Inferencing ON // OFF option?

It’s been debated regularly all the years I have been using SU (from version 3) and probably before. I have learnt to generally cope with the system, but I too would like to see a bit more user control of the system Usually inferencing is mandatory, but in some cases, especially when building things in a hurry, it would be nice if some of the inferences, especially indirect ones like the From Point… types could be turned off. When many inferences are available and you have succeeded in getting the cursor to display the one you want, SketchUp sometimes has the irritating habit of switching to another, unwanted one when you click, possibly triggered by the minuscule movement of the mouse when I am pressing the button. Maybe I am just clumsy…

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@agamemnus,
I hope it is understood that my comments were in no way intended as a personal attack and any perceived effort to demean is misrepresented. Hopefully you will accept an apology for an unveiled slight.

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To all of those stating here to learn how to use SU and just accept the inference thing, I have been working with SU for many years and I do alot of SU work on huge projects on a daily basis. I have trained and worked with small and large teams working on vast architectural projects, so I know what I am talking about here. I do completely understand every aspect of how to work with SU.
I strongly support the notion to add a “Inference override”
I find it insulting of some here to throw out phrases like “You will become more frustrated if you continue to use the software without understanding how to properly employ its tools.”

So take it from a Professional, we need an override. The latest update on the inference engine had some sweet improvements, unfortunately, now the engine is trying even harder to guess what point in 3d space I’m aiming at, the result is even more inaccuracy and confusion.
Inaccuracy in the models I get from 3rd parties, not saying SU has become more inaccurate.

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I do agree with those who would like an override or lock on snapping. It would save a lot of frustration at times.

What is needed is a snap dialog so that you can turn on/off certain types of snap. If you are centering things for example, you may only wish to use centrepoints.

In some ways, it is more necessary in a 3D model than a 2D one as there can be points on things out of view that get selected inadvertently.

And yes, it probably is true that if you are an expert user, very disciplined in your working methods, etc, etc, you don’t need it. But why not cater for those less able or experienced if it is easy to implement (if) and they want it?

I disagree. Once you become fully aware of how inferencing works you will not need an overide. I have been using sketchup since it was first born. It seems to me that you have snapping switch on. But if not please post a video example of the issues you are having. I have not come accross any conflict of snapping point being pick up wrongly.
It is possible you maybe be doing things wrong. or there may be a better method. Anyway just because you have years of use does not mean you have the right approach. This is not an insult, just a fact. I have learnt things in sketchup just in reason years that I did not know existed.

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ah your problem could be fixed if you add a short key to your guide lines to switch them on and off quickly.

Suppose you have a very short line. You want to draw from its centrepoint (a really common thing!). There is an inference point at the centre of the line and you can use it if you zoom in close enough. But if you want to avoid a lot of zooming in and out, you can’t because you find that the end points have a much greater pull than the centrepoint. If you could either select or toggle between local inference points, it could offer a faster means of drafting.

I would be suprised if anyone is working in line segment under 1mm, but if
You are and are perhaps doing 3D printing of small objects it is best to
scale your model up first. What I do is model in meters every 1mm is 1
meter as I model, then Just scale down to 1 mm
Even If you select a very small line segment that you want to work on or
connect to by clicking zoom extent you will find that inference works even
in small line segment. Set a keyboard shortcut for zoom extents.
Hope that help.
Kimrebley

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I am sorry to be annoying but the snap to shut off of every inference should be just as easy in ruby script as in AutoCAD’s script and I am sure that Trimble and company have gone beyond the pale to not emulate AutCAD. but I need to be able to snap to intersect not mid point or end point etc. Masters of scripting languages are more often than not way too proud to realize it is about “Facilitation” of prospective clients!!! The bottom line will fix all bruised EGOS!!! Please allow us to pick an inference snap to point.

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“Once you become fully aware of how inferencing works you will not need an overide”

So how do we get FULLY aware of how inferencing works?
Maybe enlighten me with a link to a comprehensive tutorial to fully understanding the inference engine?
Also explain to me why would I even want to do the extra work of drawing guidelines?
And I do not understand your reference to the zoom Extents in this inferencing topic?

This sounds like something a person that doesn’t fully understand how the inferencing engine works would say.

Been able to turn off snaps for a few moments is just a quality of life thing for some of us. Not of all of us use Sketchup only for rectilinear objects and designs.

A lot of times I have to move objects relative to complex 3D faces, and having them suddenly snap to the X/Y/Z axis just because my mouse cursor is too close to the line is just plain annoying.

Please no. It’s a pain in Rhino to have to turn snapping on and off all the time for various types of objects. SketchUp is built on another philosophy where this kind of micro management shouldn’t be required. That said there is definitely room for improvements, e.g. fix clipping so you can zoom in close enough to easily pick the right point.

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Hi Guys
I forgot to mention that if you turn of snapping you also need to increase the precision and this stops the snapping when working with arc and curve etc.

I always tell my students that the inference engine is like a dog: its focus is on the last 4-5 points were you hoover on.
Maybe it could be implemented to learn the dog on which kind of references a user usually focusses on during a session.

bone

Turning off inferencing can be useful when tracing images, say in top view. Other than that I see hardly any use for turning it off.

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While I find the ability to zoom or orbit while performing an operation like drawing or push/pulling indispensable, I often wonder if those navigation operations are more sluggish at that time because of the inference engine. Temporarily suspending the inference engine till you’re done zooming or orbiting would help if that were true. It’s just for a second or two.

When moving the camera the underlying tool is suspended and a camera tool is used instead. I don’t think inference in any way makes the camera control slower.

@eneroth3

There are a lot of functionalities in Sketchup I’ve discovered over time that I had no idea was there - but that has improved my workflow significantly once I was ready for it. I don’t see why this can’t be one of those things. It’s a simple option toggle request. Perhaps we can even get options for inferencing controls in the same menu space as dimensions and text controls.

It would involve a bit of work to make the inference engine accept these parameters, and then even more to also expose it in the UI in a way that makes sense. Ans when done this could all be used as an excuse for not tuning the inference engine to work better. It’s better to start by tuning it.

Where this can get frustrating is by trying to trace over an imported dwg file for example, where that file is a little “off”. Trying to constrain new line geometry to where you want it that is always trying to inference the underlying lines is a pain. One would of thought by locking that underlying geometry might switch the inferencing off but it doesn’t. Inferencing is great when you want it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be an option for a user.