User Interface

SketchUp toolbar

The Rayscaper toolbar in SketchUp gives you quick access to the render window and light creation tools.

Button	Description
Render View	Opens the Rayscaper render window.
Point Light	Creates a point light in your scene.
Spot Light	Creates a spotlight in your scene.
Directional Light	Creates a directional light in your scene.
Area Light	Creates an area light in your scene.
Lock Camera	Stops camera sync with SketchUp. Use this to navigate your model while keeping the current render angle.
Match Viewport	Syncs the Rayscaper camera with SketchUp’s viewport and matches the render resolution to the SketchUp aspect ratio.
Composition Guide	Opens the composition guide submenu to overlay framing guides on the SketchUp viewport. SketchUp 2025+ only.
License Manager	Opens the license manager.
Rayscaper Help	Opens this documentation website.

I lost my toolbar

If the toolbar isn’t visible after installing Rayscaper, go to View > Toolbars and enable it:

Composition Guide

Note

This feature requires SketchUp 2025 or later.

While Rayscaper is running, an orange rectangle in the SketchUp viewport shows exactly what will be rendered. You can add guide lines on top to help frame your shot.

Pick a guide via Extensions > Rayscaper > Composition Guide. Your choice is saved with the model.

• Rule of Thirds: A 3×3 grid — place subjects along the lines or at intersections.
• Golden Ratio: Similar grid using the golden ratio (38.2% / 61.8%).
• Diagonals: Corner-to-corner lines for diagonal compositions.
• Center Cross: A crosshair through the center for symmetrical shots.
• Disabled: No guide lines, just the orange camera frame.

Rule of Thirds

Golden Ratio

Diagonals

Center Cross

The overlay also shows the camera type, resolution, and autofocus status below the frame. If SketchUp and Rayscaper use different projection types, a warning will appear.

Render window

The Rayscaper render window is where you view your render and adjust settings.

#	Area	Description
1	Toolbar	Quick access to save, settings, and other common actions.
2	Viewport	Shows your render in real-time as you make changes.
3	Status Bar	Displays render progress, sample count, render time, resolution, and scene statistics.
4	Asset Manager	Browse HDRIs and textures. Drag assets directly into the viewport or material editor. Filter by category or tag.
5	Scene Editor	Adjust render settings across tabs: Camera, Environment, Lights, Materials, Render, and Tone Map.

Extensions Menu

Beyond the toolbar, Rayscaper adds several utility commands to the Extensions > Rayscaper menu.

The full Rayscaper menu under Extensions, showing render, light, sync, and utility commands.

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Create Archive

Packages your SketchUp model and all Rayscaper assets (HDRIs, textures) into a single .zip file. This makes it easy to share a project with someone else or move it to another computer without losing any referenced images.

1. Go to Extensions > Rayscaper > Create Archive.

2. Choose a location and filename in the Save Rayscaper Archive dialog. The default name is based on your model file (e.g. sunroom-00_rayscaper.zip).

3. Click Save. Rayscaper collects all referenced images, converts absolute paths to relative ones, and packages everything into a zip file.

The save dialog with a default filename based on the model name.

When the archive is complete, a confirmation dialog shows the file path.

The resulting .zip contains:

• A copy of the .skp model with relative image paths
• An images/ folder with all referenced textures and HDRIs

Note

Create Archive is only available when the model contains Rayscaper data. Start Rayscaper at least once and save your model before using this feature.

Tip

If a texture file can’t be found on disk, Rayscaper attempts to extract it from SketchUp’s embedded textures. This means archives work even if the original image files have been moved or deleted.

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Clear Rayscaper Data

Removes all Rayscaper settings stored in the current model. This deletes the Rayscaper_Data attribute dictionary from the .skp file, effectively resetting the model to a clean state as if Rayscaper had never been used.

To use it, go to Extensions > Rayscaper > Clear Rayscaper Data.

Caution

This action cannot be undone. All Rayscaper scene data — materials, lights, environment settings, and camera configuration — will be permanently removed from the model.

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Export Logs for Support

Collects Rayscaper log files and diagnostic information into a .zip file that you can send to support when troubleshooting issues.

To use it, go to Extensions > Rayscaper > Export Logs for Support. Choose a save location, and Rayscaper will package:

• The main Rayscaper log (SUEX_Rayscaper.log) and rotated backups
• The Ruby extension log (SUEX_Ruby.log)
• The library loader log (SUEX_Rayscaper_LoadLibs.log)
• A diagnostic manifest with your Rayscaper version, OS, and SketchUp version

After saving, File Explorer opens at the export location so you can quickly attach the file to an email or support ticket.