Anything Similar to Inferring for Move Tool?

cmartin

With the push/pull tool, you can use the inferring to line objects up perfect with each other. Is there anything similar for the move tool? If I want to move a copy of an object or line and line it up perfect with something?

david.

Inference works with the Move tool as it does with any other tool. Try it.

pbacot

You get more inference possibilities if you constrain the move tool (to axes, parallel, or face)

cotty

Here are some more infos about inferencing and inference locking...

cmartin

What is the difference btw inferring and inferencing in sketchup?

Witht he push pull tool, you can move the mouse to another object, a black dotted line appears and you can line up what you are pulling to another object quickly. Is that
inferencing or inferring?

That is what I want to do with the move tool.

pilou

@unknownuser said:

That is what I want to do with the move tool.

You have that

Just copy your first object!

So CTRL + move the first object with any inferences you want
then kill the first!

PS Very practical Inferences is the line Guides!

pbacot

@cmartin said:

What is the difference btw inferring and inferencing in sketchup?

Witht he push pull tool, you can move the mouse to another object, a black dotted line appears and you can line up what you are pulling to another object quickly. Is that
inferencing or inferring?

That is what I want to do with the move tool.

That's inferencing. Some forms are referred to as "snapping".
Good question: http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=70143

Inferences are more than just "snap"(going to a specific vertex or edge and getting a confirmed point to click on). There are different types. Some inferences come up on their own as you draw. Others need you to "hover" the mouse along an edge or over a face or vertex. "Inferencing" in SU has graphic ways of showing you what inference (generally an alignment or vector) is being made and when all is right you complete your move or drawing.

As I noted above: you might not get the inference you expect unless you are already constraining your move (with the shift key) along a vector. Some inferences don't make sense unless the movement is already constrained in some way. In push-pull the direction of movement is defined already, so SU can then make an "inference" at possible alignments you might want. It's guessing to help you out, or responding to your "hovering" moves.

Just to show, here is an inference WITHOUT using constrain on vector (with shift key). So it can be done but is less useful. I hover on the faces to get the "on face" inference. The axis inference is just incidental (I'm not using it). I hover on the first face to get the "on face" inference. I press shift to keep that inference. I click in space to start the move. I let go of the shift key. Then I hover for the second face. The faces are aligned (but nothing else is). In CAD or SU I use shift constrain all the time to give me more exact placement.
Youtube Video

I know it can be confusing as shift key can be used both to hold onto an inference or a constrain on a vector (while drawing or moving).

Inferring: IDK what that means in regard to SU. I infer that it's a spelling mix-up.

cmartin

I have attached an example.
Lets say I have a chair leg. I am trying to move a copy of the chair leg to the other side. Sometimes, it will move it really close to the other side but not perfectly lined up.

Is there a quick way to move a copy of the leg to perfectly line up with the edge of the other side?

test.skp

Jean Lemire

Hi Chris, hi folks.

The point by which you grab the object to be moved is as important as the point unto which you want to move it.

When hovering the cursor on an endpoint on the leg, wait untill you get an endpointinference. Then, click the mouse left button to grab the leg.

Move the cursor on the point where you want the grabbed endpoint to be juxtaposed, wait for an endpointinference and then click the mouse left button to place the leg.

See attached SU file for illustration.

Precise moving.skp

cmartin

ahhhh! I get it now! Thank you!

I didn't realize it makes a difference at what point you actually grab the object!

Thanks again!

Dave R

Related to using the Move tool, I have an analogy I use with my students.

Imagine a chain gate. To close it you have to put the end link on the hook. You can pick up the chain anywhere along its length but it really only makes sense to pick it up by the end you want to put on the hook. In the same way you can grab an entity anywhere using the Move and move it but if you want a point on the thing you're moving to align with a point on something else in the model, you should grab the moving thing at that point.

Box

You also don't have to grab the object itself, as long as it is selected you can click anywhere and move it.

Dave R

@box said:

You also don't have to grab the object itself, as long as it is selected you can click anywhere and move it.

Indeed! And this can be extremely useful sometimes.

pbacot

Yes, where you click to begin the move is important. I picked a face on the object by inferencing its face for the beginning of the move.

Perhaps I muddied the waters. I wanted to show there are many ways you can get inferences, and I moved off to the left with the face inference to begin the move in the video so the first object wouldn't move to the left and be in the way.