See lenght instead of factor when scaling.

Goele

Hi!

I've got a simple question:

When using the scale-tool, the measurement-toolbar is showing the factor by which an object will be scaled.

My question is: Is it possible to see the lenght in millimeter while scaling?

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards,

Goele

sketchymick

When you scale you can type in a dimension to scale to: start scaling, then type in 500mm (or 3m, 6" or whatever) and the axis you're scaling will be sized to that dimension. Search for a scale tool tutorial and you'll see other variants for uniform scale etc using shift and/or control. Not sure if there's any options to just see the length as you manually scale though.

TIG

As explained the scale tool only outputs the current scale ;factor', the axis info changes as you swap 'handles', e.g. 'Red axis'.

If you were hoping to use a units output to scale objects to a set 'mm' size as explained you can input dimension exactly while scaling IF you add a suffix to show the tool it's not a 'factor'.
So typing in 300 scales the object in that axis by exactly 300 times what it was originally, BUT if you typed 300mm it makes it exactly 300mm in that axis, irrespective of its original dimension. You can input different units from the model's current-unit settings - in most of the tools, so for example with the scale tool, if you are working in mm but want an object that is exactly 12.5 inches long then typing in 12.5" will scale it to exactly that [actually 317.5mm], or doing a move typing in 1m might be quicker than 1000 if you were working in mm.
Also remember that you can use the tapemeasure tool to offset guides etc to desired distances and then use the scale tool to snap to those guidelines or intersections etc...

Goele

Thank you for the quick replies!

Wasn't really what I was hoping for. I am creating an object to build with in sketchup

I work in a company who created a buildingsystem with only one profile. This profile is the object we want to use in sketchup to let other people build their own projects in sketchup.

So, the profile can have a length of every multiple from 25 mm.
I've added an attribute to the profile LenZ=ROUND(CURRENT("LenZ")*2.54/2.5)*2.5
When you scale by the Z axis, it will snap on a multiple op 25 mm. So the user can't build with profiles that are for example 3330mm. (Because it will snap to 3325mm)

So when the user is scaling this profile, it would be usefull if he sees the length in mm.

If the ways described above are the only ways, it won't be that much of a problem. We'll just add this know-how to the manual.

Thanks guys!

pcmoor

you could put a dimension within the component on a layer that can be turn on or off

baz

As Philip says. Once you attach a dimension to the object it will change dynamically as you scale, which I think is what you are asking for?