I regularly present dimensioned elevations and plans to my clients in layout however I’ve sometimes found it hard to snap to certain points. I have discover that these points represent an intersection where two planes don’t overlap in the sketchup model but do on a flat elevation or plan in layout. Surlely this need to be addressed as the presentation of elevations and plans is something layout was designed for.
Could it be possible, as a temporary workaround, to place a GuidePoint (or GuideLine) at the intersection in SketchUp, that the LayOut dimension tool can infer to ?
I don’t have difficulties dimensioning elevation or plan views as you describe but I sometimes find it difficult to anchor dimensions to the right point on round objects. To get around that, I do what Dan suggested and add some temporary guide points or guidelines in SketchUp. I works pretty well and I don’t anticipate there’d be any other solution for the round objects unless they do away with the polygons representing circles.
I have found it easier to create a section group from a cutting plane and dimension it.(or create a couple and then explode them on-top of each other within a separate group) - much easier to find all the snap points.
If I understand you correctly, you are talking about a situation such as in the attached screenshot? The two rectangles will appear to cross when viewed from the top in parallel projection (where the vertical guide goes), but because they are separated vertically there is no actual intersection. That means there is no vertex for Layout to anchor a dimension to. I agree it would be a nice feature if Layout analyzed the as-projected image to find such snap points, but I fear it would be a somewhat complicated analysis hence Trimble may hesitate to implement it. However, a vertical guide such as in my image creates snap points and is itself invisible in a top view parallel projection.
Hi
Thanks for all your replies. Yes- slbaumgartner you are absolutely correct and I could place markers or construction lines it just seems a long winded way of going about it . I would have to look at the model in detail before sending to layout and imagine where all these markers should be placed. I would have thought that acurately dimensioning plans and elevations in layout would be a must.