Managing Changes and Updates to SketchUp Files

LayOut imports SketchUp models by reference, linking the viewport and associated model. It helps you manage changes and updates to SketchUp models and other imported files in the following ways:

• Synced Updates – When you open a model in SketchUp from LayOut and modify it, the LayOut viewport reflects the changes.

• Referenced Content – The References section in Document Setup lists all the SketchUp models inserted into your document and when each model instance was last updated. 

• Swap Out Models – You can change the SketchUp models for a document on a per viewport basis.

• Visibility – You can control the visibility of SketchUp tags within LayOut.

Opening SketchUp from LayOut

To open a model in SketchUp from LayOut, follow these steps:

1. In LayOut, context-click the viewport and select Open with SketchUp from the menu. SketchUp will open with that model already loaded.

   

2. Make changes to the model.

3. Select File > Save. In LayOut, the viewport will reflect the SketchUp model changes.

Managing References in Document Setup

In LayOut, inserted images and imported files become references. If you modify a file, your document will reflect the changes after you update it. You can do this in the References section of Document Setup.

In the References section, you can manage your references by selecting files and  choosing the following options:

• Update – Replaces an outdated file with its latest version.

• Relink – Helps you add a new location for a moved or renamed file.

• Unlink – Removes the connection between a file and its reference.

• Edit – Opens a referenced file in its native application for editing.

• Purge – Removes all references to files that no longer appear in your document and unused styles in viewports.

Selecting the Check references when loading this document check box causes LayOut to check all referenced files each time you open a document. If there are missing or outdated files, the Document Setup dialog appears with the References section selected. 

To check and update model references, follow these steps:

1. Select Window > Document Setup to open the Document Setup dialog.

2. Select References in the left section. If a reference is missing or outdated, its status is in red in the list of files.

3. Select any outdated references and click the Update.

4. When you're done with Document Setup, click Close.

   

Replacing the Model for a Viewport

To replace the SketchUp model for a viewport, follow these steps:

1. Select the viewport.

2. In the SketchUp Model panel, select Link ().
   

   

3. Navigate to the location of the new file, select the file, then choose Open. The viewport switches from the current model to the new one.

Controlling the Visibility of SketchUp Tags

You can control the visibility of your SketchUp model tags within LayOut. 

For more on working with SketchUp tags in LayOut, see Labeling Items in Your Document or Working with SketchUp Dashes in SketchUp Files.

To alter tag visibility, follow these steps:

1. Select a viewport.

2. In the SketchUp Model panel, expand the Tags section. A list of tag folders and tags associated with the viewport appears.

   

3. Click the eye () next to a tag or tag folder to change the visibility of the tagged entities in the viewport.
   
   To select multiple tags, use the Ctrl key in Windows or Cmd key on Mac OS. Use the Shift key to select a group of tags.