Slow Performance

I don't know if my model is just extremely complex, or if there is something else at play, but my performance is very slow. Mainly zooming, panning, etc. I have read other posts about the complexity of models, but I am using SU for construction design of furniture so I need to model all the parts. I looked at the Model Info here is how it reads.

Edges 55921

Faces 26749

Component Instances 47

Construction Lines 0

Construction Points 0

Groups 149

Images 0

3d Polylines 0

Section Planes 0

Dimensions 0

Text 0

Component Definitions 10

Layers 1

Materials 4

Is that rediculous? I will attach my file, maybe someone has some tips for me. I am using a Mac Powerbook G4, with a ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 card and 1GB of DDR SDRAM.

Computer Desk.skp

3D performance in sketchup is too low, around 10% of 3DS MAX for example.You got tons of unnecessary points, got drawing errors, and got too much groups, is better make components.

Hidden lines got hidden points

Of course, your model is a case of serious overmodeling, with all curved surfaces and their many facets, but I had no special problems zooming and orbiting with it, and my PC should be humbler than yours (2.66 GHz PIV, 2G memory, old Radeon 9000-based card). I could orbit it even with shadows on.

Check your settings in the Window>Preferences>OpenGL tab. Turn Hardware Acceleration on if it is not, and Fast Feedback too, if you don't get problems.

Anssi

Quoting juanki:

3D performance in sketchup is too low, around 10% of 3DS MAX for example

I'm not very sure about this 10%, Juanki. However, there's another 14.16% proportion between these two wonderful pieces of software that's beyond any doubt.

Perhaps this software isn't what I need. Anssi, when you say "overmodeling", because I have curved surfaces etc., I am using this as an actual construction model. Also, to show clients what a finished product should look like. Maybe I need something else, but unless I am mistaken, Autodesk 3DS MAX is not for Mac. My Accelerarion is on as is Fast Feedback; if you could use it on your p4, it seems like it should be ok on my Powerbook, unless the 2gb memory has something to do with it.

Juanki:

How did you find all the un-necessary hidden lines? Is there a script or something?

Perhaps I need to look for a better program?

You really don't need 3k+ entities (edges and faces) in a single door-knob to make it look realistic when rendered - and then you've placed 22 of them in the model !

Then there's the top cornices and doors etc with their finely faceted mould beading - again this could be much simpler (1/10th or 20th of the faces?) without loss of realism when rendered...

You've modelled all of the internal drawers, joinery detailing - rebates, dovetails and mortise+tenon joints etc - when most of them aren't ever seen in the general model views.

View the model with section-cuts hidden geometry on and in xray mode to see just how complex you have made it when much of your effort won't ever be seen... Don't over model - it's a waste of your time and effort - the client won't ever know what you've done !

Every edge and face uses some computing power and will slow things down 55k+ edges and 26k+ faces is crazy for waht is just a 'cupboard' - it'd be barely sensible for a massive ground model mesh...

If you want to show how drawers etc are made and the full joinery details etc then make separate models of those bits...

Look at example things of similar size (e.g. in the SUp component libraries) AND you'll see they have 1/100th of the bits !

My main use for this program is for construction purposes for myself. Ultimately, I explode the model and use it as a "cut List" so I can see all the parts and joinery. You say it is a waste of time, but it saves me from physically building a model.

Again, maybe this just isn't the program for me, but I do like the way it works for the most part.

TIG: Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but, don't know what you mean by,

"3k+ entities (edges and faces) in a single door-knob"

Quoting cholme:

My main use for this program is for construction purposes for myself. Ultimately, I explode the model and use it as a "cut List" so I can see all the parts and joinery. You say it is a waste of time, but it saves me from physically building a model.

Again, maybe this just isn't the program for me, but I do like the way it works for the most part.

TIG: Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but, don't know what you mean by,

"3k+ entities (edges and faces) in a single door-knob"

If you are doing more than show what it looks like then it's not a 'waste of time' BUT you can keep you model 'lean and trim'...

3k = 3,000 (actually one of your door-knobs has 3,025) entities - these are edges and faces. If you looked at a similar (but simpler) 'hutch' cupboard in one of the SUp furniture libraries than perhaps it'd have 500 entities in the WHOLE model - you have 6 times as many in a single door-knob that is placed 22 times ! Aim at a few thousand entities at most - 55,000 is bonkers !

Component edit the door-knob, with 'view hidden geometry' switched on, and you'll see how many faces and hidden edges it has in it. [to count them 'Select All' and then use 'Entity Info' to return the numbers]. You could have far far fewer, but then with hidden geom off and with some 'smoothing' it'd look just as good - saving thousands of calculations that slooooow the processing of the graphics...

When you create a circle you pick, or let default, the # of segments that make up the faceted circle. (In Sketchup, they are not really circles, but a bunch of straight line segments in a nice pretty loop.)

So, do this - create a circle, then type 3s, press enter, and watch your circle become a triangle. Sketchup still regards it as a circle, but it only has 3 sides.

Now, before you click anything else, type in 6s and press enter. Now, it appears as a hexagon.

So, the more sides, the more faces, the more geometry. Creating a circle will fewer segments (sides) allows you to have more entities in your model and maintain good performance. And, unless you need the detail, everyone looking at your model will perceive a round "whatever" it is that we all know is not really drawn round.

Todd

Quoting cholme:

How did you find all the un-necessary hidden lines? Is there a script or something?

Select "model info"/"comoponents" click on hide "fade similar components" and "fade rest of model" check the two boxes or "view"/"component edit"/"hiden rest of model" and "hide similar components", now you can edit a component/group and dont show nothing more.

To see the points select "display settings" and check "endpoints".

To see points in hidden lines "view" menu "hidden geometry" then "select all" and "soften/smoth edges"-> select 0% degres

X-ray is a good tool too.

Quoting tavi:

I'm not very sure about this 10%, Juanki. However, there's another 14.16% proportion between these two wonderful pieces of software that's beyond any doubt.

Im fan of sketchup, but 3D engine is very bad optimized, i say 3D Max but Blender is free and tons of 3D modelers too , all can move softly 1 million of polygons.

Sorry for my english :P

Doing a little surgery on just the knob and reloading it in your model reduced the edges to 18000 and the faces to 8000. Even more palatable geometry reduction is very possible.

Two of the great things about this component stuff is the easy reloading and creating custom component library files. For distant viewing and early modeling, something as simple as a circle can be used as a place holder (a 10-segment circle knob drops the model to 12000 edges and 4500 faces). Reload a detailed knob for closeups.

As you model along, start building up you own custom knob library.

knob surgery,skp

Hi Cholme,

Don't think you should incriminate SU but more the way you use it....

Here are stats of the model I'm currently working on with my IMac G5, 512 Mo Ram:

edges:252350

faces:116929

Components instances:908

groups:62

layers:46

materials:3

I can rotate, zoom or pan without problems!

The only big difference you can notice is the mumber of layers. Try to work more with them, and when necessary turn them off or on when you want to work on particular details.

Hope this help in your future use of SU,

regards,

Patrice

Quoting ffl:

where do i find "view hidden geometry"

Should be the 2nd item down on the View menu.