Hi there,
I’m creating a solar study with the Set North Tool with model angled to show True North.
How do align my view to the ground plane?
Hello @Syncmark77
Camera positioning has little to do with setting up an accurate solar study.
Might you share the model along with a clearer description.
Right click on an axis and select ‘Align View’ from the context menu. Green will then be pointing up on screen. And you’ll be looking straight down (plan view when also in ‘Parallel Projection’ mode).
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Continuing the discussion from Align View to ground plane - True North:
I’m a newbie with similar question. I have drawn a rectanglular lot with a tall tree. I need to run a solar shade study. The rectangular lot does not align with true north, so I need to rotate it in plan view to its true orientation. Where is true north in my drawing? I have geo-located the plan. Any help greatly appreciated. Bennett
If you are using Pro you can use the Solar North tool and not move your model. It should be available in your extension manager but probably not enabled.
In a geo-located model I think true north is parallel to the side of the imported imagery, and also set as solar north. I think green axis corresponds to grid north. none of this appears to be properly documented and it may even have changed as the map provider has changed.
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That depends upon which of two methods you used to geo-located the model.
• Add Location
• Set Manual Location
I would suggest you do not use the Add Location feature to geo-locate the model.
Geo-locate the model manually.
Click … Window > Model Info > Geo-location > Advanced Settings - Set Manual Location
The Set Manual Geo-location dialog opens.
Therein:
The Country Field is merely a label.
The Location Field is merely a label.
Enter Latitude and Longitude in 6-place Decimal Degree format.
The L,Lo coordinates of a geo-located SketchUp model coincide with SU’s World Origin [0,0,0]
By default, in a manually geo-located SU model, true north coincides with the +y solid green axis.
Such is NOT the case in a model geo-located via the Add Location feature, which imports terrain geometry and imagery from Digital Globe.
When using the Add Location feature you’ll find true north rotated slightly away from the default +y solid green axis.
There are four parameters you must set to display shadows that accurately portray the real world.
• Geographic Orientation — Relationship of True North to the model.
• Geographic Location — Latitude and Longitude
• Time — Year, Month, Day, Hour and Minute
• UTC Offset — The difference between local time and the Coordinated Universal Time standard.
Check your model settings against what they should be in the real world.
You’re welcome to share the file and we’ll have a look, if you have difficulty sorting things out.
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