SketchUp QA Tools: Thumbnail Settings

Some of the SketchUp QA Tools have the capability to export thumbnail images with a standardized camera setup. Packaged with the SketchUp QA Tools are some commands for adjusting the thumbnail camera settings.

LFX Edit Thumbnail Settings

This command allows you to edit the thumbnail settings. These thumbnail settings are saved persistently across SketchUp sessions), and they apply to all thumbnails generated by SketchUp QA Tools (for example, from the QA Checkers' Save functionality and from the LFX Batch Export Thumbnail, GLB command). The settings are as follows:

• Resolution X (pixels)

The width of the resulting thumbnail image in pixels.

• Resolution Y (pixels)

The height of the resulting thumbnail image in pixels.

• Antialias

True or False. Whether lines in the resulting thumbnail image will be anti-aliased. When Antialias is turned off, lines can appear jagged or pixelated.

• Compression (0.0 to 1.0)

The amount of image compression to apply. More image compression results in a smaller file size at the expense of reduced image quality.

• Transparent Background

Whether the background of the image should be transparent.

• Camera FOV (degrees)

The camera field of view.

• Camera Rotation (degrees)

The camera rotation along the XY (ground) plane. Camera rotation is relative to the negative Y axis (looking toward the origin), so a value of 0 results in a front view of the model. Looking down upon the ground plane, positive values result in a counterclockwise camera rotation (viewing the model from the right). Negative values will result in clockwise camera rotation (viewing the model from the left).

• Camera Tilt (degrees)

The camera vertical tilt, rotated about the origin. A value of 0 results in a camera height of 0 and a camera view parallel to the ground plane. Negative values result in a camera raised higher and tilted downward, looking down upon the model. This is a soft setting. The specified camera tilt is used as a target but will be limited by the Camera Height Max and Camera Relative Min Height settings.

• Camera Height Max (inches)

A hard upper limit on the camera height. Regardless of the Camera Tilt setting, the camera height is hard-capped at this height. If the camera height is limited to this value, the camera angle will then be auto-adjusted as necessary (likely angled slightly upward) to ensure the entire model is within frame.

• Camera Pullback (0.0 to 1.0)

An additional zoom factor. A value of 0 results in the model filling virtually the entire frame. Higher numbers result in larger margins.

• Camera Relative Min Height

A hard lower limit on the camera height, relative to the height of the model. This setting can be adjusted to ensure the thumbnail view shows (or does not show) the top of the model. A value of 0.0 allows the camera height as low as the ground plane. A value of 0.8 results in a camera height no lower than 80% of the model height (useful for short models best viewed from the front – for example, mailboxes). A value of 1.1 results in a camera height no lower than 110% of the model height (useful for models best viewed from above – for example, fountains and planters).

LFX Reset Thumbnail Settings

This command resets the thumbnail settings to their defaults.