How can you check if your object is square - level?

catwoman · 24 Sept 2011, 00:18

I'm working on a large interior, with many pieces of furniture. I noticed that one of my pieces, when put on the floor on one side, showed the other side as hovering above the floor. So I rotated it into place, assuming that it was inadvertently rotated (like when your move tool suddenly and undesireably turns into a protractor tool), and that would be it. Now I've found the same on another piece of furniture, so I'm wondering if it's the floor that's out of square!

I've tried a variety of methods for checking for square, but nothing works. In AutoCAD you simply look at "List," and you get every single thing you want to know about an entity, including what degrees in space the line is. There seems to be no such information in SketchUp. Would be nice to add to "Entity Info," along with Layer and Length.

Anyone have an idea for how I can determine the angle something is, in space? Thanks! Gigi

Dave R · 24 Sept 2011, 01:29

One option would be to set the edge color to By Axis under Styles>Edit>Edges. This will help you identify if edges are parallel to the global axes. It won't help for lines that aren't supposed to be parallel but it will help you identify those that are supposed to be and aren't.

Another thing that you might do is place guidelines parallel to the floor so the hit a corner of a leg. That will give you something to rotate to if needed.

catwoman · 24 Sept 2011, 08:39

Edge color 'By Axis' did the trick, Dave -- thanks SO much! It was instantly easy to see which edges didn't have a color (which should have!), and rotate the item. Fabulous!

The problem with your second suggestion is that I didn't know if my floor was skewed, so trying to put a guideline parallel to the floor would have just given me a skewed line. But since you solved the problem with your first suggestion, I didn't have to go there!

Thanks for taking the time to answer! So nice of you.

Gigi

dukejazz · 24 Sept 2011, 09:08

Hi
5 steps that may help you.

Use the command bar;
Window - preferences - Drawing - Miscellaneous = check box for Display cross hairs.
Use the command bar;
Window - Model Info - Units - length Units = set max percision
Window - Model Info - Units - length Units = diable lenght snap
Window - Model Info - Units - Angle Units = set max percision
Window - Model Info - Units - Angle Units = diable lenght snap.
Aline reference axes to front and side edge of object by using the toolbar Axes tool.
if object has no tangent line then use the toolbar circle tool to make a tangent plain.
Set veiw to front view by using the toolbar front view tool.

5)Draw lines or guide lines as need.

Have fun