Google SketchUp: The Missing Manual

Chapter 16. Presenting Your Model with LayOut (SketchUp Pro)

After you build a spectacular SketchUp model, the next logical step is to show it off. LayOut is your tool for creating professional-quality printed documents and PowerPoint-style presentations. With SketchUp models, the integration between LayOut and SketchUp makes the work go much faster than if you tried to use InDesign or, well, PowerPoint. LayOut understands your 3-D SketchUp model and makes the most of it. For example, suppose you have a model of a college campus and you use SketchUp scenes to create different views of the Science Hall, the Gymnasium, and the Performing Arts Center. You can insert your model into a page in LayOut, and then choose the scene you want to display. Even better, if you want to change the view slightly, you can use the camera tools Orbit, Pan, and Zoom right in LayOut. That's not something you can do with a 2-D graphic.

As a full-featured page layout and presentation program, LayOut is pretty complex. This chapter helps you get started fast. The first few sections give you a quick tour of the LayOut program along with tips for setting up the workspace to suit your needs. If you want to jump right to the techniques for creating LayOut documents and inserting SketchUp models, jump to "Manipulating Your Model in Layout" on Manipulating Your Model in LayOut.

Workflow for a LayOut Project

LayOut comes with SketchUp Pro, but it's a separate program from SketchUp. Typically you fire up LayOut after ...