Newbie with component issues

Sabe · 10 Mar 2008, 14:15

I am simply trying to draw a print of a 24'x24' garage with sketchup. I want 10' walls and a 30" foundation with 18" in the ground. For some reason I have no problems getting the front finished but when I go to put a stud up on the right side its flipped in the wrong direction. I have tried changing the axes to everything possible. Can someone please help me here?

Gaieus · 10 Mar 2008, 14:23

Normally you can flip geometry in SU > right click and choose "flip..."
If it is a component, it has its own axes and the flip operation will go along those axes. You can turn the visibility of component axes on/off so you can see which direction to flip them.

tomsdesk · 10 Mar 2008, 14:38

If a component is a "glue to" sometimes when trying to place it on an edge SU inferencing will always pick the wrong face to glue to...if the left side works, just go with the flow and copy those studs to the right side.

chemtech · 16 Mar 2008, 04:18

I find the "flip.." command a bit confusing. I prefer to use the "Scale by -1" method to mirror a part.

To use this method, select the wall stud -- the stud must be a component -- then click the Scale tool (or "S" on the keyboard). This will make a bunch of scaling points to appear on the corners and midpoints of the 2x4. Move the cursor to the center point on the vertical midpoint of the stud. Be sure that you move it over the one that is in the center of the narrow edge of the board -- not one of the edges. It will turn red and the dot will be reflected on the other side of the 2x4 with another red dot connected by a dotted line. (I find orbiting around so I can see both dots and/or zooming in is very helpful.) Click ONCE on it, and begin to push it horozontally "through" the board (Push the left edge through to the right side), now enter "-1" in the VCB, hit ENTER, and the part will be mirrored. Be sure to stay "on axis" with the movement. I use this procedure to mirror paneled door rails/stiles that are molded on one edge.

You could of course, flip the wide side of the 2x4 or even flip it top-to-bottom by selecting the proper scaling points, pushing through and entering -1.

This is one operation that will NOT be reflected in all instances of the component. Changing the length will change the length of all instances of the component, but mirroring will affect ONLY the single component your mirror. And, you can copy the mirrored component as many times as necessary, and lengthening either the mirrored copy, or the original, will be reflected on all instances of the component, original AND mirrored.

Just another demonstration that there are often several different ways to accomplish the same thing in SU.

GT