Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup: Tips and Tricks for Better Section Views

Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup: How to Add Faces to Your Section Cuts

If you are a Sketchup user, you probably know how useful section planes are for creating cross-sectional views of your models. However, you may also find it frustrating that Sketchup does not automatically add faces to your section cuts, leaving them hollow and transparent. This can make it hard to see the details of your model, especially when you export or print your views.

Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup

Fortunately, there is a solution for this problem. It is called Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup, and it is one of the most popular and powerful plugins for Sketchup. In this article, we will show you what this plugin is, how to use it, why you should use it, and answer some frequently asked questions about it. By the end of this article, you will be able to add faces to your section cuts with ease and style.

What is Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup?

A brief introduction to the plugin and its features

Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup is a plugin that adds faces to a section plane in Sketchup. It was developed by TIG, a well-known Sketchup plugin developer and contributor. You can download it from [SketchUcation](^2^), a website that hosts many Sketchup plugins and resources.

The plugin has several features that make it very useful and versatile. Here are some of them:

• It allows you to choose the color, style, and thickness of the section cut face.

• It allows you to link or unlink the section cut face to the section plane, so that it updates automatically or on demand when the model changes.

• It allows you to add multiple section cut faces to different section planes in your model.

• It allows you to export or print your section views with faces.

How to install and activate the plugin

To install and activate the plugin, you need to follow these steps:

• Download the plugin file from [SketchUcation](^2^). It is a .rbz file that contains the plugin code.

• Open Sketchup and go to Window > Extension Manager. Click on Install Extension and browse for the .rbz file that you downloaded. Click on Open and accept the installation prompt.

• Restart Sketchup and go to View > Toolbars. Check the box next to SectionCutFace. This will enable the toolbar that contains the plugin icon.

• You can also access the plugin from Tools > TIGtools > Add Section-Cut Face.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and activated the plugin. Now you are ready to use it.

How to use Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup?

How How to create a section plane and add a section cut face

To create a section plane and add a section cut face, you need to follow these steps:

• Select the group or component that you want to cut. You can also select nothing if you want to cut the whole model.

• Click on the Section Plane tool from the toolbar or go to Tools > Section Plane. Move your cursor over the model and you will see a blue plane that aligns with the axes. You can also use the arrow keys to change the orientation of the plane.

• Click once to place the section plane. You can also drag it to adjust its position. You will see a red outline that indicates the section cut.

• Click on the Section Cut Face icon from the toolbar or go to Tools > TIGtools > Add Section-Cut Face. A dialog box will appear that lets you choose the options for the section cut face.

• Select the color, style, and thickness of the section cut face. You can also choose whether to link or unlink it to the section plane. Click on OK and you will see a face added to your section cut.

You have successfully created a section plane and added a section cut face. You can repeat this process for other section planes in your model.

How to customize the section cut face color, style, and thickness

If you want to change the color, style, or thickness of the section cut face, you can do so by following these steps:

• Select the section cut face that you want to modify. You can also select multiple faces if you want to apply the same changes to them.

• Right-click on the selection and choose Edit Section-Cut Face from the context menu. A dialog box will appear that lets you change the options for the section cut face.

• Change the color, style, or thickness of the section cut face as you wish. You can also choose whether to link or unlink it to the section plane. Click on OK and you will see your changes applied to your section cut face.

You have successfully customized your section cut face. You can do this anytime you want to change its appearance.

How to link or unlink the section cut face to the section plane

If you want to link or unlink the section cut face to the section plane, you can do so by following these steps:

• Select the section cut face that you want to link or unlink. You can also select multiple faces if you want to apply the same action to them.

• Right-click on the selection and choose Link/Unlink Section-Cut Face from the context menu. A dialog box will appear that lets you choose whether to link or unlink the section cut face.

• Select Link if you want the section cut face to update automatically when you move or rotate the section plane. Select Unlink if you want the section cut face to remain fixed when you move or rotate the section plane. Click on OK and you will see your choice applied to your section cut face.

You have successfully linked or unlinked your section cut face. You can do this anytime you want to change its behavior.

How to update or remake How to update or remake the section cut face when the model changes

If you have linked your section cut face to the section plane, it will update automatically when you change your model. However, if you have unlinked your section cut face, or if you want to remake it for some reason, you can do so by following these steps:

• Select the section cut face that you want to update or remake. You can also select multiple faces if you want to apply the same action to them.

• Right-click on the selection and choose Update/Remake Section-Cut Face from the context menu. A dialog box will appear that lets you choose whether to update or remake the section cut face.

• Select Update if you want the section cut face to match the current section cut of the model. Select Remake if you want the section cut face to be deleted and recreated with the current options. Click on OK and you will see your choice applied to your section cut face.

You have successfully updated or remade your section cut face. You can do this anytime you want to refresh your section views.

Why use Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup?

The benefits of using the plugin for your modeling and presentation

Using Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup can bring you many benefits for your modeling and presentation. Here are some of them:

• It makes your section views more realistic and clear by adding faces to your section cuts.

• It allows you to customize the appearance of your section cut faces according to your preferences and needs.

• It saves you time and effort by updating or remaking your section cut faces automatically or on demand.

• It enhances your communication and collaboration with others by exporting or printing your section views with faces.

The limitations and drawbacks of the plugin

However, using Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup also has some limitations and drawbacks that you should be aware of. Here are some of them:

• It may slow down your Sketchup performance if you have too many section cut faces in your model.

• It may cause some conflicts or errors with other plugins or extensions that modify the section planes or faces.

• It may not work properly with some complex or curved geometries that create irregular or incomplete section cuts.

The alternatives and competitors of the plugin

If you are looking for other options to add faces to your section cuts, you may want to check out some alternatives and competitors of Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup. Here are some of them:

NameDescriptionLink

Skalp for SketchUpA paid extension that creates dynamic cross-sections with hatches, patterns, materials, and annotations.[Skalp for SketchUp]

SectionCutFaceRBZA free plugin that adds faces to a single section plane in Sketchup.[SectionCutFaceRBZ]

CutNfillA paid extension that calculates and displays the cut and fill volumes of a terrain model.[CutNfill]

S4U Make FaceA free plugin that creates faces from edges, curves, or lines in Sketchup.[S4U Make Face]

You can compare these alternatives and competitors with Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup and see which one suits your needs better.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup is a great plugin that adds faces to your section cuts in Sketchup. It is easy to install and use, and it offers many features and options to customize your section views. It can help you improve your modeling and presentation skills, as well as save you time and effort. However, it also has some limitations and drawbacks that you should consider before using it. It also has some alternatives and competitors that you can explore if you want more choices.

If you are interested in using Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup, you can download it from [SketchUcation] and follow the instructions in this article. You can also visit the [plugin thread] on SketchUcation forum for more information, support, and feedback. We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading!

FAQs

Q Q1: Is Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup free?

A1: Yes, Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup is free to download and use. However, if you find it useful and want to support the developer, you can make a donation via [PayPal] or [Patreon].

Q2: What versions of Sketchup are compatible with the plugin?

A2: Section Cut Face Plugin Sketchup is compatible with Sketchup 8 and later versions, both free and pro. However, some features may not work properly with older versions of Sketchup or Ruby.

Q3: How to remove a section cut face from a section plane?

A3: To remove a section cut face from a section plane, you can do one of the following:

• Select the section cut face and press Delete on your keyboard.

• Right-click on the section cut face and choose Erase from the context menu.

• Right-click on the section plane and choose Remove Section-Cut Face from the context menu.

Note that removing a section cut face will not remove the section plane itself. You can remove the section plane by selecting it and pressing Delete or right-clicking on it and choosing Erase.

Q4: How to hide or show a section cut face in Sketchup?

A4: To hide or show a section cut face in Sketchup, you can do one of the following:

• Select the section cut face and go to Edit > Hide or Edit > Unhide.

• Right-click on the section cut face and choose Hide or Unhide from the context menu.

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H or Ctrl+Shift+H to hide or unhide the selected section cut face.

Note that hiding a section cut face will not hide the section plane itself. You can hide the section plane by selecting it and going to Edit > Hide or right-clicking on it and choosing Hide.

Q5: How to contact the developer of the plugin for support or feedback?

A5: To contact the developer of the plugin for support or feedback, you can do one of the following:

• Visit the [plugin thread] on SketchUcation forum and post your questions, comments, or suggestions there.

• Send an email to tig@sketchucation.com and describe your issue or feedback in detail.

• Join the [TIGtools group] on SketchUcation and get access to more plugins, resources, and discussions by TIG.

The developer is very responsive and helpful, so don't hesitate to reach out to him if you need any assistance or have any ideas for improvement. dcd2dc6462