A few items

For reference Mac OS 10.15.7, SketchUp Pro 20.2.171.
Item 1 -
When I attempt to draw a 2 point arc sometimes I will get the green tangent indication, which is what I’m after, while other times no matter what I do it just won’t give me the tangent. I try running the cursor along either of the sides and virtually everywhere else with no luck. What’s the secret to always getting the tangent indication?
Item 2 -
I often want to draw a circle on a specific plane, x, y, z or oblique. My workaround it to create a temporary flat surface in the desired plane so the circle tool will “snap” to that surface. Recently I remember reading about a new feature in SketchUp that allows the user to set the desired plane. I tried it and it was great but now I forgot what the trick is. Can someone enlighten me?
Item 3 -
I have a curious situation with a model I’m drawing. I created a block (CMU) and made it a component. I later needed a modification of that basic block so I created a new component based on the original and made that a component with a new name. Now I’d like to eliminate the CMU component but I find it is somehow associated with the modified component (i.e. I have a component entity with dual identities). If I select the CMU in my model it shows as used 20 times but I can only see 5 CMUs. If I select the modified component it shows as used 15 times. If I attempt to edit the original CMU, it also edits the modified component but not the other way around. Somehow the CMU component is still a part of the modified component but if I do an edit on the modified component, the CMU does not show as a sub-part. The connection is obviously there but how can I break it? My workaround is to delete both components and then rebuild as necessary.

  1. No arc tangent inference happens from a node or intersection of two lines or more.

  2. use arrow keys to lock axis with all tools. Not new.

  3. sounds like nested components potentially, your modified component contains the CMU component within it. Post a copy of your Sketchup file for a real answer .

endlessfix,
Thanks for the quick response.

  1. Please expand on your statement6850 House.skp (3.5 MB) . I just drew two intersection lines, one on the green axis and one on the blue. I drew an arc and got the green tangent. I repeated with the two lines not intersecting. I still got the green tangent. What am I missing.
  2. Yea, now I remember, I’ll have to write that down
  3. My model is attached. Take a look at the two blocks just above the AC unit on the right side of the scene, I copied them there for convenience. The “block - 3/4” is the issue, it’s somehow tied to the “block - 7/8 (corner)”. I agree, they are probably nested, but I can’t figure out how to un-nest them.

Oops! Sorry, I pasted the model in the first line.

You drew an arc from the intersection? Tangent inference comes when started midline or at a single edge end.

I’m on my phone now, I’ll look later at the file or someone else will.

I’m not able to reproduce what you describe. I can edit the <block - 3/4> or the <block - 7/8 (corner)> with neither one affecting the other.

blocks

endlessfix,
Yes, I drew an arbitrary line on the green axis and then I drew an arbitrary line down the blue axis (i.e. intersecting lines). I selected the 2 point arc tool and picked a random point on the blue axis as the start and a random point on the green axis as the finish. When I struck the arc I moved the mouse down the axis and got the green tangent indicator, just like I would expect. This issue is that I don’t always get the indicator.

slbaumgartner,
Take a closer look. Select one of the blocks on the corner of the building, one that shows as “block - 7/8 (corner)”. Now go ahead and open and edit the “block - 3.4”. When you do, it edits the blocks on the corner (oops). The interesting part is that when you do the edit on the “block - 3/4”, it shows on the corner blocks, identified as “block - 7/8 (corner)”, but not on the “block - 7/8 (corner)” right next to it.

Maybe I’m experiencing an optical delusion?

Do you have a utility to capture a screen animation? I still can’t reproduce what you describe and, to be honest, the words don’t make sense to me. Sorry!

One can always pull tangent midline.

It happened again. This time I have a little insight. While we’re trying to figure out the 3/4 versus the 7/8 block issue I decided to press on with my model. I created a new block component “0.825”. Oops, not quite long enough so I edited it to 0.979 and then re-named it in the entity info window. Guess what, now I have two blocks that apparently are the same entity, one is identified as “block - 0.825” and the other is “block - 0.979”. Where did I go astray? I’ve re-identified components using the process before and didn’t have this issue, at least not that I recall.

slbaumgartner,
Your screen animation shows it perfectly. When you run your animation do you not see the blocks on the corner of the building show change when you edit EITHER component? They should only show the change when the “block - 7/8 (corner)” is edited.

endlessfix,
What does “pull a tangent midline” mean. Maybe an example would help

Sorry, I’m replying on my phone so I can’t screen capture. The key point is if you start an arc from an intersection you won’t get the green or magenta tangent inference.

Sorry, I must disagree. My animation shows only the 3/4 blocks or the 7/8 blocks changing when I edit the corresponding one set off at the top. I don’t see anything wrong happening at all. I don’t know what to tell you…

I see two different sets of blocks being edited in the wall behind.

1 Like

Exactly. When I edit the 3/4 block, all of the other instances in the wall also change because they are from the same component. Likewise, when I edit the 7/8 block, all its instances see the same changes. But at no point does editing a 3/4 block cause a 7/8 block to change or vice-versa.

I beginning to wonder if this reflects a basic misunderstanding of how components work?

Okay, I’m beginning to suspect a serious case of pilot error. I didn’t look closely or pay attention. Both blocks are present in that corner of the wall.

Yes, it’s confirmed, this is a case of pilot error. Too many blocks in too many places can confuse the feeble mind. So I apologize for raising a false flag.

I’ll close this one out and give you each credit for helping me see the light. Thanks

1 Like