Moving objects side by side each other

[zaragozaboy]

Hello all,

i am Luigi from Italy, and a newbie of SU!

I am sorry if i'll put basic questions, but i cannot find out a fast solution to my doubts, and i did not find an effective clarification in any thread!
Let's put i have different blocks (each simulating a furniture piece), i'd like to dispose them close one another, with side of one touching side of other. That is real situation of any shelf, in few words.
I already changed objects to groups.
Let's see image, i want to operate with groups a, b and c, putting a and b close to c, with front side aligned with red axis (as c is):

Troubles start! With Move tool i cannot dispose groups as i'd like, often they move along the axis not aligning in height (blue axis) neither in depth (green). See image with both disalignments:

Sometime also groups "enter" one in each other...
Culd you suggest any procedure to quick learn to have a good control in moving objects, so it will be easier for me to build any form? At moment i just can operate with tens of trials, inputting numbers manually and seeing at result time by time...really frustating!

Thanks a lot, best regards!!!
Luigi

[pbacot]

You may wish to look at this video at 1:30 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30#p116665

Using the move tool try grabbing a lower corner of one object and moving it to the lower corner of the next. Each vertex is a natural snap point for the cursor. It may be helpful to have draw a base line or even a face to work along. Use SU "snaps" and "inferences"

[SketchUpNoobie]

Luigi, I think I understand your question correctly. If not, please correct me.

What you'll want to take advantage of, in this instance, is SketchUp's inferencing or "snapping" features.

You are going to want to first select the box that you want to move. Then, with the move tool selected, hover your mouse over the corner of the box "a" (as shown in my image) and click when it says, "endpoint in group." Then, move the box to the corner of box "c" that you want the selected corner on box "a" to move to. Again, the mouse will "snap" to the desired corner, again displaying "endpoint in group."

I probably made it sound a lot more confusing and difficult than it really is, but once you get the hang of it, it can be your best friend. Just like groups. Good job on discovering those. As you see, groups make everything a whole lot easier.

If you can learn to get around SketchUp's little quirks, you will find how easy and intuitive it is to use.

Edit: Gah! Peter beat me to the punch. Not to mention explained it way more simply than I did.

[pbacot]

You guys also "doing" housework today?

[cotty]

• You should pick a group at a corner for which you know the position after the move (e.g. a corner of another group).
• If you want to move diagonally, you should move one direction along an axis (red, green, blue) after another.
• You can lock one direction with the shift key and use inferencing .

Edit: Ok, I have to write faster...

[cotty]

If you have time, you can try one of my practice models at the warehouse (1 , 2 ) ...

[Dave R]

If you feel like you need more practice, have a look here , too.