This tool is an extensive rewrite and enhancement of the idea from Didier Bur's dim_angle.rb. It draws angular dimensions onto a SketchUp model. Changes from Bur's original include:

• user input of desired radius of angle arc, modifiable after drawing until next angle is started or another tool is selected
• user selection of inside (<180) or outside (>180) angle, with cursor indication of mode, modifiable after drawing until next angle is started or another tool is selected
• packaging of drawn elements into a named Group
• undo capability
• clockwise vs counterclockwise selection order does not matter

To install, download and unzip the attached file in your Plugins directory.

[edit] The original version works for Windows but has issues on a Mac. Michaelv and Driven worked on it to make it compatible. If you have a Mac, you should download the second version attached.

[another edit] After finally getting my hands on a Mac, I discovered that the reason for all the struggling with the cursors is that on the Mac, SketchUp is not happy with the color profile info that my Windows pixel editor put into the png files. I opened them in an editor on the Mac, touched them and saved, and then they work. This is especially puzzling since other apps on the Mac are quite happy with these files, just not SketchUp! Anyway, those using Macs should load the final version that Michaelv attached to the last post in this thread.

Get the latest version [PC/MAC] from the PluginStore http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?listtype=1&author=0&category=0&search=angular+dimension&submit=%3F

@tig said:

Thanks, good idea.

Tip: you can avoid all of the 'Layer0' coding/tests by using
ent.layer=nil
which gives 'ent' the default-layer, irrespective of the default-layer's name or where it is in the model.layers list...

Absolutely right! I discovered that reading other threads here after I posted the original. The version here uses that fix.

Steve

tozero.rb

The attached ruby adds two context menu items when you select a Group or ComponentInstance. These are intended as quick fixups for when you accidentally get Faces and Edges onto layers other than Layer0 and cause confusing visibility issues with the Groups and Components that use them. A prime culprit in creating this situation is the default explode command, which puts all the exploded parts onto the layer of the container, even if they were originally on Layer0. The first added context menu item, Explode to Layer0, modifies this behavior to put Faces and Edges onto Layer0. The second added context menu item, Primitives to Layer0, recursively descends through all nested contents of the selection and puts all Faces and Edges on Layer0 without exploding anything. This is the quick fixup when you can't remember what you did to create the mess.

tozero.rb