Paste in Place vs Outliner - Skill Builder

Should you use the Paste in Place command or Outliner to nest information inside of your model? In this Skill Builder, we'll take a closer look!

[@901coryowens]

So, when I'm working on big projects, I open a new "stage" document and use the paste in place option to clean, render and optimize the object, it's materials, faces, etc. That way it's in it's own isolated document which performs much faster than editing in the full project. Then I make sure the object is in the appropriate category with the appropriate material names before pasting in place in the full document. That way I can control the visibility of the object as I bring it into my full project. It helps me keep my entire model of groups and components as clean as possible so I don't have to rely on purge and clean-up tools that will slow down a large project.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

I wonder if this is why some of the components I dl from the warehouse are in a galaxy far, far away from the origin point and usually ginourmous....

[@901coryowens]

@@DarkMoonDroid I'd say that's because of a lack of due diligence on the uploader's part. I often find that objects downloaded from warehouse are messy if not from an official source or if not from the 'products' tab. Objects in the 'models' tab can be uploaded by anyone and are often modified duplicates of someone else's work. But yes, when I download files from the warehouse, I will import them into my 'stage' document complete with a floor, backdrop and sometimes a ruler. That way I can see the group, component, dynamic component and material hierarchy before I import the object into my primary project scene. I'll clean the alignments, lines and faces model, ensure the groups are nested properly, delete unwanted materials or hidden layers, scale the object to a size I feel is appropriate based on the size of my stage (scene) in comparison to a person or already optimized object that is of similar nature (such as a chair or vehicle), then I'll make sure there aren't any unwanted tags incorporated in the object. In fact, I'll add the tags I already have in my project to the object so that It's added to that tag name and folder on import. This is all assuming that I just downloaded the object from warehouse. In my old workflow I'd import the file directly from warehouse to my scene where I'd want it to be to build the scene. Then I'd rebuild the scene in a new project using a third "staging" window to optimize objects before I move them over. My productivity has definitely changed since I started optimizing downloaded files before import.

[@keggyification]

Thanks Aaron, I've always gone down the paste in place route but I'm finding that I'm using outliner more and more so this is another great addition to my current workflow.

[@ivanwalker3391]

First-rate episode. That "Paste in place" procedure has always been a real sticking point for me. Keep 'er lit Bro!

[@jbb5470]

Still new to sketch and I find all of your videos interesting! Thanks for posting!

[@richardkleinschmidt2343]

I have used Outliner for years. It keeps my work organized. Another method I use often is use the command "make group" from the pop up menu. 1> open your group DISK using "edit Group". 2>Click outside the opened group and select "make group" from the popup menu. 3> Draw your geometry "the bolt" ; the drawn geometry is contained in the new group made in step 2. 4> close the new group and reselect it, then add tag and and identifier in the Entity Info window. This workflow keeps geometry in the group/subgroup I want it in. If I simply create a new bit of geometry and then "Group" it; the group is named group and hard to find in outliner.

[@PeteCollingsArchitect]

Great tip: outliner, yep: on it often...great for section plane management too.

[@AndrewJonathanSmith]

I make heavy use of the outliner doing exactly this since I use SU for technical modelling. I need bits to move with other bits and I like to group guides in their own sub-entity so that I can easily hide them. Making a good hierarchy keeps complex models organized... Never used paste in place before but seems like another good way to go.

[@dcube589]

Hi Aaron, both functions are very important to me. I have the example on a door. If you want to rotate the door to open it and the handle is outside the door group, the handle does not rotate with it. now it's just like you said, paste in place the handle inside the door group or put the handle group in the outliner in the doorgroup

[@rshawiii]

use outliner a lot. would like it to sort and search/filter and be less finicky to dragging geometry up and down the hierarchy of groups. also if it could optionally show discreet entities would be helpfull to find and manage those things you create as loose geometry or that get lost. also the outliner is a good place to put badly needed option to turn on/off inferencing on group by group basis

[@DarkMoonDroid]

What kind of finickiness are you experiencing?

[@orbsphere-]

Seems to me using outliner would become a hinderance coming up with original names for large quantities of items, similar to naming comps. Paste in place never changes. I put x-ray icon up amongst pointer, eraser, and paint bucket tools to avoid going thru the several drop-down menus to use it. Would be handy if there were an icon or keyboard shortcut for paste-n-place and possibly delete guides.

[@francisbettison1447]

I use outliner all the time along with "Hide" so that I can de-clutter the screen. My complaint is that Hide and Erase are too close together and when working quickly it is too easy to press erase which can be catastrophic. Can Erase be moved away from Hide

[@jorgecabrera5605]

Hi Aaron...thanks for your videos...always enlightening...a question: Components into Groups or Groups into Components??...good practices for a better workflow tips are very welcome. Thans a lot guys there.

[@raydonconcepts4874]

I use both frequently.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

5:20 See what you're lookin' at there? That line? I don't get that. I have SU 2021. What is the problem? In my old SU Make, this is the method I used all the time. Then when I got the shiny new SU, it was glitchy and I needed an alternative. Thank the SU gods (you) for PIP!!!

[@mapit07]

Yep, using Outliner a ton.

[@paxwort]

Quick warning to others that this explosion method of merging does leave an internal face that you'll want to get rid of.

[@bobd.]

What happens if you use Solid Tools to merge the two groups into one?

[@silberlinie]

Let's ask that question, what is the sense of this, that if you move a group1 with some elements in it, to another group2, only the exterior of the group1 is moved, but not the elements in it?

[@morgantusk]

Could you do a quick video on using file tabs. I cannot find a single KZbin video on this subject. Thnx

[@kelvinkennedyng]

What hardware are you using to orbit/zoom your model?

[@Chris_92]

It's 3D mouse

[@4WDIESEL1]

pate in place is the simple fool proof way.

[@TheBoris83]

How did you make that piece transparent 4:00 ?

[@AaronMakingStuff]

That happens automatically when you move items in the newer versions of SketchUp Pro.

[@JasonTaylor1]

Is there a reason you guys haven't re-written SketchUp on a NURBS core. You have had plenty of time. As an ID, people would ask me what I thought about SU. My answer is it will get you 7/8 the way there and that's it. If Michael Gibson can build and maintain MOA3D by himself SketchUP can either re-write it so it is a real boy, or open up the patent and stop camping on basically a great idea from 2006 that has had relatively few significant improvements since. 15 YEARS! Layout doesn't count, style builder doesn't count, plugins would count if they were not basically baby patches to the core functionality.

[@florinapostoiu]

You didn't search enough - you can have NURBS in Sketchup.! And many replacements also.! And also many other advantages by working with raw geometry, a concept that is totally missing from most CAD software