Hi TxCelt - Csaba is correct. If you do not edit your group, anything that you draw will actually be on top of the group and not affect its surface planes. It's difficult at first to notice that you have a group selected when the geometric object is a rectangle, because the group (and component) bounding box is also a rectangular shaped cube. To illustrate this more clearly, create a circle, then use the Push/Pull tool to create a cylinder. Now make that a group (or component). You'll now see that the group object will have a rectangular bounding box when you select it. Now double click on this object and you'll see that you are now editing INSIDE the group. This is what you'll want to do with your plywood group objects. One other note: components are similar to groups, but have a more powerful feature. When you create a component, and then copy that component a number of times within you model, editing any one of the components will affect all of the other instances in the same way. This is very powerful if you are modifying a number of repeating objects because you don't have to edit each one individually. If however, you would like to edit a component and not affect the other instances, you can right-click on the component and select "Make Unique". This will break the link to the other instances and allow you to edit it without causing the others to change. I hope you find this information useful, and you share with us your successes and questions as you go! And thanks for using SketchUp, we hope you enjoy it!! Cheers, CraigD

I should be thinking of scenes + templates more. I always find things out "on the fly" but there must be some common feature(s) which I always use...

much appreciated!!! P: syburn

well i will have to try a few different ways - see what works. Im mainly working on interiors but as i want to design with this toolas well, i was thinking that i should create a layer template to make things easier. P: syburn

ahhh, thanks guys. that should do the trick. i was doing a push-pull copy and then scaling the end. this should be much more smooth & accurate. I'll put this up as a component soon as i finish.

i think the problem lies in the page that has the Q on it at first? after the Q disappears the video starts loading and doesn't finish...scroll down that page, and you will find a list of available videos, select one...you will go to another page...select the video you want to watch again...on the next page ther are selectable titles at the top...I have had best success selecting the little Pod icon . HTH

Tom, you did not miss anything. Now that the move has taken place, a solution is in the works that will make use of the SAS; Kelly's server.

Thanks for all those tips! I will probably leave looking at rendering software till later. Just try to use photoshop at first. P: syburn

YES - brilliant find there!!!! P: syburn

Bolter, The hint is in the SU User's Guide: here (go down to "Folding Along an Axis of Rotation"): http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphe ... Rotate.htm According to this method, you first place the cursos (and click) on any of a point that's on the axis of (the desired) rotation, Wiothout releasing the left button, you start dragging your cursor in the desired direction - of the rotation axis (let it be a "regular" x/y/z axis - when it changes the colour, as well - or any other line whith which you'll have some inference with) 3( Then releasing and choosing an appropriate point in the selected geometry to rotate - either by snapping it or entering precise values into the VCB. That's all - but if I were you, I'd experiment with these (new) tools a bit before applying them on "serious" models.

Gai, you are correct, the material was indeed applied to the group. I've replicated the original circumstances in the attached skp file. It appears as though applying a texture to a group associates the texture with the larger entity, not with the individual face. Thus, to work around the issue, simply open the group and reapply the material to the specific face. stair_tread[1].skp [image: stair_tread.gif]

Or you can just use the Outliner to see all your components/nested components.

Gaius said . . . *In your last image there are two kinds of faces: white and blue. White means "front" or "outside" while blue is "back" or "inside". Make sure to have only white faces shown (and the blue ones inside the wall thickness). You can right click on a white face and choose "orient faces" from the context menu. However this tool does not always work properly. If so, you need to select the blue faces and right click again and choose "reverse faces".* That's my something new for today. I had noticed I was getting some blue surfaces, some white, and some grey. Figured the grey was shadows, but could figure what the blue was. Now I know. Thanks!!!

Nice feature, thanks for the explaination.

EDIT: (wrong answer replaced, sorry :~l) The control point of the copied/pasted item(s) is the origin of all its stuff...the leftmost, frontmost, bottom. Best, Tom.

welcome to this friendly community. cheers Alan

Here is how you should correct your model: In the Stlye box, go to the edit tab and at the bottom is a drop box with Color next to it. Change the value to "by Axis" to turn the axis colours on. Then delete all the lines that are black (these lines aren't straight) and replace them. This is easy as SU snaps to the axis easily (Blue - Z (Verticle) Red - X and Green - Y). Once you have one of these directions the line will colour to that axis colour (holding shift will lock the line on that axis) Place the end of the line where you want it on the building. Sorry if its a bit garbled not the best at putting it to paper. Hope it helps. ps Here is an image of what the model should look like. [image: bdNc_1231corrected.jpg]

Ok, explode the terrain group and intersect with the hidden 'road' block to get the intersection lines actually on the terrain, then select the eraser and Ctrl click on the lines you want to soften. You'll be left with the road as one surface to texture.

wow thanks for the great info.. thanks a lot

wow soapskinbubble eh?...that absolutely worked for me...Thanks a ton!