SketchUp 2021.1 is from now on available and contains a few polished features for a smoother workflow!

Changes to SketchUp 2021.1

In SketchUp 2021.1, the way that ten core tools work in modifier states is changing. For example, SketchUp’s Move tool can also work as a Copy tool. And, with a modifier, Push/Pull can create new faces when you extrude. Here are the highlights:

• Modifier Toggles
  The most explicit change is that more tool modifiers behave as toggles that can be turned on and off by tapping a key. This means fewer press-and-hold modifier interactions for tools and more predictable modeling outcomes.
  For any tool, you can identify what modifiers are available in the Status Bar (at the bottom of the screen) and confirm the current modified state of the tool by examining the cursor or on-screen modeling behavior. With more modifiers behaving as toggles, we think it’s easier to switch the tool state before you complete a given operation.
   
• Sticky Modifiers
  Persistent modifier tool states across multiple operations. This means being able to make multiple copies of objects with Move or being able to hide edges with Eraser across view changes using Orbit.
  
  
  
  To get out of a modified tool state, either hit the modifier key again or change tools.
  
  
   
• Pre-lock Inferences
  As you may already know, many SketchUp tools feature the ability to ‘pre-lock’ an inference direction or drawing plane. In this release, this pattern has been applied to other tools. You’re now able to pre-lock an inference direction before the first click with the Line, Tape Measure, and Move tools.
   
• Push/Pull Updates
  In SketchUp 2021.1, you’re likely to notice some differences with Push/Pull. In addition to making the Push/Pull Copy modifier a persistent toggle, Push/Pull’s hidden modifier, Stretch, has been also formalized.
  
  Stretch is a modifier state that has actually existed in SketchUp for years but has never been referenced in the Status Bar or the Push/Pull cursor. ‘Stretching’ a face is roughly equivalent to moving a face perpendicular to its drawing plane, and especially useful at the earliest stages of form development.
  
  
  
  Alongside improvements to Push/Pull noted above, a change to the front-face orientation when modeling in SketchUp has been made. Now, SketchUp will always orient newly drawn faces with the front side facing up, when drawing on the ground plane, and with the front face ‘facing’ the camera in other cases. For example, if a face is drawn over the top of an existing face, the new face will still inherit the orientation of the face that it is drawn on. Push/Pull and Follow Me operations behave more predictably with these changes, resulting in correctly oriented faces.
  
  
   
• Performance improvement for big mesh extensions
  Some SketchUp extensions are designed to create or manipulate large amounts of geometry. Of course, the bigger the mesh an extension is adding to SketchUp, the longer it will take to generate. We’re pleased to announce an improvement to how efficiently SketchUp’s API generates large meshes. Once you get meshes above 20,000 polygons, the improvement is especially noticeable. If you’re eager to explore this new API, check out extensions such as Artisan, SubD, Bezier Surface, and Skimp.
   
• Updates to the Extensions menu
  Going forward, the Extensions menu heading will always be visible, regardless of whether extensions have been installed there or not. Extension management and developer tools has also been relocated to this menu.
   
• Unit translation for Live Components
  Live Components continue to evolve in SketchUp Labs to make them more useful. Specifically, Live Component parameters now display in the same unit format that you are using in your SketchUp model. So, when you are lining up a measurement with the Tape Measure tool, it’s a lot quicker to type that measurement into a Live Component parameter.
  
  
  
  2021.1 also includes an improvement in the draw time of Live Component editing.
  
  If you haven’t explored Live Components yet, you can check them all out in 3D Warehouse.
   
• IFC 4 classification and export
  In addition to support for the IFC 2x3 schema and file format, SketchUp Pro now includes an IFC 4 classification set and the ability to export IFC 4 files.
  
  Learn more about how to use IFC types with SketchUp’s Classifier tool.
   
• LayOut improvements
  In 2021.1, a faster way to set the scale of a viewport has been introduced. Now, you can simply type in the desired scale in the Camera tab of the SketchUp model panel. This new type-to-input will neatly parse a number of inputs: 1:50, 1” = 50”, 1/50, .02, 2%, or even 6” = 25’ will all quickly apply a 1:50 scale to a viewport.
   

Availability

Click here to go to the download section to download this update. For users of SketchUp Pro 2021 this update is completely free! Users with an expired Maintenance (less than 3 years) can renew their Maintenance when they want to use SketchUp Pro 2021.1.

We wish you good luck with this new version of SketchUp Pro 2021!