Hello,
I’m creating architectural plans in Layout from a Sketchup model. I am having trouble with the dimensions not snapping to model points that I want. Sometimes, there are wall corners that dimensions won’t even have the ability to snap to. Other times, it will snap to the wall corners, but the dimension measurement is the measurement of the actual paper distance, not the model distance.
Can anyone help me with this?
Might be able to help if we could see your LO file and what you are working with.
On the page Foundation Plan, lower right hand corner. I’m trying to add a dimension for the total length of the wall that has a note saying 7’ x 10" Frost Wall. When I try to dimension it, it’s showing 3"
Something like this?
LayOut won’t dimension to section cut lines because they aren’t “real” edges like those you draw in the model. There are a couple of options for dealing with that, though. Either turn off the section plane temporarily and update the scene, add the dimensions, and then turn the section plane back on, update the scene and style again and update the reference (which is what I did) or you could use a Group From Slice and dimension to that. The downside of this second option is that the dimensions aren’t linked to the foundation, they are linked to a different group. If you have some reason to modify the foundation walls, you must remember to modify the group from slice, too, or the dimensions won’t be correct.
By the way, I notice you have the scene modified in LayOut. This is not good practice because it breaks the link from the scene in SketchUp. It’s best to avoid doing anything in LayOut that makes the scenes show as modified.
In SketchUp I see you are not using layers correctly. All raw geometry (edges and faces should have the Layer 0 tag. Only groups and components should get other layer tags.
By the way, a boat barn? I want a boat barn, too.
FWIW, if you don’t want everyone to have the name and address of the client and you, you might want to edit your post and remove the LO file.
Thanks for the help Dave! I’m just getting into building larger structures like this (used to building custom woodworking, and now taking that level of craftsmanship to fine buildings). That required me to take my Sketchup skills to an architecture level. I’m self taught with Sketchup, and it’s been a long process, but I appreciate the tips! That will save me a lot of time in the future. Is there a good source you could direct me to to learn more about how to use Sketchup and Layout “correctly” and more efficiently for building plans?
Happy to build you a boat barn for your assistance 
Do you have any boats?!
Check out books by Nick Sonder and Matt Donley. Easy search on the Goog.
I have boats. Not as many as I did but there’s a few.
Great to hear that suggestion. I was looking at their books. Was hesitating a little because they seem to be based on Sketchup 2016 and prior, but I think I’ll run with your recommendation!
The basics haven’t changed. There are a few additional features when you get into the new versions.
While we’re at it, is there any way to privately message a user on this forum? Namely, you 
Click on my name and then Message. Or, in this case, click on your H in the green circle in the upper right corner and reply to the message I sent you.
Is there a simple or easy way to take all of that basic geometry and put it onto Layer0?
You can open the groups/components with a triple click of the Select tool and change the layer setting in Entity Info. Or TIG created an extension that can iterate through your model and do it for you. You can get it here: SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation
This topic was automatically closed 183 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
