I hope this message finds you well. I’ve recently upgraded to SketchUp 2023 and discovered that the Flip tool, which has been a staple for me in previous versions, appears to have been eliminated.
I’m now faced with the challenge of finding an alternative method for flipping objects, components, or entities within SketchUp 2023. I believe this functionality is critical for my workflow, and I’d greatly appreciate your insights on how to achieve it in this updated version.
If you have any suggestions, workarounds, or plugins that can help me achieve the flipping action in SketchUp 2023, please share your knowledge. I’m open to learning new techniques and adapting to the changes in this version.
Thank you in advance for your assistance. Your expertise and support are invaluable to me and the entire SketchUp community.
Flip Along was removed except by keyboard shortcut. There was a new Flip tool introduced with SU2023 which works as Flip Along and like a Mirroring tool.
I’ve kept the keyboard shortcuts for the old Flip Along but I’m finding the new Flip tool to be very useful in my workflow and rarely need Flip Along.
Like they’ve always been, the keyboard shortcuts are user set. There’s no native ones. On my PC I have them set to use F2, F3, and F4 for red, green, and blue.
BTW, plase complete yur forum profile with the correct information including SketchUp version, operating system version, and graphics card model.
One advantage the new system has over the old way, is that the same shortcut key can be set for the three kinds of flip you might do. Previously people might need to use an extension in order to use the same key to flip along a group’s red direction, a component’s red direction, or simply red direction. Now the same shortcut does the flip regardless of what type of thing you have selected.
Or set up to nine keyboard shortcuts. (I only set the three for flipping components and selections but not groups.) So now with just three I have three freed up keyboard shortcuts for something else.
I can see the point of the new Flip, but for me it would be good that this was an addition, not a replacement. I used to use Flip from the context menu, so no shortcuts, and I just experienced a frustrating situation where the flip planes were not all visible due to geometry in the way. Maybe someone could consider re-adding it as ‘legacy flip’ or something in the next update?
Some possible reasons that occur to me are that the user doesn’t have good memory for keyboard shortcuts, and that using the keyboard might be physically harder than using a mouse.
Personally, I use a mix of 5 or 6 keyboard shortcuts for the functions I use the most (including Push Pull; Move, Select, Rotate, one of the Arc tools, plus a custom key to toggle Show Hidden), and the context menu for other functions (such as Find Center).
Ha! Yes, this is the reason for me. I currently have R/G/B stickers on my Mac arrow buttons to remember which one is which constrain button. I struggle to remember which of the two shortcuts I use toggles monochrome and textures on/off, so adding 50% more confusion in by needing three buttons for R/G/B planes is gonna do my swede right in!
Also, the obvious of using the R/G/B keys as the shortcuts to correspond would mean reassigning existing long term shortcuts that I actually can remember!
For me, software is like the inside of a house - I inhabit it daily and get used to things being where I need them, and how they work for me. I wouldn’t like to come home and somebody had removed the TV and placed it in a cupboard and told me it’s ok because I can open the cupboard to watch it from now on. I get how complex these things are to change/implement so it’s not a naiive criticism, but from a user perspective, offering the option to restore previous (legacy) controls shows a software company is tuned in to the realities of its users workflows and processes.
To be honest, even just activating the new flip tool from the context menu would be far better for me than wading across all my screens to where the button is located!
there is a perfectly fine toolbar with small cubes. if using shortcuts is bringing complexity for you, then don’t.
At first when I started teaching I had to re-learn not to use shortcuts but to click everywhere, because obviously, a trainee needs to see what tool I’m clicking on.
Turns out, I probably won’t go back to mass shortcuts. SU isn’t a complex software, you can fit most of your day-to-day tools in the top and left bars, pc and mac,
your metaphor is a bit flawed.
yeah, a software is like a home, you find one that pretty much suits you, you adapt it, decorate it with extensions, and at some point, when you’re being told a newer version of your home exists, well you can simply choose… not to move in, and stay in your current one.
you could remain in SU22 and keep your TV in the living room if it’s that important to you, at least until SU adds back the context menu for flipping stuff.
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that being said, yes.
that could be useful to all the older users who’ve been using SU for some time. re-wording the older context menu to “flip along” (no idea what it was in english) would allow legacy users to simply convert their legacy shortcuts.
OR, since SU’s model is a core software on witch we graft extensions, there might be an extension for the time being that provides just the same level of flip / symmetry while also allowing you to give shortcuts. I mean, if you’re fine with 23 but the only thing that you miss is that contextual menu, I would go have a look at mirror / symmetry extensions, finding THE one could solve all your grievances
Not that difficult. You would flip your selection along a certain direction: either R/G/B.
As for remembering shortcut keys: I try to keep the default ones in tact. And for other tools I tend to look for iconic keys where possible.
For example:
[Yellow] toggles between ‘Parallel’ / ‘Perspective’
[Red/g/b] (representing a mirror) activates the ‘Flip’ tool
[ ` ] (think of measuring feet) brings up the ‘Tape Measure’ tool
yeah, no, I mean, Since I use it in french, I don’t know what was the specific name in the context menu in english weather it was flip along or some other wording
yeah, The few ones I still use are the standard ones too, mostly because if a trainee asks me, I can answer with the default ones.
From time to time I have trainees who comes from another software and they tend to change the shortcuts to be closer to that other one. but yeah, the point of sortcuts is to keep them in mind, if you create a shortcut but you never remember it, maybe it’s a bad shortcut, or maybe in the end you don’t need it that much
The new flip tool is definitely a big improvement on the old Flip Along. Bit surprised it doesn’t appear in the context menu as it’s such a common task.
All we need now is for it to have more choice in the location of the flip plane (which is often half way between two set points) and then we would have an actual Mirror tool!
Yes. You’ve missed something. You can move the flip plane to wherever you want in the model space. And use the Modifier key (Ctrl on PC and Option on Mac) to activate the Copy feature.
Oh yes! Fantastic. Also, I see that you can invoke the modifier key after the event so that forgetful fools like me don’t have to start over. Magnififque!
Each face inside the current drawing context or even outside can act as an instand mirror with the new ‘Flip’ tool.
Apply the tool on a selection or by clicking on some geometry while then hovering over any face (inside or outside drawing context) that you would like to act as the mirror. That face will then show magenta and act as the mirroring plane.
weather it was flip along or some other wording