:57 PM

glatt,

Specifying Line Length

Carbonated_Brains · 04-29-2006, 04:59 PM

Also, you can go to Window, Preferences, Template, and select "Woodworking".

MaggieL · 04-29-2006, 05:03 PM

We've already used it here to plan the installation of antennas for our amateur radio stations. Very nice. And the ability to use Google Earth data as the basis for a model rocks.

glatt · 04-30-2006, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carbonated_Brains

glatt,

Specifying Line Length

Thanks! I need to go back and play with that some more.

footfootfoot · 05-03-2006, 02:05 PM

glatt, is that you in the foreground? You seem much taller when you post.

Kagen4o4 · 05-03-2006, 07:46 PM

heres my house.

glatt · 05-04-2006, 08:00 AM

Nice job, Kagen.

Is that round thing on the deck in back a hot tub or something?

xoxoxoBruce · 05-04-2006, 06:00 PM

Shark pit....sharks with frickin lasers.

MaggieL · 05-18-2006, 06:23 PM

It sure is addictive. I'm working on a model of 30th Street Station. Why, I'm not exactly sure...

04-28-2006, 01:34 PM	#1
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Google's latest toy - a review by glatt In their relentless quest for total world domination, Google has recently come out with a free sketching program. I think it is probably the same sketching program they used to create the models of building they have in Google Earth. In fact, you are supposed to be able to create objects with it and then import them into Google Earth. The software is called SketchUp, and it's pretty neat. I loaded it on my PC at work yesterday. Played with it for a few minutes, and then got really serious with it at lunch today. They have a neat tutorial that takes five minutes, and teaches you how to use the software pretty effectively. I haven't exhausted its capabilities yet, but I didn't see any easy way to draw a shape of specific demensions, other than to drag your mouse around and hope you can get the right size by trial and error. Since it's so hard to get precisely dimensioned objects, I think this is mostly just a toy. It's very user friendly for screwing around though. Here is an image of my house. It's close enough that it really looks a LOT like my house, but it's kind of hard to get the dimensions perfect down to an inch or so. That ultimately ruins the usefulness of this software. I was hoping I could use it for designing woodworking projects. It will still be good for ideas, but not really good enough for making dimensioned drawings. Enough rambling. Here's the house I made in about one hour or so. This is where I live. Attached Images

04-28-2006, 02:18 PM	#2
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	Holy cow. I must have it. __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

04-28-2006, 03:48 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	[drool] mmmm... free [/drool] __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

04-29-2006, 09:27 AM	#5
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Cool... downloading now. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

04-29-2006, 11:59 AM	#6
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	Wow, looks cool! Nice house... __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

04-28-2006, 02:44 PM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Oh, and in case my post wasn't clear, these are models. 3-D objects you can spin around and look at from different angles. Walk through, and look at from the inside.

04-29-2006, 04:57 PM	#7
Carbonated_Brains Does it show up here when I type? Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Between the smoky layers of a prosciutto sandwich! Posts: 355	glatt, Specifying Line Length

04-29-2006, 04:59 PM	#8
Carbonated_Brains Does it show up here when I type? Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Between the smoky layers of a prosciutto sandwich! Posts: 355	Also, you can go to Window, Preferences, Template, and select "Woodworking".

04-29-2006, 05:03 PM	#9
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	We've already used it here to plan the installation of antennas for our amateur radio stations. Very nice. And the ability to use Google Earth data as the basis for a model rocks. Attached Images __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..." Last edited by MaggieL; 04-29-2006 at 05:14 PM.

05-03-2006, 02:05 PM	#11
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	glatt, is that you in the foreground? You seem much taller when you post. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

05-03-2006, 07:46 PM	#12
Kagen4o4 The Sheriff of Nothingland Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Melbourne, Aus Posts: 1,794	heres my house. __________________ something we both can enjoy??

05-04-2006, 08:00 AM	#13
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Nice job, Kagen. Is that round thing on the deck in back a hot tub or something?

05-04-2006, 06:00 PM	#14
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Shark pit....sharks with frickin lasers. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

05-18-2006, 06:23 PM	#15
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	It sure is addictive. I'm working on a model of 30th Street Station. Why, I'm not exactly sure... Attached Images __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..."

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