SKETCHUP Tut--Move Tool and Alignment.

Dave Richards

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I hope this will work for Jeff and for the rest. I did a little quick model with some instructions telling you what to do. Try each page. Let me know how it works or if you need clarification. When I get the last of the gas machines PMd I'll work up a longer tutorial if need be.
 

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Worked for me. :thumb: I had to try the third page stuff a few times (I failed to select the box, and still had the page 2 box selected), but seeing how the shift key works was very helpful. Also, I've gotta remember to click a corner or other point when moving something, not click mid-object and trying to drag it into location.

Many thanks!
 
Vaughn, thank you. It looks like I need to be a little more explicit with some parts of the instructions. I should also wait until I have more time to post these things so I can write more description.

Don, never fear. I'm not going to give up. I'm just trying a different method for a tutorial that would be a bit more interactive. If it works, I might be able to come up with more that way. I just want to see what works better for folks.

Regarding the Move tool, as Vaughn found out, it makes a difference where you grab a component (group or other bit of geometry) before moving it. If you have in mind that some part should align with another part, grab it by that part.

Try experimenting with one of the cubes and the Move tool. Notice that you can click and grab anywhere but if you hover over an edge and move until you find the center of the edge, you can grab there. Also notice you can easily grab a component at the intersection of a a pair of lines. Try grabbing the cube with the construction line on page 2 at the intersection of the construction line.

You don't have to click on the compoennt you want to move either. Try this: select a cube. Now, with the Move tool, click on a corner of the other cube. Move the cursor diagonally across the face of that unselect cube and note what happens.

As to the Shift key, remember it. It will lock the Move direction once you get the moving going in that direction. You can tell it is locked because the trailing line gets fatter.
 
Dave, it seems to me that EVERY post you make, I learn something new :thumb:

I cannot express how much you have already helped me, I was honestly, at the point of giving up on SU.

I'll keep plugging away! :D

Cheers!
 
Dave,
Is there some place to turn off the snap feature in SU. I am tryin to lay out my new shop..:D and when I move a tool to close to a wall it wants to attch itself to the wall. This make it very difficult to move it later since the wall want to go with it.
 
Don -

Try this: Go to Window / Model Info / click on Units and turn off Enable Length Snapping.

See if that helps. You can save this setting to your default template or just in a particular model.

You may also want to make whatever you are placing a component. That way even if it touches a wall or other element, you can easily move it.

Neil
 
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