@unknownuser said:

Hi,

The sidewards 'S' or ~ is telling you that you're actual measurment is less than what you read in the VCB. For example, let's say your model units is set to millimeters with a precision of 0.1mm. Therefore SU will only allow to draw in increments on 0.1mm.

Now you draw a line 11.6mm in lenght the scale that line by a value that would result in it been 11.56mm in lenght. Now because your precision is at 0.1mm it will read it at ~11.6mm but not 11.5mm

If you change your precision in 'Model Info' it will find the lines exact lenght.

I think i'm right but i'm not 100%

Hi Rich
"I look but I didn't see" should be my motto, how embarrassing. Instead of my question 'sideways S' all I had to do was press '~ #' key!
Thanks for explaining that, I know now I won't be making terrible mistakes. I've learnt the hard way before.
John

Thank you James & TIG

Something else I've learned. I used both of your answers so I could understand and it helped me a lot.
Another thing have I've noticed is with some measurements there is an "sideways" 'S' at a measurement. For instance when double checking a measurement it comes up say 10'6" and checking the other end it shows (sideways 'S')10'6", I can't find the answer anywhere.

John

I was carrying out roof construction and made some measurements. I was suprised to find something wrong and I can't figure it out and I can't go on until it is cleared up - I've tried but had to give up. I can't ignore it as in the past it will come back and cause me a lot of trouble.

I'll try sending a picture if its small enough.

Center of roof is different from top or bottom

Thanks everyone for your replies, they were helpful.
I checked this with 'components' box and used a couple of items everything worked as I tested them out. What happened I don't know but its O K now.

The second item was a simple mistake. The way I asked the question was wrong, (right click), I didn't use it like I said, sorry for that. But I did have a problem with [num],'x' and [num], '/' they didn't work. but with your help I went backand checked again very carefully and found my mistake. I put the 1st component down them 'movement +', click, copy was printed. With the num + or / I moved the 2nd to a position and clicked ONCE but did not remove the cursor from the second component but just entered the number and + or / then return and it worked. One click too many was my mistake. therefore any questions you answer or tutorials looked at it pays to look at the answer again but with scrutiny, its easy to miss small points.
Thank you.

John

John

I watched Aidan Chopra tutorials, one on movement and one on 'unglue'.

The first used 'Move/Copy' to make a number of components using 'Ctrl' - Right click, (on PC), so that I get the 'plus' sign. I had done exactly as he showed but nothing happened.

The second was to 'unclue' so that components would move upwards instead of staying "Glued" to the red or green axes only, the 'unglue' in the drop down menu remained greyed out to indicated that it was unavalable. Can anybody enlighten me please.

John

I sat last night and thought about what I had done then suddenly it came to me. The floor was originated when I grouped then and put them in 'Layer 30'. I had to make a few adjustments and as usual made then on layer 0. I must get used to 'layer 0' to work on THEN REMEMBERING to transfer, in this case, 'layer 30' - I didn't do that. That was the problem so I've got it sorted now.
Thanks for your assistance xrok1

John

I wish I new how to handle these 'atachments'. I going to sent the second photo!

I had the '1st floor' temporary 'grouped' and placed it for alinement with ground floor and staircase.
Some minor adjustments where needed on the frist floor so I made it 'edit group' move walls and opened a rectangled section where the staircase would go through. when complete I returned the floor to 'grouped' and started to check that everything was OK. I've included 2 photos of the 1 st floor, 1 complete and 1 hidden and found lines of where I had done the adjustments. I have tried all ways to erase them but with no sucess, even after purging them a number of times. I have learnt from mistakes that purging is a must always. Can you help please.
John

Hi Tig
I appreciate your explanation. It is when I measured the house I was compfortable with imperial as that is what I grew up with. But England and my job went metric and I got along fine with it. As I retired 6 years ago and found SU thats when I decided I would model my house. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is half right. In work I used metric quite easily and had no problems. But the regular door, window, etc.,sizes I could "see" in my head if they where wrong especially when They where out slightly. But if it was metric its not so obvious so I have to measure it exactly, and keep doing this, (which I would get to know like imperial), i'd have no problem. But the trouble is I am new to SU so I make a load of mistakes which takes time to correct. Thats why, at the moment, I'll stick to imperial.

I glad it doesn't matter what it is as long as it comes out OK. But I will go back to metric - honest.

Thanks for your reply
John

@chris fullmer said:

.skb is a sketchup backup file. You want to be attaching the .skp file. Then it will attach smoothly,

Chris

Thanks Chris
I spotted the mistake I made -skb, skp, I didn't notice.

John

@mitcorb said:

Creating a component directly from a group always does this. You are not presented the dialogue window to formally name it. Simply select the new component, right click, select Entity Info, and there should be a couple of data boxes you can fill in. Now you should be able to formally name it.
The .skb is a temporary backup file. You must select the .skp file for uploading and editing. You only use a .skb file after a system crash and the last .skp was corrupted.

Now, educate me.
I thought in Britain everyone used metric?
Is 7'6" a standard ceiling height?
What would be the standard door height?

Thats another thing I will have to try and understand, I seem to answer 1 problem but it also comes back with 2 questions - again.
Yes, britain has gone metric and had to turn to metric like everybody else. But when I retired I drifted back to imperial which was compfortable to work. I should have gone ahead with metric but it is to late with my 1st project when I had already started.
The majority of "old" houses where 8 feet (2.44M) to ceiling. The same goes with doors, they where 6ft 6 inches (1.98M) by 2ft 6ins (0.76M). When you go to a timer merchant they would probably 6ft and 9ft planks, now they sell 2.4M planks.
When we moved into our newly built home ofcourse the ceilings where 2.3Metres in hieght.
Thats how I found things over the years but a professional builder might say something different.

John

I am at the the start of "take 2" which is now being called 'our house1', 'our house' is going to be my backup as I progress. I have been studying 'outliner' and now going to include it with groups/components, hopfully I'll get it right. If not I can go to my back up and try something different.

I think I understand what 'outliner' does, if not I'll use my imperial testing to try things out.
What I've found when I completed the ground floor 'faces' for walls,(2D),just before I make the ground floor hieght (7ft 6ins). I made all the edges and faces, (2D), and thought I made a component as eveerything went according to plan i.e. dislog box - named them 'grd floor wall', 'create', hit return and decided to check. I found that all the walls edges and faces where still individual items so I selected group which made them as one. I them imediately selected 'component' and it remained the same without a 'create'. When I first made them 'group' and checked it showed 'edit group' them made 'component' and came 'edit component'. But on this second trial it didn't ask 'create'. I hope I have made this clear.

I tried to send the file but now I'm getting " The extension skb is not allowed". I don't know whats going on, its confusing. I passed things up before and no problems but today it decided that I've done something wrong!
John

John

Hi Gaieus,
I was disheartened with staircase because it is vertually identical and it a lot work on its own.
I see there is another new item to study, 'outliner', I will have to learn what that does.

The trouble is when The stairs are different groups/components thats How I lost myself because when building the start of the staircase it was a component as this was good as I built one stair all the rast followed suit. But then It had to turn in 90 degrees with a "mini landing of 2 stairs" then followed by 3 stairs. Then the banister rails there was the same hanse more groups, then rails, different angles, different lenghts,......and then.....on....and on.... so you can see how I got confused. Even if I do scrap it and start again it is going to be large and intircate. I thouht it was better than before as it is in the centre of the house thus giving me more room to work, then work outwards.

I'll try to understand about 'outliners' and take it from there. Thanks

John

I tried to send the one in 'skp' but it was too large. I don't think my picture won't be any good because it can't be worked on but you never know. I think I know the answer anyway.

John

I have restarted a project of my house because I caused so many mistakes but I learned a lot from that. But as I saved a few group/component items so that it helped my new work greatly. One of the items was a heavily involved mixture containing nested group/component staircase. But there the "saving" hasn't helped only caused me more confusion. I before restarting I updated to 7.1 so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
The problem I have descovered is that when I go to a section that I've 'edit group/component' to alter or change something, parts are "greened out" so they can't be worked on. But if attempt to work on them without 'editing them' obviously they disappear.
If the only way out is to get rid and start the staircase from scratch OK but this has a lot of work on its own and I haven't learnt from it.
I will try to sent a photo of it and see if it can be salvaged.

Your right it did take a while, it was very good to see what was done. I was glad that I did it the same way.
Go and do the walls as well or just do 1st floor first. I don't think it will be a problem, is there?

Like I said I'm off line now. I'm tempted to carry on but my eyes are tired and thats when mistakes happen.

p.s. You can only do a moving screen shot like the one showing me the answer to the solution?

Many thanks John

Thanks Chris I've done that sucessfully. I'm going to 1st floor the same way but as it will be my 2nd attempt, I was wondering how to check that it will fit the ground floor especially where the top of the stairs meet.
Now I will be puting the ground floor base on layer 1 and then level 0 free to complete 1st floor base.
I then want to put them both on 'our house (2)' as a back up should things are not right as I go along.
As each stage is proved to be OK I will carry on with 'our house (2)' as they are completed.
Am I going the right way? Your thoughts would be most welcome.

I am signing off now and looking forward to tomorrow.

John

@jacm said:

I don't think it will arrive.

I'll try again

John

I don't think it will arrive.

I hope it comes over to you

I have started my "take 2" of house again. On the first attempt I built on top of 'bitmap' plan and it didn't show me a problem until later on. So this time I've finished the ground floor plan with the tools, only this time I removed the 'bitmap'straight away when I finished. Some room areas atuomaticaly filled with default covering but two thirds of them remain clear, and I dodn't know why. Any ideas?

John