Hi all,
I am pretty new so, forgive me my basic questions …
I need to draw a wall (rectangle) and want to directly specify the length and the thickness.
Is there a field where I can enter the values? Did not find it so far …
Thanks!
Basics of SketchUp at
If you prefer to read…
I suggest ghat you observe carefully your screen.
AT the bottom right you shall see rectangular field with a word to its left that shall read Measurements.
If the field is white, this means that it is open to accept inputs.
Please notice that you don’t need to click in the field. You only need to type required values and press the Return key or the Enter key to validate your input.
If the field is greyed out it means that irt is not ready to accept inputs.
Look also to the left of this field. You shall see the Status bar. This is always changing depending on what action you are performing. For example, as soon as you click on the Rectangle tool you shall see the following text:
Select the first corner. Option = Select center.
If you click to position the first corner, you shall now see this:
Select opposite cornet or enter a value. Option = Draw about center.
In you case it is now the time to enter a value. As I wrote before DO NOT click in the Dimension window, just type the required values.
For a 100 mm by 200 mm rectangle, you would type 100,200 if your decimal separator is set to use the comma or 199;200 if your decimal separator is set to the semi-colon.
I used only numbers without any suffix. This is if the value you are inputting have the same units as the one you have set in “Model Info”.
If you need to input values in a different unit system, like meter or centimetre or inches or feet and inches, then you shall add the unit. For exemple, for a 2 feet by 4 feet rectangle, you would type 2’,4’ or 2’;4" depending on you decimal separator setting.
Notice that you can mix units like this: 20cm, 3 1/4" or 50, 40cm if your units are set to mm. The 50 without unit shall be 50 millimeters.
Another very useful help ressource is the Instructor that you can get by opening its window.
When you are done with it, simply close its window.
To open the Instructor Window, use Window Menu → Default tray → Instructor.
To close it, simply click on the Closing X in the Title Bar of the Instructor Window.
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It should be noted that all this typing of dimensions needs enter/return to complete.
Great, thanks - found and got that 
is there also a way to change dimensions directly by putting in numbers for an existing object, e.g. if I need to make a wall longer by a specific value?
Thanks in advance !
There are several ways to adjust existing geometry…
‘PushPull’ lets you shrink or expand an object by selecting the relevant face, starting the relocation and then typing in an exact dim value.
‘Scale’ lets you shrink or expand a selected object in a given direction by picking the relevant ‘handle’ and then typing in a new value - in that case you must include a units suffix, otherwise it’ll assume you want to proportionally scale it - so 120mm makes it that dim, but 120 makes it x120 bigger !
‘Move’ lets you select a face and move it to a new location, used with the inference lock or guidelines you simply type in the dim to be applied, attached geometry adjust to match…
I type a value and it appears in the dimension box. But whenever I press “Enter” it opens a “Create 3D Text” box.
What do I do now?
[quote=“msentesy, post:8, topic:226245”]After what
I type a value and it appears in the dimension box
[/quote]
Can you describe more precisely what tool you used before typing values in the Dimension Window (DW).
Don’t forget that you never should click in the DW. Just type then press Enter key or Return key.
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I just use the line tool. I did not click in the box, just drew a line and before clicking typed in the length that I wanted the line to go. And whenever I press enter, and it opens up the insert 3-D text dialogue instead of changing the line length.
I am using the online SketchUp free.
What browser are you using? What are you typing exactly?
(moved to the correct category.)
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