Moving Component

ridix · 4 Aug 2008, 16:20

I am having problem with placing component accurately. I need to pick a corner point within the component and move it to particular corner point on the model. I can’t select a point on component. Move tool keep trying to grab a surface!

remus · 4 Aug 2008, 16:32

If you zoom in close to the corner, hit it with the move tool then zoom back out and finish of the move, that should do it.

tomsdesk · 4 Aug 2008, 20:39

Turning on hidden geometry helps alot sometimes.

ridix · 5 Aug 2008, 02:58

Ya zooming in to select helps. But it is annoying that move tool doesn’t snap on features that need to be selected.

And it is true that hidden geometry makes it impossible to select things.

Chris Fullmer · 5 Aug 2008, 03:42

I'm not quire following. Do you move gemoetry (edges in particular) to othe layers? And then turn those layers off? That will mess stuff up if you happen to model like that.

If thats not the case, could you upload a problematic model? It might be interesting to see. Generally SU gives me no problems with moving components. Its one of my favorite features over other 3d modelers, so I'd be interested in seeing whats giving you problems,

Chris

ridix · 5 Aug 2008, 10:58

Here is the picture on what I was trying to do.

Make a component and a template that fits its base shape. And try to move component point to the corresponding template point. It will not snap onto the template!

And here is the same shape I was messing with. I made a component out of side of the building. The sides here are all mirror image so I flipped this component for the other side. Problem started when this component couldn’t be placed on the exact spot.

Chris Fullmer · 5 Aug 2008, 18:06

I remade your first image and I was able to select that point and snap it just fine to where it should snap to.

Now on the larger image, there is something a <very annoying> bug, but also rather rare, that can keep you from being able to select a point sometimes. I don't think anyone ever figured out how to make this reproducible (though Susan Sorger might remember better than myself). But the bug works just like your describing where sometimes, when trying to move a component, you won't be able to grab the point you want and you have to use another dummy point. But for me, it has been very rare. If its happening a lot for you, do you think you could figure out how to make it reproduceable? A series of steps to take to make it happen for enyone who follows the steps. Thanks,

Chris

Ross Macintosh · 6 Aug 2008, 09:19

Also note that sometimes it can be easy to edit a component first to add a few temporary guide (construction) lines with the tape measure tool. The intersection of those lines can then be used as a grab point when moving the component. After the move just delete the temporary lines.

I will use this method when I'm trying to place lighting components that aren't rectilinear. Adding a construction line or two can make placement much easier.

Regards, Ross

ridix · 6 Aug 2008, 15:20

Sorry Chris, I try to duplicate what happened and can’t do it! The snapping is working fine now. However my model Van Hise on 3D Warehouse is still bugged, if you want to take a look at that one. The walls on that tower is not located on corner point.

I tried your method Ross on Van Hise building, the one that is bugged. And the guide line method solve the problem. Thanks.

Gaieus · 7 Aug 2008, 09:12

Yeah, I remember running into this bug at the presentation at BaseCamp. It was arther awkward

twharvey · 9 Aug 2008, 07:00

@ross macintosh said:

Also note that sometimes it can be easy to edit a component first to add a few temporary guide (construction) lines with the tape measure tool. The intersection of those lines can then be used as a grab point when moving the component. After the move just delete the temporary lines.
Regards, Ross

I've found that it works well the other way around as well: put a short temporary line from the target point on one of the 3 axes. Then move your component close and it should easily snap to the end point of the temp line. After this, zoom in close, erase the temp line and you can work directly with the component and the target. This is useful when, in large scale, you can't get the component in the right place in 3 dimentions.

Tom

sorgesu · 9 Aug 2008, 11:44

I've posted this bug on the tester's forum. It is present with the rotate tool as well as the move tool. When a group or component is "selceted" you can't inference (click on) a point that is within the selection. It is particularly annoying in a rotate/copy or move/copy. This is not the way it was in older versions so it is definitely something that got broken in V6. I knnow they did pay attention to the bug and have it on the list to fix.

BTW, the bug works differently on different graphics cards I have found ( I teach across Canada and the same excercise behaves differently on different computers). With some Graphic's cards it works fine. With others, if you find the inference point first (touch it with your cursor) and only then select the component and then click on the inference point, SketchUp will remember the found point. On other graphics cards that doesn't work either and you need to draw a segment to the point ( outside of the group or component) and then you can find the inference when the component/group is selected. Bummer, but that is the way it is.