Here is one of the simplest alignment tools. Two clicks and the faces or edges you choose join together. You still need to use groups or components to to make whole piece align as it will just move faces or edges individually. In the very short vid you will see me group your woofer, then align the base of the magnet to the box face, then change that to align the frame of the speaker. You'll find this plugin called s4u_AlignTool by clicking this link http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=53715, or downloadable directly within sketchup via the sketchucation store plugin. [screenr:3jj0w124]KcIH[/screenr:3jj0w124]

Thanks!

Look at this link for books by Bonnie Roskes (et al): http://sketchupdate.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-sketchup-8-books-from-bonnie-roskes.html That is for version 8, but the principles haven't changed. I have a book by her published for version 5.

Hiding geometry that is connected to other geometry does not 'separate' it - so it moves/deletes as one thing. Using different on/off layers for part of some connected geometry also 'hides' it, BUT again it's still connected. It's a recipe for madness. Make a rectangular face. Select the face and assign it to an 'off' layer. Now erase one of the visible edges. Now switch the 'face-layer' on - the face has vanished as it depended on the edge that you just erased ! Always model raw geometry on Layer0 - have it as your active layer.. To separate parts of geometry use a group [or make a component of it]. You can then hide/layer that 'container' separately from the rest - it is no longer 'connected'... Geometry that sticks together is very useful, but when you don't what that effect put the geometry inside 'container' groups or components...

Thank you very much, to you and Dave. That is the problem as you have described. We were able to correct it and now can successfully launch SketchUp on my son's Mac. Happy New Year to all!

I've never had any problem with CutList not working. I've used it for a number of years without problem. what do you mean by a rounding error? What dimension is getting rounded? Which version of the plugin are you using? As for the difference between "paint" and "material", I don' think there is any. I think they are used interchangeably although I suppose some would refer to simple solid colors as paint while a texture image might be referred to as a material. In terms of the cutlist and materials, you could use solid colors so as not to have to deal with grain orientation and give the colors wood names or whatever you like.

If you are having trouble downloading instant road contact the developer. Here is one tutorial. I got many results searching "road on terrain". http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18%26amp;t=19522

The tools on surface with the push pull tool was great, I am noticing now that when i start to curve the rolls are not smooth and have irregularities in them. Is there a way to smooth out the surface or am I not connecting the arcs correctly? As well is there a way to connect all my arcs together so i don't have to pull sections of the wall out separetly? [image: Sy9b_example.jpg] [image: 1YWZ_example2.jpg] [image: eTGl_example3.jpg]

Sketchup itself doesn't use lighting, only sun. Different render engines produce lighting so It depends what you are wanting to do. You might have more luck importing the SU model into Maya, but I can't help you with that.

If you've used SketchUp at all, you'd know that curved surfaces are represented by by small facets. Just as arcs and circles are represented by a series of line segments. You can't get around that. On the other hand, it shouldn't be a problem in rendering if you've made it correctly. If there are internal faces, you'll have problems. For example, here's a ring drawn in SU and rendered quickly in KT. [image: 6318648290_530026a3b2.jpg] No visible tesselation despit the fact that the surface is made of small quadrilateral faces in SU. [image: 6318128569_6e28da4fd3.jpg] Have a look through the Gallery here. You can find any number of examples better than mine. It is like any other computer related stuff, though. Garbage in, garbage out.

@userquestion said: Dave, could you point me to the URLs for those videos? Try this one to start. @userquestion said: Looking at the before & after PNGs, the change looks like a. splitting it apart b. chopping off the right legs/apron c. copying the remainder and flipping it, and d. inserting an intervening area with top Not exactly @userquestion said: I was thinking more of a situation where I have, say for example, a breakfront/cabinet with drawers, doors and interior parts. I might want to massage it wider, and re-gauge the relative sizes of the doors and drawer fronts. Making the cabinet wider (if I am thinking this right) involves: moving the right end over; stretching all the intervening stretchers etc on the carcass and their stiles/rails; then playing with the drawers the same way. It just seems....ugly....to have to touch all that stuff. Another example would be a plain kitchen cabinet. If I wanted to stretch it (without changing the vertical components), I have to make lots of interior adjustments, frame adjustments, and drawer adjustments. And then, if I don't like the size, or need others, I have to repeat the whole thing all over again. Working out the workflow, or easier ways to maneuver the workflow, is my goal. I sense I am handy enough with the software, but this trick eludes me. Maybe after I look at your examples, I might catch a trick or two, new. I'm thinking, too, that I am wanting too much from the components behavior.... I don't find it "ugly" to touch all of the components. By going through the model logically I know when I get finished the model will still be accurate. I don't find it to be a problem at all. By correctly using components and nested components, it is all pretty easy even on complex models. I mentioned Dynamic Components before. They could be used but in order to keep tenons the same size while changing the length of an apron, the apron would have to be made of three separate parts. The tenon on one end would get moved while the center section would get scaled. The downside is a cutlist would be full of garbage dimensions. And DCs aren't quick to make. I can easily modify an entire model before I could make the DCs to build the model in the first place.

newnoob; What you are showing is typical of folks assuming they are doing things correctly and in fact that is not the case. If you are really interested in understanding the issue then you should post your OP model . There are several suggestion to help you; First and foremost learn and use the SU inference engine; Secondly draw a ground plane and draw your shape on that to make sure it is planar; Thirdly do the same for the rect and make sure to use inference in both cases. If you do not clicking of the mouse can cause very small inadvertent movement which can cause problems; Forth set units precision( this is display ) to max, use the text tool and check the vertex x,y,z. This is not 100% but since SU uses 32 bit float ( 24 bit significant precision( 23 explicitly stored), sign bit 1, exponent this may show an issue whereas lesser display precision will not. Note, when you click on the rect face and the face shows in your shape you know your model is wrong.

@dave r said: ........ If you are able to select the face inside without selecting the outside, you've solved it. .... In menu View > check 'Hidden Geometry' to be certain that the window loop (its outer four edges) does not have any hidden line connections (due to importing the CAD file) with the surrounding geometry. They don't affect the Push/Pull tool but you say that you are dragging the entire wall (side?) with the window. So this sounds strange with applying the P/P tool. It's more of an indication that opposite faces may not be completely parallel

Thanks so much Tig Marty

Thanks laudhi, thanks Box, the link to those plugins is very useful, many not available through the Sketchucation tool. And Box you are right Meshmaker is ideal for what I want, thanks so much for your time. I would have thought this was a simple question as it seems to be something everyone needs to do, but I guess not, so thanks again for your helpful answers.

Thanks yeah the weight rack was the issue.

@techdave02 said: Don't have a lot of time Christmas family etc but here is a quick one These terrace is not true because terrace is not stand up terrain glade.

@jpalm32 said: @dave r said: Sorry. Cotty to the rescue. I've never ever run into the need to convert a bunch of copies of a group into components. When importing a OBJ or 3DS I get groups and/or all separate componets (none duplicated) Well, that kind of stinks, doesn't it? Since most of what I draw doesn't exist in another format, I guess I've not run into that problem. Sometimes I import CAD files and they come in as component but I rarely want them the way they are when imported. It's interesting how different disciplines run into different issues.

Ok Many thank's for your explanation thank's

Yes, it is entirely possible to create a Dynamic Component that will behave as you describe.