I have tried everything. Somehow part of my exploded diagram of a base and obelisk got onto a different layer. I have tried selecting the entire object and moving it, and it seems to miss an edge or a face and is on 2 different layers. I tried the object as created and as a group object. Now I cut and paste or go into entity and change the layer and it doesn’t move. It even recreated the layer if I cut the object, delete the layer, and then try to paste in layer0.
What I want is to have the base object in layer 0 and the obelisk it sits on in another layer. I read that these aren’t like CAD layers, but really just choose visibility, which is fine, but I don’t understand it. I have my whole exploded diagram of the base in layer0, and the bottom piece in in the “dimension” layer I created to ultimately hold the dimensions so that I can make them invisible when I want. I don’t know how the base got into another layer and can’t put it back.
Classic case of layer confusion in sketchup. Totally fixable too when you realize how they work, which isn’t how many new users expect them to.
In general it’s best to have Layer0 active at all times (radial button) in order to keep all the raw geometry (edges and faces) you draw on that layer. This helps avoid the situation where part of an object can end up in a different layer, which you’re experiencing.
After that, it’s essential to group your geometry or make components. This is to ensure geometry from one element doesn’t unintendedly interfere with that of another.
Once all raw geometry is on Layer0 and grouped, then you can start assigning them to layers. You do this by selecting the group or groups and selecting a layer from the entity info palette. There should not be any copying or pasting. “Moving” something between layers is just changing their assignment via the entity info palette. In the layer palette you can toggle a layers visibility from the check box. Once again, this is with Layer0 still active the entire time.
To fix your model, you have to drill down into your individual groups and components, select all of their raw geometry, and assign it to Layer0. Back out of the group editing, select the groups, and assign them to layers.
Dimensions you can assign to layer, but do not group it as that will break its connection to other geometry.
Thanks to you both. It is tedious for an object with a lot of faces and figuring out how to get it all together when a few faces got assigned to another later. If the object is simple, it’s easier to delete it and start over. I did notice that even if I copy, then delete the object, then select the right layer and paste, it won’t work. It pastes it right back on the wrong layer since, as you explained, the data for what layer it is on is part of the object, not a layer like in photoshop.
You’re not understanding the basic premise of layers. They are only visibility tags! You cannot copy and paste things between layers as they are not a physical place. If you have an edge that you have assigned to layer 1 and you copy it and make layer 2 the active layer and paste your edge there it will still be assigned to layer 1. None of this you should do.
ALL EDGES and FACES should remain on Layer 0 only Groups and Components or non geometry(dimensions) should be assigned a layer for visibility purposes. Do not change the Active Layer, until such time as you are sufficiently experienced to know why you are changing the active layer, I have yet to reach that level of experience.
Only Groups and Components separate geometry, layers only hide it.
Make Groups and components out of everything and then use layers to hide those groups/components.
Read up on layers here.
Here is a quick example of making an obelisk with a base and dimensions and how they are separated. Note at the end, if you select more than one thing and the layer dropdown is blank then you have mixed layers, you should never see this when you select raw geometry. So select all your raw faces and edges and change the dropdown to Layer 0 and then start grouping.
This is done in SU Pro but nothing here can’t be done in the web version.
If the object is simple, it’s easier to delete it and start over. I did notice that even if I copy, then delete the object, then select the right layer and paste, it won’t work. It pastes it right back on the wrong layer since, as you explained, the data for what layer it is on is part of the object, not a layer like in photoshop.