I’ve been playing with SketchUp 2015 and am a loss as to what the scale tools listing in the info box at the lower right corner of the window. It is labeled “scale”, but The numbers are like nothing I’ve ever heard of for a scale (.095, 1.85, etc.).This doesn’t mean anything to me. If someone could enlighten me, I’d be grateful.
The scale tool does what its name says: it makes the selected objects smaller or bigger, and the numbers you see are indications of the scaling ratio (the number that the dimensions of the objects will be multiplied with).
It has nothing to do with a drawing scale. In SketchUp you should always build your objects to full scale, and only apply a scale to your printouts or model viewports on a LayOut page. That is why SketchUp has no scale settings.
Anssi
First, it’s important to distinguish between “scale,” as in a drawing’s scale (say, 1/4" = 1’), and “scaling,” which is a transformation whereby an object’s size is changed, either by a scaling factor or to an exact dimension.
With the exception of a few unusual situations, SU models are created at full scale. The SU 3D environment is large enough to accommodate objects ranging in size from, say, the size of a breadbox to the size of several city blocks.
As to scaling, if you give the Scale tool a number larger than 1, it will make the object larger. A factor of less than 1 makes the object smaller. Thus, to scale an object to half its size, use a factor of .5. To make it twice its size, use a factor of 2.
If you give the Scale tool a number plus a unit symbol, such as 3m or 25", SU will scale the object to that exact size.
-Gully
Thanks for the help,Gully and Anssi!
Thanks Cotty, I’ve read this but probably not well enough
Chris
I am having the same issue. How do I draw a 40’ wall and a 9’ wall and have them be . Is there a way for the measurements box to tell me how long my wall is when I am drawing it?
The measurements box will always tell you, say, the length of a line, the radius of a circle, or the dimensions of a rectangle. As you draw a line, you will see the numbers in the measurements box change. So, if you want your wall to be 96 inches long, type that value once you begin drawing a line; press Return, and SketchUp will deliver a line exactly 96 inches long. Curiously, you can’t enter values directly in the box. Just type the numbers you want, with the cursor anywhere on the screen, and the numbers will appear in the box.
You were referring to LayOut in your other thread. Are you still referring to LayOut?
@davidheim1 has given you info regarding SketchUp which is where you should be drawing your walls.