Hey everybody! We’re happy to announce that we just lately launched SketchUp 2023. One of many new options we’ve made for extension builders to utilize is known as “Overlays”.
With this function, extensions can draw to the display screen even when the extension isn’t energetic, opening a completely new paradigm for displaying info along with your SketchUp mannequin. That is just like how an architect will take their drawings, lay some hint paper excessive, after which draw annotations and knowledge over their design, including layers of useful info.
To see Overlays in motion, take a look at a few of the extensions which have integrated this performance.
Composition Guides is an extension that provides visible guides to the display screen for issues like 16:9 ratio, 1:1 ratio, rule of thirds and lots of extra. These guides could be very useful for organising extra dynamic digital camera views on your picture exports.
Stable Inspector has been round for a while and is usually a lifesaver for serving to to create strong fashions. It now makes use of Overlays to maintain the issue areas within the mannequin highlighted even if you are utilizing native SketchUp instruments just like the Line software. You’ll be able to see the place all of the holes in your mannequin are whilst you’re cleansing them up, with out having to constantly reactivate the Stable Inspector software. This small workflow change enabled by Overlays is an actual time saver!
These are only a few of the extensions which are working to include Overlay functionality. We have an interest to know what you suppose: Which extensions do you suppose may benefit from Overlays? Or, what would you wish to see in a brand new extension (or SketchUp function) utilizing persistent Overlay show. Tell us on this thread!
ChrisF
9 Likes
Thanks for this function !
I’ve talked about beforehand within the discussion board about my customized choose/hover software that shows the tag title near the cursor as you hover over tagged objects.
It additionally highlights bounding packing containers and geometry – it’s a visible support that I discover helpful.
So it’s nice that I can depart the buggy PickHelper behind and use an overlay to copy my extension with the native choose software.
1 Like
You gave two examples of extensions, however you unnoticed a extremely good one, it’s even out of your group
I simply came across it by chance earlier right now, as soon as the overlay is activated, it permits you to annotate with a crimson pen in both 2D or 3D, just like the software in Structure’s presentation mode.
I rechecked, there was no announcement about this, throughout or since launch, but it’s an excellent software, it ought to even be there by default in SU professional at this level ! 
Oh, I didn’t notice it had been up to date for the reason that beta model (v1.0.0).
I had commented on it needing an erase function and being scene conscious.
Thanks for posting this “heads up”.
I simply put in the most recent model (v1.1.1) and it appears like it’s getting higher.
I don’t suppose I’ll use it when working solo, however when instructing… man, this software is required.
after I began it was principally video projectors on normal whiteboards, so I might write “on prime” of the projected picture, however now most locations I’m going have very large TV screens.
So that is fairly an excellent instructing software
The erase function is helpful, it could be even higher with an “erase all” choice (like with the rules), however actually, I’ll handle with out
Truly this can be a suggestions for the Extension warehouse group, On the principle web page, on the backside, there are some builders value checking. But the official SU developer account isn’t there.
Because of this, it took me a LONG time to grasp you guys had a set of extensions obtainable (moreover the three default pre put in ones), a few of them being fairly helpful. I imply, I discovered Annotation solely as a result of when reinstalling materials resizer (forgot emigrate it from 22) I by accident clicked on the account icon and seen the trendy icon there.
Please open a function request at: Points · SketchUp/sketchup-annotations · GitHub
