I am working with a Lynda.com tutorial and have hit a wall. I am modeling a tiny house and have drawn a face over a house frame (all groups and components) using the rectangle tool. Here is image of what I just described:
In the tutorial, the instructor draws another rectangle on top of this new face and then simply erases the new rectangle to create an opening where the window will go.
When I try to do this the second rectangle just erases and does not make an opening. So right now I cannot figure out how to cut this face into window openings.
Any help anyone could provide would be appreciated.
After you draw the inner rectangle representing the edges of the opening, get the Select tool and click on the face inside. Then hit Delete. The Eraser tool only works on edges and you don’t want to delete the edges of the opening.
Hi DaveR, thanks for your response. I am able to select the face of the new rectangle representing the window opening, but when I delete that face, the original rectangle underneath does not cut through (no opening)
Are they in different contexts? That is, is the underlying geometry in a group or component? If so, the rectangle you are drawing for the opening will not modify the underlying geometry. Go back and look at the tutorial again. Or upload the SKP file here so we can see exactly what you’ve got going on.
I’ve uploaded the .SKP file I am working with. All of the geometry is in groups or components except for the new face I have drawn on the wood framing, which is ungrouped geometry.
I can move this face, draw a rectangle on it, and then delete face of new rectangle to create an opening. But when I leave the rectangle face next to the wood framing I cannot create an opening.
The issue is that your face is not coplanar with the studs. The faces of the studs are not all complanar with the top plate, either. So when you draw the rectangle for the opening and you’re effectively tracing around the studs, the new rectangle is not on the surface of the larger one. If you draw a smaller rectangle that doesn’t use the studs for reference, you can cut the opening as I described. The first thing you should do is fix the studs and other parts to make sure they are all aligned correctly. You kind of have to manage with these kind of errors in real life due to the nature of the materials. SketchUp is far less tolerant of these errors, though.
DaveR, really appreciate your help looking at the .SKP. I guess I need to correct the alignment of all the faces on the framing. Wish it were an easier fix but this is part of learning curve.
Wes
