Sketchup orgin?
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Hi, I have recently been modeling homes from imported acad files and noticed that the orgin often gets relocated to a point based on the acad import.
It was apparent because the clipping issue raised it's head in a big way.
I only actually determined where the axis was by mistake. When I imported a component it for some reason plunked itself down at that axis, which was about a half of mile from my model.
Let be clear that I had been locating and relocating the sketchup axis as required to draw efficiently the whole time I was modeling and was unaware that the true orgin was way the hell over in the next county.I relocated my entire model over to that orgin/axis and the clipping issue went away.
Next model, I am experiencing the same clipping issue so I am assuming that the orgin is a mile away again, so I tried the not very scientific method of importing the same component that helped me out the last time to see where the orgin is, but the component is not inserting to that spot, but instead is letting me place it.
So, that was a long winded lead in to my question...
How do I identify where the true orgin is located after inserting an acad file?
Is there a way to move that orgin to my model instead of moving my model to that orgin?Thank you
Paul
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Hi Paul, hi folks.
Have you tried unchecking the box labeled Preserve drawing originin the Optionsof the Import Dialog Window?
Just ideas.
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Thanks Jean, I will do that on the next one. Unfortunately, that bell has already been rung on this model.
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clipping begins when a model and it's scale are too large and small at the same time.
if you are going to work in 1/8" scale and have a model that's 1 mile long; you will get clipping. too fix your model change the snap in units to a larger number like 1' or 5' for large topo type land models. if you need to work small then open components and work on them in another sketchup instance or delete the large section of the model until you have completed the small areas.
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Hi Kristoff, Thanks for that info.
I think I may have not been clear (or maybe too long winded) in my description.My model is not very large. Just the size of a decent size residential lot with a large home in about the middle of the lot.
The problem is that when I imported some cad plans it reset the orgin so now sketchup is reading an orgin a long ways away and this is causing the clipping.
I do not need the orgin that was imported with the cad file and I want to locate it and move it to my model or move my model to it.
Make sense?
p
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Paul, you're perfectly clear. At least to me. Considering the model space is centered on the origin, the model becomes large when the geometry is not located near the origin.
You'll want to move the model to the origin instead of moving the axes. The model's real origin and ground plan are fixed so moving the model axes isn't going to help.
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I often don't read complete posts... I'm infamous for it. And people often ask the same question over and over. My apologies. As Dave explained that is the other Clipping issue. Origin misplaced or moved. I think his solution will have you squared away.
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@dave r said:
You'll want to move the model to the origin instead of moving the axes. The model's real origin and ground plan are fixed so moving the model axes isn't going to help.
Dave, How do I locate or display the models real orgin? That is what I am struggling with.
Kritoff, I understand the need for skimming posts rather than reading them fully...most of us have day jobs afterall.
p
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"How do I locate or display the models real orgin? That is what I am struggling with."
go to view and make sure axes is turned on... then follow red, green and blue to where they merge. this is 0,0,0... make sure your model is at least close to this point.
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One way to skip past finding it is to open another instance of Sketchup and the cut or copy your entire geometry from one instance of sketchup to the other in to the new blank model. simply click paste at the origin.
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Kris has good methods there. the Copy and Paste into a new model is probably the easiest thing to do assuming your default template lines up showing the model axes. If you have moved the model axes in the current model, you can right click on the origin of them and choose Reset which will send them home. You might have to orbit around then to find the origin. If you do opt for moving the geometry in the model space, make sure all layers are turned on and no geometry is hidden so you can select everything and move it in one go. Then, don't try to go exactly to the origin in one swell foop. Move the selection along one axis direction at a time. It might be best to measure the distance between a point on the model and the red axis and then from the green. that way, once you start the move in the correct direction, you can just type the required distance and hit Enter.
I had to do this on a model sent to me by someone else the other day. In that case it was due to scaling the model up and down several times and not using the same handle for both up and down. It took me three or four move operations to get the model exactly to the origin but it finally got there.
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I copied and pasted entire model into new instance and it still clips.
I guess I may be confused about axis verses orgin. The model axis which is easily placed & moved and re oriented simply by clicking on the axis button is or is not the same as the orgin? So every time we move the axis we are moving the orgin?I may be just fighting a fairly large home on a pretty big lot which is causing a bit more clipping than I am used to experiencing.
Enough for today...
Thanks for your help.
oops just saw your post Dave,
I had reset the orgin as you described earlier and it was not all that far away....I think I am maybe a bit bigger model and site than I am giving credit....
Does the google earth image and terrain factor in if it is on a layer turned off?
Like I said, I am done for the day, but thanks for your guys help.
p
p
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Don't quit yet. We're almost there.
So first of all, the default location of the crossing point of the three axis lines is the model space origin. If you move the axes you move the axis origin (intersection) but you really don't move the model space origin. In the same way the ground plane (the "surface" on which shadows are cast) is fixed. Moving the axes up or down won't change that. Neither will turning the axes so the blue isn't pointing up. And changing the direction of the green axis does not change which way is north. You use the Solar North tool for that.
One thing that comes to mind now is to ask what camera mode you're working in. Is it Parallel Projection? If the camera is close to the model and you switch to Parallel Projection, you might be orbiting the camera into the model and thus get clipping. If you work in Perspective mode that's less likely to be an issue.
Another thing to check is hit Zoom Extents. Does the house and lot fill the window or is it rather small? If you have even a tiny little orphaned line segment somewhere out away from your model, this will have the effect of making your model space huge and be likely to induce clipping.
If you hit Zoom Extents and things get smaller instead of bigger, start hunting for the orphaned geometry. I do this by dragging a right to left selection window around what looks like empty space. then I hit delete and Zoom Extents to see if I've made any changes.
As a final alternative, since it is Friday afternoon, you could just go home and start your weekend.
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There may be something hidden that's off origin as well... make sure to turn on hidden geometry and do zoom extents.
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Thanks. I should have added the step of turning on Hidden Geometry.
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Couple of thoughts;
Hidden wire-frame is not selectable. I find it useful at times to select wire-frame, hide model, select all and delete, unhide model and that can delete snippets way off axis quickly;
To move model to the origin make an absolute move. Select model and move tool at target point on model and then enter in the vcb [0,0,0]. That moves the whole selected model to the origin. If you want to keep the x,y but move z then do [,,z] and the x y location remain the same but models moves to the z location. If you what to move axis just use the align axis tool;
Now the assertion. The world axis, that is the one you cannot move, is related to the WGS 84(85?) datum(x,y) you have set ,which Boulder Colorado is the default, unless you have changed that in your template. I have searched but could find no info on this. Anyone know for sure.? -
It's a good tip to check model extents (turn on hidden geometry under the View menu and all layers first).
Another thing may be that though now you have the geometry at the origin, when importing several cad files, SU imports them as groups (or components? - I cannot remember now). However the bounding box of these groups may sill be huge - because their component origin is far from the geometry (this is how it's inserted so far from the origin) - and that will also cause clipping. Try to select one and see if the bounding box exceeds the geometry too much.
If you explode such a group (and group the still selected geometry), it can fix it. OR: have a look at this plugin: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=30508
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Gaieus,Mac 1,Daver
Thanks for chiming in,
*I work in perspective
*I remembered the trick about zooming extents from an old post and had done that but not with hidden geometry on. I will do that.- I open each imported cad file by double clicking on it, then select what I want from it, make that selection a group, cut it, and then close the original imported cad group and delete it. I then paste the portion that I had cut back in to model space. I think that eliminates the possibility of an errand piece of geometry floating around out in the boonies.
Daver
@dave r said:
Don't quit yet. We're almost there.
*(I was already out the door when you wrote this )If you hit Zoom Extents and things get smaller instead of bigger, start hunting for the orphaned geometry. I do this by dragging a right to left selection window around what looks like empty space. then I hit delete and Zoom Extents to see if I've made any changes.
*Had already done this, but thanks just the sameAs a final alternative, since it is Friday afternoon, you could just go home and start your weekend.
- I work at home on Thursdays and Fridays so the weekend was already here for me.
Mac1
- I will try the hidden wire frame idea.
@mac1 said:
To move model to the origin make an absolute move. Select model and move tool at target point on model and then enter in the vcb [0,0,0].
**** This is exactly what I want to do!Now the assertion. The world axis, that is the one you cannot move, is related to the WGS 84(85?) datum(x,y) you have set ,which Boulder Colorado is the default, unless you have changed that in your template. I have searched but could find no info on this. Anyone know for sure.?
- The world axis does not effect clipping though...correct? Mine is set by template to my region, Minneapolis. When importing Google earth grab, that resets the world axis to the grab for that particular model if I am not mistaken.
I guess I should clarify just how much clipping I am experiencing to put things in perspective.
Normally in my years of modeling homes I have been able to zoom and orbit my self as if I was sticking my head up into a soffit from the back side of a fascia and fiddle with something as small as a screw or nail, seeing intersection of lines clearly. On these last couple models I am experiencing the clipping issue I would say out 2 feet from where I want to get.
So it is not as if it is clipping from a far distance, but it is interfering with my normal attention to detail.I will now go back to the drawing board and see what develops from all your alls input.
Thanks
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Ok, I have gone through all the suggestions and my model is located where it should be and there is no hidden or floating geometry. I thing this model may just be big enough that it is clipping just a bit more than normal.
It is by no means stopping me from functioning, just more of an annoyance.
Have a look at the overview shots of "zoom extents"
In your opinion is this model & site large enough to cause a little extra clipping?
Anyway, thank you all for your help & some very good info.to file away for future reference.
Paul
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Paul,
What happens if you hide the plan drawing and the elevation images? Can you then zoom in on details on the house without clipping?
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