It took me forever to figure out that the dimension tool in most tutorials doesn’t exist in the same way.
I am trying to create models to precise scale and having a hard time getting all the components to be the size needed precisely.
Much appreciated
What do you mean? Give an example, please.
Yes. Look in the Tools menu or on the toolbar.
No. There are other ways to change the size of things but the Dimension tool is only reporting, not controlling the size.
In SketchUp draw everything at 1:1. There’s no reason for having any difficulty getting things to be the size you want them.
What are you drawing? Maybe you need to change the Units and Precision in Model Info.
Dimensions (can) follow changes made to geometry. Not the other way around. You cannot change dimension values to cchange geometry.
You can create to exact dimensions when applying tools like ‘Line’- ‘Rectangle’-, etc. tools. Type the value and hit [Enter]. See the hints in the status bar down left on screen.
You can modify geometry to exact dimensions with tools like ‘Scale’ and ‘Move’.
Thank you for trying to help to answer your questions;
1/2) Please see attached. On tutorials there is a little tool to click to start dimension the pieces but on my Sketchup it’s in the pointer tool. (The big screen is my artboard. I pasted images of tutorials I was watching on youtube to show the different layouts and circled the tool I feel like I am missing .I can’t figure out if there is just a tool view I am missing.)
I currently using the Mac version of Pro (on a one month trial to test if this software works for the other artists).
3/4) I will try to change the Units/Precision Model info. That is a good suggestion. I understand that the dimension tool is only indication.
We are used to making items and then refining the dimensions after. For example I would make two rectangles (a top piece and a base) and I would make the top 5" and the bottom 1" and then decide the base should be 1.5" and the top 4.5". I was looking for a way to change the dimensions besides selecting and dragging the piece.
We are trying to do simple industrial design products.
Thank you so much for your reply.
These are great suggestions. I will try to use these. (I’m used to using Solidworks or drafting by hand so it’s taking a bit to adjust).
The picture shows screens from the Windows version. The same built-in tools are available on Mac, but some of the toolbars are arranged a bit differently. Check View->Tool Palettes to verify whether you have the “Large Tool Set” displayed. The dimension tool should be there.
SketchUp is not a parametric modeler. It keeps the geometry you have drawn only as such, not a parametric representation of “what it is” in which you can later alter the parameters (circles and arcs are an exception - you can change the radius and number of segments later). So in general you have to either use the scale tool to resize things or else move or pushpull them to a new size. It’s actually pretty fast once you get the hang of it!
Enabling the Large Tool Set is exactly what I needed for finding the tool! I tried every option except that one (I kept looking in “Window” like a true Adobe user). It was amazing I couldn’t’ find a FAQ or tutorial online that mentioned that. XD
Yeah it’s a different way than than parametric. Just a learning curve that is still frustrating… hard time teaching an old dog new tricks.
Any other tips to help modeling quickly would be greatly appreciated.
