I am using Sketchup for Web. I am modeling a wall built out of 2x4 lumber. For instance, I am trying to make 2 boards touching perpendicularly to form a T, and I want to be able to later move the leg of the T along the length of the arm of the T to a new position.
First I tried building the arm of the T, drawing a rectangle on the side of it, then push/pulling the rectangle into a long board to form the leg of the T. If I later select the leg an try to move it, it sticks to the arm and both are stretched into a strange shape.
Next I tried building the leg separate from the arm and then moving it until it to the arm to make a T. If I leave a small space between the two shapes, I can later move the leg, but then my cumulative measurements will be wrong. Also, often it is impossible to position the leg at my chosen spot; it is as if the inference is off, and I am only allowed to position the leg either 1/8 inch to far to the left or to the right. This way also takes much more time.
Is there a way to build like my first method but prevent the shapes from sticking to each other?
Make each distinct board a component before drawing anything more. Groups and components exist in SketchUp for exactly this reason, to capture collections of edges and faces in separate containers that don’t interact.
Thanks for your reply. I have been using Sketchup for about 50 hours so far. I have read the help about groups and components, but do not understand how to use them. If you can tell me how I make each board a separate component, I would be very grateful.
Select the items you want to make into a component. Right click on them. A context menu appears offerring several choices. Click on Make Component (or Make Group). This makes it possible to move grouped or componentized items around without the intrinsic “stickiness”.
As a new user, you will benefit from reviewing several of the introductory video tutorials. Links to are provided below for your use:
Here is another video tut specifically for SketchUp for Web. It is not an official Trimble tutorial, but it is informative. It was created by a teacher for his middle school students and he mistakenly refers to Google SketchUp (Google relinquished ownership years ago.)