The "Duh!" thread (aka the Doh! thread)

jgb

@charly2008 said:

did not know that you can also use the tool to make multiple copies of objects.

Ah yes, with the Move tool it's called a "Linear array" - but you can also do similar "Radial array" with the Rotate tool

I've used that a lot, BUT, I can't seem to radial array within a 360 circle.
As I reach 359.999 it jumps to zero degrees, and "/x" returns nothing.

I know I'm missing something here.

I usually solve it by first making a circle with the number of segments I want, then radially array the object to a vertex, and multiply (total number wanted less 1), then delete the circle.

boofredlay

Start your array and type 360 for the degrees and hit enter rather than clicking to enter the degrees. Then do your multiplier.

thomthom

@jgb said:

@gaieus said:

@charly2008 said:

did not know that you can also use the tool to make multiple copies of objects.

Ah yes, with the Move tool it's called a "Linear array" - but you can also do similar "Radial array" with the Rotate tool

I've used that a lot, BUT, I can't seem to radial array within a 360 circle.
As I reach 359.999 it jumps to zero degrees, and "/x" returns nothing.

I know I'm missing something here.

Copy rotate to any random angle
Adjust angle with VCB to 360
Use VCB to divide the full rotation by number of elements ( / 7 )

Or, if you know the angle between each element, just rotate by the first segment.

Copy Rotate 45 degrees
*7

Gaieus

One note however. If you use the divide function around a full 360 degrees and first you rotate the component by 360 degrees, you will end up with two, overlapping components in position 0 (or 360). This is not a serious issue as after the rotation and radial array, this firstly copied component will remain highlighted so just make sure that after the radial array, also press the Delete button.

thomthom

@gaieus said:

One note however. If you use the divide function around a full 360 degrees and first you rotate the component by 360 degrees, you will end up with two, overlapping components in position 0 (or 360). This is not a serious issue as after the rotation and radial array, this firstly copied component will remain highlighted so just make sure that after the radial array, also press the Delete button.

True, I used loose geometry in my test.

Gaieus

Well, true, thatmerges with no trace left.

jgb

@unknownuser said:

Start your array and type 360 for the degrees and hit enter rather than clicking to enter the degrees. Then do your multiplier.

That worked... Many thanks.

TT & Gaieus, thanks as well. That duplicate copy over the original used to be a problem, till I started using a circle with the right # of segments to get around it.

pilou

Super cool never thought to bend a 2D image with the Fredo Scale!

Roger

@unknownuser said:

Super cool never thought to bend a 2D image with the Fredo Scale!

[attachment=0:39d35j95]cool.jpg[/attachment:39d35j95]

You bent over backward to discover that function. (Does not translate easily to French)

pilou

@unknownuser said:

(Does not translate easily to French)

I believe that I understand that you want to say

Contortionist Zlata up the steps of the Cannes Film Festival!

Roger

Boggles the imagination!

ArCAD-UK

@pbacot said:

I can make a new layer via the Entities window simply by assigning the selected entity by typing a new layer name.

Not on the PC you can't.

pbacot

I can make a new layer via the Entities window simply by assigning the selected entity and typing a new layer name. Did it by mistake. Never knew.

I thought this thread was a sticky, until I went looking for it...

Epix3D

Just discovered the System settings> Open GL > Use hardware acceleration. Suddenly Sketchup looks sharp and smooth to work with. How can I have missed this before?

flyashy

I have found this thread to be the MOST instructional of them all! So thanks to http://sketchucation.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=15244 for starting it!
I've done a lot of these and found some great tips in here.
I thought I'd add one of mine that may help someone.
Although with the save toolbars position, a lot of toolbar mayham has been solved, but I still get it sometimes when even restore toolbars won't work.
I'd accidentally discovered this trick a while back when somehow all my toolbars had decided to go vertical or something!:
So, if you get toolbar chaos, don't do anything to sketchup to restore position etc...just call up taskmanager-windows (or force quit-mac) and kill the sketchup process, immediately if you can. if the process is killed sketchup will revert back to the earlier 'saved toolbars' position and no more chaos.
Cheers!

Gaieus

Flyashy, you linked a profile, not a post.

cotty

A simple one, but helpful...
(Model info -> components -> Show component axes)

rv1974

The Tips&Tricks thread would be a better place for this, but anyway,
In case you produce a lot of vistas:

Export your scenes with 'anti-aliasing off' and X2 demanded size 6000 pix wide instead of 3000 (well I'm sure you knew it already)
Create Photoshop droplet (File-Automate-Create Droplet; google some tutorials in your internets) from your typical actions.
For example: resize to 3000> add soft light layer> tweak it's transparency> shadows & highlights> smart sharpen> close file.
Dudes, this is HUGE time saver. Actually there's no need to manually open Photoshop anymore
Just drag & drop the folder with your pictures upon the droplet's exe icon and enjoy

pbacot

@unknownuser said:

Just discovered the System settings> Open GL > Use hardware acceleration. Suddenly Sketchup looks sharp and smooth to work with. How can I have missed this before?

It "creeped -up" on me that my visual quality sucked (sketchy and disappearing lines) and I was told to look at this. It really cleared things up. At some point I had turned it off because of other graphic anomalies. So I think I will be going back and forth...

MikeFJaguar

@rv1974 said:

The 'Lock\unlock aspect ratio' at material edit drove me crazy for years.
Clicking it wont change visually its state (stupid bug!). To see it changed one should move
the cursor off the button.

This one got me very frustrated, until I discovered it's just a slooow button!
In Windows 7 at least, click the Lock/Unlock button and WAIT for a couple of seconds. Lo and behold the button icon changes!

EDIT
Hmm. I'm wrong, you're right! The cursor does need to be moved off the button. As you say, stupid bug. Perhaps I'm a stupid bug..r