SketchUp 101

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:02 pm

tom_k/mo wrote:Charlese, the Assy tab is just another scene I created that has all the "geometry" layers and the "hardware" layer turned on and all associated "text" layers turned off, for quickly seeing the whole model cleanly.

As Mark said, he's had trouble with the measurements window too. I haven't seen this myself, but will try to find an answer for it. Just out of curiosity, since you don't actually type into the window (it's display only) you can still type in distances correctly, can't you?

I just found THIS on a web search. Does this fix work?

Another thing I just found... in the menu at the top, choose View and Toolbars. Click on Measurements. It should create a Measurements toolbar that can be floating like the Entity Window, etc... When I did that, the measurements box in the lower right corner disappeared. Turning the Measurements toolbar back off brought back the box in the lower right corner. Try cycling that setting once and see if your box comes back.

Yes! The typed in measurements ALWAYS work weather there is a window to see them or not. It is only an aggravation when they cannot be seen.

Both of your suggested fixes work! It's kind of silly that such a simple thing became so mysterious to me! I guess the 'smaller' Sketchup window is so large that it is easy to not notice it can become a wee bit larger. In order to make the web site of the "Wizzard" it must be one of those FAQs.

When using the 'View'/'Toolbars'/'Measurements'/method there is a new toolbar added to the bottom of the window. This gives two bottom toolbars when the SKP window is large and only the 'measurements bar' when the SKP window is smaller.

Thanks for pointing out that anyone can make their own Assy View!

Once again, I thought it must be some magical thing. This program will be super when I get to learn it more fully!

Thanks, Tom!

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:32 pm

charlese wrote:When using the 'View'/'Toolbars'/'Measurements'/method there is a new toolbar added to the bottom of the window. This gives two bottom toolbars when the SKP window is large and only the 'measurements bar' when the SKP window is smaller.

Glad to hear that worked for you. When you use the Views/Toolbars/Measurements method, the 2nd window is a Dockable window that can be undocked and float on the screen, similar to the Entity Info, Scene and Layers windows in my videos. Not really sure why you would want to float that window but...

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:00 pm

Now I have another situation - When finishing up the top, I now find there are heavy curved lines following the radii along the top. Wonder what I have done wrong? Played a bit with the face and edge style in the 'View' menu, but no big change.

Boy! - I am a slow learner! Now that I've drawn out the Step Stool 5 times. I still have to remember all of the steps, like just when to make a group inside of a selected area and so forth. It'll come with more practice! The various Sketchup features offered in the Step Stool Lesson are mind boggling at first, and hard for me to put into my grey matter secondly. GREAT LESSON, Tom!:)

I had a lot of fun playing with the A,B and C scenes and their text. Went around and around and finally found how to get rid of scene C's dimensions from showing in other scenes. Just have to be very careful on which box is selected in the layers when updating a scene.

EDIT: The extra lines around the curved surfaces of the top are only present on the Assy View. IPB1 and Top Part are clear of those lines.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:28 pm

It seems to me it may be worthwhile to tell about my "most hard to understand issue" with sketchup. That is if others have had problems like mine. The part hardest for me to understand was - how and when to assign an entity to a layer. I've done it two ways..

The first way is to make sure the desired layer is marked with a radio dot prior to even laying out the base with the rectangle tool. However when done this way, there is a tendency to overlook assigning an entity name to the layer.

The second way is how Tom taught - to assign a layer immediately after making a group.

In any event - not assigning layers to different pieces can/will lead to frustrations when trying to edit.

tnerb · Post by **tnerb** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:58 pm

Hi Tom, After completing all the lessons, I made the two componants for recessed frame and panel doors which I build more often than raised panel doors. It works great except I need to use the push/pull tool to make the 1/4x1/4 groove in the stile.

How would one go about making half blind dovetail componants to use in drawer construction?

Brent

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:58 pm

This is great stuff, guys. Thanks a lot.

I'll be spending some time this weekend on the course, too. This will be FUN!

If I get through it without my brain falling out I may work it up in TurboCad and submit it as a Sketchup file for comparison, to see how they work together (or not).

Have a good weekend everbody!

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:11 pm

tnerb wrote:Hi Tom, After completing all the lessons, I made the two componants for recessed frame and panel doors which I build more often than raised panel doors. It works great except I need to use the push/pull tool to make the 1/4x1/4 groove in the stile.

How would one go about making half blind dovetail componants to use in drawer construction?

Brent

Brent, sorry it took a while to respond, I hadn't forgotten you. I created a video to help show how I'd create blind dovetail joints. Hope THIS helps.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:53 pm

tom_k/mo wrote:Brent, sorry it took a while to respond, I hadn't forgotten you. I created a video to help show how I'd create blind dovetail joints. Hope THIS helps.

EXCELLENT - to say more is superfluous!!

tnerb · Post by **tnerb** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:06 pm

tom_k/mo wrote:Brent, sorry it took a while to respond, I hadn't forgotten you. I created a video to help show how I'd create blind dovetail joints. Hope THIS helps.

Hi Tom, you're awesome! Thanks.... Plus what Dusty said...

Brent

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:45 pm

Was playing in SketchUp this afternoon. Got a request to engrave a Baby Bottle for a gift. I will engrave the baby's name, birth date, weight and length into a classic glass baby bottle and then fill the engraving with gold. I'll then fill the bottle with blue or pink tissue paper and add a corresponding ribbon bow. I wanted to draw up a set of plans for a display stand to go with the bottle and of course SketchUp's 3D Warehouse didn't have a decent baby bottle to work with. So.... I did one myself, and now the warehouse DOES, complete with the flat faceted faces and the Evenflo logo...