Change whole model or "world" origin?

[dshaffer]

Hello -

I have been developing a fairly complicated model of a building for a number of months now, and would like to change the origin and orientation for the entire model. I've read few things that make me think that this is referred to as the "world" origin, but perhaps that is incorrect.

Basically, I am simultaneously developing plan drawings using Vectorworks (a CAD program) Don't ask me why, but the origin and orientation of the Sketchup and Vectorworks files are different. Perhaps I moved the origin in Vectorworks without thinking, but I can not move it now or it will mess up too many other things. So I need to change the origin of the Sketchup model.

My typical working method is to export to DWG from Vectorworks, then import the DWG into Sketchup. I would like the imported DWG information to be aligned exactly with the Sketchup model, but it's not.

I fully understand how to change the Axes in Sketchup, but doing so seems to have no affect on where objects land when they are imported from DWG files. There seems to be an origin for the whole Sketchup model that I can't figure out how to manipulate.

Any suggestions regarding how to do this?

[Dave R]

Well, as you've found out, you can move the model axes and change their orientation. The real origin and the ground plane are fixed, however, and can't be changed. There is in the options for importing the DWG a setting for preserving the origin. Have you tried using it that?

[Chris Fullmer]

Hey Doug, like Dave says, when you import, are you selecting the option to maintain the model origin?

Everytime you import something from CAD, is coming in at the exact same spot, or does it always differ based on what is being imported?

If you're not using the option to maintain the origin, then SU will automatically move the imported cad so that is most negative x,y value is set on SketchUp's base 0,0,0. My typical workflow is to draw a large cross or triangle in CAD in the very lower left corner of my cad file - close to my working geometry, but definitely so its the most south and most west geometry in cad. Then everytime I export something from cad, I always include that mark. Then when I import to SketchUp, that mark is always placed at 0,0,0 and everything comes in aligned.

I think I would recommend switching to that kind of workflow if possible. Then export a single building footprint, or something simple that you know you can match to an exact object in SketchUp. Export the reference mark and the footprint and then import into SketchUp. Then in SketchUp, select all your geometry (turn on all layers, unhide all components and geometry). Then rotate it and move it so that it aligns to your imported linework.

Then that should be it. From that point if you export linework with your reference mark, it should always come in aligned correctly. That's how I would probably fix this problem.

Chris

[dshaffer]

Dave and Chris -

I'll use your suggestions. It sure would be nice if you could simply modify the world origin in a manner similar to the axes.

Thanks for your help!

Doug