One of the most noticeable changes in SketchUp 2021 is the new logo icons for SketchUp and its application suite, which include LayOut, 3D Warehouse, Extension Warehouse, and Style Builder. The new logos are designed to align SketchUp with the broader portfolio of Trimble products and to reflect the modern and dynamic nature of SketchUp. The new logos are also modeled in SketchUp, which showcases the versatility and creativity of the software.
Tag Folders
Another new feature in SketchUp 2021 is the ability to organize multiple tags into Tag Folders and control their visibility per scene. Tags are used to label and group different entities in your model, such as layers, components, groups, or materials. Tag Folders allow you to create a hierarchy of tags and easily manage them in a tree structure. You can also expand and collapse Tag Folders to view or hide their contents. This feature is especially useful for models that have large and complex lists of tags and scenes. Tag Folders are also available in LayOut, where you can access them from the Tags panel.
Tag filtering
To complement the Tag Folders feature, SketchUp 2021 also introduces tag filtering in the Tags panel. This feature allows you to quickly find specific tags by typing their names or prefixes in the filter box. You can also use tag filtering to create Tag Folders by selecting multiple tags that match your filter criteria and clicking the Add Tag Folder button. You can also use keyboard modifiers to select multiple tags or folders and change their visibility at once.
New .SKP file format
SketchUp 2021 brings a significant improvement under the hood: a re-build of the .SKP file format. This means that you will notice a significant reduction in file sizes when saving models to the new format, which will save you disk space and improve performance. The new file format will also enable additional workflow improvements in the future, such as faster loading times, better compatibility with other software, and more advanced features.
Other improvements
SketchUp 2021 also includes some other improvements and bug fixes that enhance the user experience and functionality of the software. Some of these improvements are:
A new PreDesign feature that provides quick insights for design research based on climate data and building type.
A new Scan Essentials extension that allows you to import and view point clouds in SketchUp.
A new V-Ray extension that offers photorealistic and real-time visualizations.
An improved Revit importer that simplifies the process of importing Revit files into SketchUp.
An improved Live Components feature that allows you to access and configure parametric objects from 3D Warehouse.
An improved Mobile Viewer app that allows you to create models on your iPad.
Conclusion
SketchUp 2021 is a major update that brings new features and improvements over SketchUp 2019. The new version offers more flexibility, efficiency, accuracy, and compatibility for 3D modeling enthusiasts and professionals alike. If you are interested in trying out SketchUp 2021, you can download a free trial or purchase a subscription plan from the official website. You can also check out the release notes for more details about what's new and improved in SketchUp 2021.
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