Mirror object

suSteve · 2 Dec 2011, 15:31

Hi,

I am using TIGs excellent (thank you) mirror.rb but I am unsure on how it works. I have an object (arrow) and I want to mirror it so the new object is at right-angles to the point of the arrow (see image). Is this possible with mirror ?

thank you

suSteve · 2 Dec 2011, 16:18

thanks for the help. I do this and end up with the attached.

Select arrow > select mirror and click on point 1 > drop down to base of arrow and click > move up 45 deg and click again

Could you please explain what is happening with the two lines I draw after clicking the object (the one that goes straight down and then the one at 45 degs)

thank you

Alan Fraser · 2 Dec 2011, 16:29

It would be far simpler to use Rotate/Copy.
Select the arrow then orbit so that you are looking down on it. Choose the Rotate tool, place the rotate cursor on the ground so that it turns blue, then lock it in that position by holding down Shift.
Move the cursor to the point of the arrow indicated by your smaller drawn arrow and click once on your mouse.
Press Ctrl once to get a small plus sign next to the cursor (indicating a copy rather than rotation of the original) then click another twice 90° apart...preferably on axis so you get a precise 90° inference.

It sound complex the first time, but is very straightforward and takes about two seconds to complete.

d12dozr · 2 Dec 2011, 16:36

Use a temporary guideline, then with the mirror tool, click on the numbers in order

d12dozr · 2 Dec 2011, 16:41

The guideline is on the ground plane...kinda hard to tell from my picture. I've attached the SKP so you can try it.

...Alan is right of course, but I wanted to show this because in other cases the mirror tool may be easier.

Mirror Arrow.skp

suSteve · 2 Dec 2011, 17:23

thank you d12dozr. Your skp works fine (of course) so now I can see where I am going wrong.

[Alan your signature reminds me that I proposed to my wife at Formby point many years ago.]

Still unsure what the two lines do when you draw them after clicking a start point with the mirror tool selected. I have played around with it for ages but can't seem to work out the rules of it.

thanks again (much appreciated)

jeff hammond · 2 Dec 2011, 17:29

@susteve said:

Still unsure what the two lines do when you draw them after clicking a start point with the mirror tool selected. I have played around with it for ages but can't seem to work out the rules of it.

thanks again (much appreciated)

the lines define the plane of the mirror.. literally, think of putting a real mirror in your sketchup drawing.. the first line of the mirror plugin tells where to put the bottom (for all intents and purposes of this visual) edge of the mirror and the second line represents the adjacent edge..

suSteve · 2 Dec 2011, 17:40

thanks Jeff, playing around with it again after seeing d12dozr's skp revelation and now I can see how it works. Thinking about it like a real mirror helps me visualise it better - thank you

Alan Fraser · 2 Dec 2011, 19:27

@susteve said:

[Alan your signature reminds me that I proposed to my wife at Formby point many years ago.]

You wouldn't have wanted to repeat that today, Steve. I took the pooch for a walk on the beach this morning...bloody freezing and blowing a gale. .

Jean Lemire · 2 Dec 2011, 19:28

Hi Folks.

See attached SU file for ideas.

Mirror along any plane.skp

pbacot · 2 Dec 2011, 20:43

Jean,
In your second example (scene 5) how do you set the rotation using the guide line?

Peter

Jean Lemire · 2 Dec 2011, 20:55

Hi Peter, hi folks.

See this page in SketchUp help:

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=94897

Just ideas.

pbacot · 2 Dec 2011, 21:06

@jean lemire said:

Hi Peter, hi folks.

See this page in SketchUp help:

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=94897

Just ideas.

Doh! Thanks Jean. I am sure I've done that before but left the method unused for too long.

Peter