@unknownuser said:

Have you tried the "follow-me" tool to "extrudeAlongPath" a face around corners while at the same time creating the miter action of which you speak?

Yes, all the time. And in the case of "crown moulding" type models, yea it works fine. However,
the so called "miter action" I speak of, especially using "crown moulding" as an example was a massive oversimplification on my part, as what I REALLY am refering to is different models "intersecting" at angles. Heres why. I design Recording Studios, which because of the physics of sound(reflections) require physical boundarys and many objects to be built at many different angles.

And because WAVELENGTHS don't care if you are working in the digital rhelm, for construction to be accurate, so must the construction documents. This means "i" must "build" these in the digital world as if they were real. Many objects intersect angled walls, ceilings, fixtures, acoustical treatment and equipment. Even multiple layers of drywall, intersects at many different angles, and may be offset from the framing via RSIC clips or Resiliant Channel. TRY to extrude 2 layers of drywall on sloped walls, intersecting compound angled walls, with door cutouts etc, in a construction format. Sure, its easy to extrude a profile, but try to make a cutting bill from it.
Try "follow me" on something like this

@unknownuser said:

When modeling the real world actions of a carpenter, you can't just translate that 1:1 into 3D digital world.

Maybe in your 3d world

In reality, I DO traslate construction to the digital world. I have to. Its my job. AND I and others build from it because I do. Thats why a "chop saw" like digital tool would be a great time saver. And NOT for "crown moulding".

@unknownuser said:

Here in digital 3D, we don't go to home depot online and buy crown molding in 16' lengths and then try to accurately fit them to walls by cutting with a Compound Miter Saw.

Geeez, you mean to tell me all that digital lumber I've been buying at the Digital Home Depot is a waste of time? How dumb of me.

I don't want to sound ungratefull, but I'll file that under "blindingly obvious" But thanks for the heads up anyway.

@unknownuser said:

No, we create the profile once, then extrude(Push-Pull) OR extrudeAlongPath(Follow-Me) the profile and let the "accurate fitting" work itself out.

Hmmm, brilliant. Speaking of "Crown Moulding" profiles, imagine a SUPERSIZE profile, only instead of a solid, imagine a profile which is actually a fabric covered frame, which encloses panels of Owens Corning 703 rigid fiberglass. And then imagine you have to design this so it can actually be built. And then imagine this so called "crown moulding", intersecting angled walls, cielings, compound angled soffits, and wraps around a room intersecting other fixtures etc.

Actually, I see "3d" representations of real world items that have been "extruded" in the Warehouse all the time. But when I download them...HA! either they"re scale a zillion times too big, or when zoomed, they're a joke, or any number of things. However, thats not to say there aren't a million good models in the Warehouse. I use them all the time.

@unknownuser said:

Use extrusion when ever possible, only use intersection as a last resort!
Well, what can I say. It HAS been my last resort.

@unknownuser said:

Never try to relate 3D modeling to the real world. In the real world you are a slave,

On the contrary. I HAVE to relate it to the real world because peole BUILD from my models, which I interprete in 2d plans, cutting bills and when need be, I build it MYSELF, which I couldn't do if I didn't draw them as if they WERE REALITY.

[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=515&img=1230Soffit_ala_cart.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]

[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=274&img=Unfin_Top_View..jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]
[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=290&img=LowerLeftSuperc.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]

An extrusion of this console profile wouldn't tell a builder anything.

[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=271&img=3490Unfin_Console_V.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]
[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=371&img=4995Final_componene.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]
[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=321&img=C9.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]
[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=282&img=studio.JPG[/img:y6l4o15h]
[img:y6l4o15h]http://httpics.com//is.php?i=765&img=C24_Console_Und.jpg[/img:y6l4o15h]

@unknownuser said:

in SketchUp you are an all powerful GOD!

Well, some people may get overinflated egos from using sketchup, but a POWERFUL DIGITAL GOD? I think you need to sit down. I have some bad news for ya.

Ok Gaieus, I did download the file for dimensioning an angle..and under the Script name at the site, it says it computes the angle between vectors and such in the Ruby Console, but doesn't tell how to use it. I looked all over for a tool, or icon, or anything related to use it, but no luck. I looked in the Plugins, but its not there, although when I select the Ruby Resources "load single plug in" its there. But nothing happens when it loads, and nothing appears such as a tool or something.

Any ideas?

Holy mackeral Gaieus! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! That ought to keep me busy for a few years! I can't believe that site. geeeezus, where do I begin?

Again...THANK YOU!!

fitZ

ps....as usual. you guys are the greatest!!

Oh, just one other thing. While I was downloading those files, I found a RAR(unzipped) folder for a set of Sketchup Light tools...don't even remember downloading it. The file name is SU2KT_Light Components. Unfortunately, I don't know where to extract the files to? Got any clues Gaieus?
fitZ

Hello again. I've been trying to dimension an "angle" between two guide lines at an angle to each other. I've searched the "help" menu, and under "dimensions", the only thing I found was dimensioning a radius. Gee, leaving out what seems like such a common dimensioning tool from the standard Sketchup dimensioning toolset is somewhat wierd. Unless I've missed something thats staring me in the face.

Anyone have a clue to this?
Thanks
fitZ

Hello gentleman. Thank you for the replies. Ok remus, I clicked on the Zorro link, and the page with the real link came up, but when I clicked on the link, it took me to a "page not found".

And thank you for the technique modelhead. I'll try it out immedietly. And sorry I didn't get right back here. Not much time to devote fo the "learning curve".
fitZ

Hello everyone. I didn't know where to put this question for best consideration. So here goes.

I work a lot with models that intersect at angles,(crown moulding as one example) and use the "intersect model" tool quite a bit, as its the only method I've found for making compound miters in models.(I use two or three other methods though but all have thier own disadvantages) Does anyone know of a plugin that allows a PLANE, to act as the blade of a chop saw..ie..kind of like how the SECTION PLANE works, but where two models intersect. It would be nice to "intersect" two models, select a CUTTING PLANE, and then "chop" each model at the "intersection", and then make the lines beyond the cut disappear. I'd be thrilled to have this type plugin!! I spend WAY too much time intersecting complex models and removing the unwanted edges and faces Thanks for any insight.
fitZ

Wow, just what I like. Precise answers. You guys are great. Thank you so much. Ok, I think I get it now. Sometimes, understanding computer/graphics and all the apps tools take a lot of time. Especially in this day and age when I have NONE. Thats what I like about this forum. Once again, you saved the day.

Thanks again
fitZ

Wow, that was quick! Thanks so much. So, if I understand you correctly, you save the texture image just like a jpg, or .png? And how do you use them as a "material" then. I don't understand how you can make a material out of a texture? Like when I select "light wood floor" from the materials folder, I can apply it to a surface and it shows up as a complete floor(multiple images of the texture, right?) How would I do this with a saved image? I'm kinda new at the texture thing.

And how would you put it in the materials folder?

maybe I've got a "insight block" or something.

Thanks for the info so far though.
fitZ

Hello. I've only recently started to collect textures, but I really don't know where to store them. Is there a specific file in Sketchup?

Thanks

fitZ

@gaieus said:

Now as you have the section cut face, note that it's a group of faces. You can edit this group like any other (say double click on it) and even paint the individual faces with the materials they are cutting to achieve an even more realistic look.

HEY Gaileus, thanks a mill. I just saw this by accident. For some reason I don't get emailed when someone responds to my posts or ones I am following.
fitZ

@unknownuser said:

If you are talking about the WallFraming in SU7...it is dynamic.
Oh, wow, Thanks for the info. I haven't had a chance to investigate the "dynamic" component thingy. So what does that mean in relationship to the 0,0,0 issue? I'm not familiar with these yet.
fitZ

Well, I just tried a rotate. That worked. Then I tried a "scale" operation on an embedded component. Now it moved to the 0,0,0 point.
So, I tried one more thing. I selected an "embedded" component, EXPLODED it, an RE-MADE it into a component, and THEN moved it. Hmmm, now it works. So I exploded it again, and made it into a group, and moved it. This works as well. Maybe I'm wrong about the Cortona thing. Is there something in the "default" component that may be corrupted or something cause I've never had this happen before, even though I've used this same component many times and never experienced this before?
Ok, I'm going to try some more components in an existing file. I'll be back.
fitZ

OH! one more thing. Last night after downloading the Cortona program, my USB mouse started acting up. It would "disconnect" every few seconds and slow down the pointer speed. This morning I installed my old p2 mouse and it works perfect. Maybe this problem is connected somehow?

Hmmm, I just tried something. I erased everything, RE-inserted the "studwall" component, and moved it. This time it worked. However, I decided to "explode" it, and move an embedded component. Well, now it does the same thing. I don't understand whats going on, but somehow after exploding, moving an embedded component takes on new ...????
fitZ

Hello. I don't know where to ask this, but I'm having a problem with Sketchup that I don't understand, although I think it may have something to do with a program I downloaded last night called Cortona 3d Viewer.

I didn't use Sketchup after downloading the program untill this morning. I started a new file and the first thing I did was open the default component list and picked the "stud wall" component and inserted it. Then I exploded it so I could modify/move some of the embedded components. First I picked each "plate" and "pulled" them 60". Then I picked the end pair of studs and proceed to move them. I picked a "move from" point, and moved them to the end of the plates. However, at the moment I picked the point of "move to", the stud "component" disappeared.
Hmmm, I thought that was strange, so I looked to see if any "section" planes were on, or if any layers were turned off, which there weren't. So I decided to try it once more. I did an "undo" move, and then tried it a second time. Same thing, it disappeared again. So, I did a "zoom extents" and there it was. The stud had moved to the 0,0,0 axis point at the conjecture of the green, red and blue axis'.
Now I tried the whole wall, and it did the same thing. The only thing I've done between using Sketchup yesterday and today was download the Cortona 3d Viewer. The reason I downloaded it was because I have been working on a file drawing Platonic Solids, and polyhedrons. I didn't know much about them so I did a search for two hours trying to learn some things when I came across an interesting site which suggested I download this program to view the polyhedrons in 3d. So I did, and it works beautifully....SOMETIMES. I remember, when I downloaded it, the description of the file said it was a BETA!
Thats why I think something has happened. My gut tells me the file is somehow manipulating the Cartesian reference points in Sketchup, as I read the Cortona uses some other kind of system, although it may
just be the coffee in my gut.
Anyway, anyone have any ideas?
fitZ

OMG!! never mind. I just found the answer. although I still don't understand something. There is a "zoom" feature button on the button bar which I believe is for "zooming" IN and OUT". And it DOES just that. However, under CAMERA, there is an IDENTICAL button called..."field of view", which when activated, does indeed "zoom" IN and OUT"...but ALSO zooms in and out in an ODD way, and affects the "perspective". I can't exactly define what this does, but it sure makes the perspective look wierd. Can someone tell me exactly what this tool does...at least in regards to "perspictive"? Thanks
fitZ

Here is another one. I've searched all the Sketchup commands and I don't see anything that will alter this perspective "glitch".

Hello. For quite a while now, I've encountered some phenomena in Sketchup, that at first I wasn't aware that a change had taken place during a drawing session, but now, I realize, during a current drawing session, something had really taken place causes a RADICAL change in the way that the PERSPECTIVE of objects is displayed on the screen. This change appears to have occurred right after I added a "transparency" command to a material color. Although, that may or may not be the cause. Take a look at these two jpgs. One was exported ten minutes before the change occured, and the next was exported within minutes of discovering this change. I closed the program for the night, and rebooted this morning and opened the file, hoping that maybe something in my hardware had caused this...like an overheaded graphics card or something. But..it was STILL distorted or what I consider RADICAL perspective. Any insight would be appreciated, as this is not acceptable for presentation to viewers whom I share my drawings with. They look just awful.
Here is the one prior to change:

and here is the one AFTER the change..gak! just awful perspective

Hello Everyone. Thought I'd pop in here for the first time and introduce myself. My name is Rick, although I go by fitZ. Gaieus signed me up for this forum. Thanks Gaieus. I'll be trying to help out herr. I'm a 30 year woodworking/design and drafting guy, and have a few tricks up my sleeve to share. Worked over 20 of those years in a highend Architectural Mill/Storefixture manufacturing facility. First as a journey millworker, then as a board draftsman, then as a CAD draftsman. Macys was our prime client. Learned a LOT from working on their stores. Anyway, glad to be here and looking forward to learning and sharing.
fitZ

It worked!

fitZ