New to Sketchup Questions
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Hello! I am new to Sketchup, and decided I wanted to make my new computer desk out of 80/20 Aluminum. Their products can be added to the components folder which I already did. I selected the component I wanted to use, and now I am curious to know how to set the height and width of a selected part without having to do it manually, I wanted it easier and simpler to be able to input my dimensions and go about the next component. How do I do this with a selected piece?
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It would help if you post the SKP file of what you've got now.
The answer will depend upon exactly what you need to change. If it is a simple extruded rail and you want to change its length, open the component for editing and use Push/Pull on the end. If the end isn't flat, it might be that the Move tool would be the way to do it.
I expect someone will be along to suggest a plugin but you should learn to do what you can with the native tools first.
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You haven't explained exactly what it is you are trying to 'size'...
If the "80/20 Aluminium" components you have downloaded are in fact 3d 'parts', then they are probably designed to be 'scaled' in their length.
So if you have an extrusion like that you can use the Scale tool to lengthen/shorten it simply by dragging one of its central 'end-handles' and then click-snap onto another part, geometry, guide-line etc...
If you want to Scale a part an exact length BUT there's nothing suitable to click-snap onto, then you start Scaling it in the direction you want and then type in the length + <enter>. Do NOT type in a length WITHOUT a units suffix ! Typing 2.5 makes it 2.5 times bigger that it was before - probably NOT what you want - BUT typing 2.5" makes it exactly that dimension long: irrespective of your current model's units you can rescale objects to any exact dimension, if you use an appropriate units suffix 0.25', 2.5m, 25cm, 250mm etc]...However, if these components are only 2d face-profiles then you can place them, then pushpull that face into a 3d extruded form, you'll need to use 'make unique' on instances where you want to apply that change to just some components like this...
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Are these the profiles you collected from the 3D Warehouse?
Typical of too many of the components found there, they need help. They come in at 12 inches across instead of the 1 inch they should be. The first thing I would do is correct the components so their cross sections are the right dimension. Then correct the face orientations and delete the unneeded geometry.
Seth, check your PMs. I corrected the extrusion components and sent them to you. They are now sized to 1" square but you can resize them to suit the other extrusion sizes.
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Keep in mind a special condition of (non dynamic)components is that what ever you do INSIDE the bounding box (color, scaling, rotations), applies to ALL same components in the model. All changes to the external bounding box, (colour, scaling, rotations) apply only to that copy of the component.
If you need to make a change to the details of only that one component (that would be inside the box, make it "unique" first.
So if you are using different lengths of the same extrusion, scale the component from outside the box for each copy.
If you want to change the wall thickness of all copies, then edit the component (inside the box).
If you want to change the wall thickness for only one copy, make it unique, then edit it.
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