SketchUp

Rhino excels at format translation: STEP, IGES, 3DM, OBJ, STL, FBX, DWG, AI, SKP, and dozens more. Configure import/export tolerances per format. Use 'Import' for merging, 'Open' for conversion. For SolidWorks/CATIA exchange, prefer STEP AP214. For visualization pipelines, use FBX or glTF.

Push/Pull extrudes any face into a 3D solid along its normal. Double-click repeats the last Push/Pull distance. Hold Ctrl to create a new starting face (for through-holes). Combine with Offset tool: offset a face inward, then Push/Pull to create recessed panels, shelves, or window openings.

Use Components for elements that repeat (windows, furniture, columns)—editing one instance updates all. Use Groups for unique geometry that needs isolation from surrounding faces. Components create definitions reusable across files. Groups are lightweight but don't support instance-wide editing or swapping.

Download pre-made models from 3D Warehouse to populate scenes quickly (furniture, vehicles, vegetation). Check polygon counts before inserting—high-poly models slow performance. Purge unused components after scene composition. Upload your own components to share across projects or with collaborators.

LayOut creates dimensioned, annotated 2D documents from SketchUp models. Insert viewport references linked to SketchUp scenes. Dimensions are associative—they update when the model changes. Create templates with title blocks, standard layers, and text styles for consistent drawing sets.

Extend SketchUp using the Ruby API—access geometry, layers, materials, and UI elements programmatically. Use the Ruby Console for quick tests. Package tools as .rbz extensions for distribution via Extension Warehouse. Popular frameworks: SketchUp's native API for simple tools, or Eneroth's libraries for complex plugins.

Use Tags (formerly Layers) to control visibility of object groups—never assign raw geometry to tags, only groups/components. Outliner shows the model hierarchy: nested groups and components. Use Tag Folders for organized layer management. Create Scenes with specific tag visibility states for drawing views.

Place Section Planes to cut through models for interior views and construction details. Activate section fill for solid poché effect in cut areas. Use multiple section planes (only one active per context). Export section cuts as 2D DWG for detail development in dedicated drafting tools.

Apply and customize Styles for different presentation modes: sketchy edges for conceptual design, clean edges for documentation, watercolor for artistic presentations. Save custom styles to the model's library. Mix face styles (textured, monochrome, X-ray) with edge settings (profiles, depth cue, extensions) for unique looks.

Create Dynamic Components with configurable attributes (size options, material choices, visibility states). Use the Component Attributes dialog to define parameters and formulas. Users interact via the Component Options dialog. Dynamic Components enable configurators for kitchens, furniture, and modular architectural elements.

Set project geo-location for accurate solar studies—SketchUp calculates sun position by latitude, longitude, date, and time. Use Shadow Settings for real-time shadow visualization. Animate through day/year for solar access analysis. Export shadow studies for planning submissions and environmental impact assessments.

Use the Tape Measure Tool for measuring distances, creating guide points, and adding construction lines. Type a dimension after creating a guide to place it at exact offsets. Tape Measure also rescales the entire model: measure a known distance, type the correct length, and confirm the resize.

Use Sandbox tools (From Scratch, From Contours) to create terrain surfaces. 'From Contours' generates TIN surfaces from imported contour lines. 'Smoove' tool sculpts terrain with adjustable radius. 'Drape' projects 2D geometry (roads, building footprints) onto terrain surfaces for site planning visualization.

Use Edit > Intersect Faces to create cutting lines where geometry overlaps. Select scope: 'With Model', 'With Selection', or 'With Context'. Essential for creating complex shapes by combining simple ones—intersect a cylinder with a box, then delete unwanted portions. Clean up stray edges after intersection.

Solid Tools (Union, Subtract, Intersect, Trim, Split) perform boolean operations on solid groups/components. Objects must be 'solid' (watertight manifold) before operations work. Use 'Entity Info' to verify solid status. Outer Shell operation combines multiple touching solids into one cleaned-up form efficiently.