Learning Sketchup from ground up on iPad?

[riley.james]

I have an iPad Pro 12.9 M2 (latest model), and have been trying to learn Sketchup from the Sketchup skillbuilder videos. I went through the square one videos. However, I seem to always run into an issue that I get hung up on. I’m not sure if Sketchup for iPad is limited in its capability, if its buried deeper than in the desktop version the tutorials are shown using, or if I’m just dense. Latest issue re: groups/eraser. I’m following the “Modeling a truss hanger at THREE levels of detail” Live Model video Modeling a truss hanger at THREE levels of detail - YouTube

When I get to the part at 32:30, he’s modeling the nailing tab. There Aaron takes the two groups that form this nailing tab (I /think they’re already groups of their own at this point), and selects them both and forms /them into a group, immediately explodes them, and proceeds to erase some extraneous geometry. However, whenever I try erasing anything here, the entire nailing tab is erased.

Another issue that also could be my ignorance, but seeing as most users aren’t using Sketchup on iPad as their primary source, I thought I would ask, is on the skill builder video - drawing a bottle cap. Drawing a Bottle Cap - Skill Builder - YouTube

My problem in this video is around the 5:30 mark. After I add the 2 additional lines to right side of the [convex top shape?], Aaron rotates the 3 segments created by the 2 additional lines, across the middle of shape itself. He does this at 5:57. Where he is using the rotate tool, but when he makes the first click, he drags it across the middle axis of the shape itself. Whenever I try this, there appears to be no way to rotate on anything other than the cardinal axes themselves, or a singular point. Now while I am using Sketchup on the iPad, I do have a apple pencil, Magic Mouse, magic track pad, and keyboard - so while I am not sure, I would think I have most the capabilities of the desktop version. Hence my question.

If anyone has any suggestions to either of these problems. Or if I’d be better off with more of structured step by step course, paid or not, for learning from the ground up, any advice would be appreciated.

[DaveR]

@riley.james

However, whenever I try erasing anything here, the entire nailing tab is erased.

Sounds like you first need to open the group for editing so you can access the edges that need erasing.

@riley.james

Where he is using the rotate tool, but when he makes the first click, he drags it across the middle axis of the shape itself.

I haven’t seen the video yet but I expect he’s holding the left mouse button while dragging to get the Rotate tool oriented correctly. You should be able to do the same.

@riley.james

Or if I’d be better off with more of structured step by step course, paid or not, for learning from the ground up, any advice would be appreciated.

It wouldn’t hurt to have a look at the tutorials at learn.sketchup.com It might be that you would also benefit from learning to use SketchUp on a computer. I think it’s easier to translate over to the iPad if you have that background and you’ll find many more tutorials dirrected at SketchUp on PC or on Mac.

[tweenulzeven]

@riley.james

Where he is using the rotate tool, but when he makes the first click, he drags it across the middle axis of the shape itself

My guess is he’s using the rotate function of the move tool…

[RTCool]

@riley.james

However, whenever I try erasing anything here, the entire nailing tab is erased.

It’s not totally exploded then, i.e. it’s still in a group. Either you had a group nested inside a group, or you didn’t succeed at exploding the group. A good tool for debugging what’s going on in a model with groups and components particularly when there’s lots of nesting is the Outliner palette. The iPad has so little screen space, you probably don’t want to leave it out all the time.

@riley.james

Where he is using the rotate tool, but when he makes the first click, he drags it across the middle axis of the shape itself.

He’s using click-and-drag to define the axis of rotation which is something other than simply red, green or blue axis. Should work the same on iPad.

[MikeWayzovski]

In the setttings, one can set it to click-move-click instead of just-draw, then, after placing the protracor pressing the pencil should be able to set a different axe then the regular ones.

[riley.james]

@DaveR

@riley.james

However, whenever I try erasing anything here, the entire nailing tab is erased.

Sounds like you first need to open the group for editing so you can access the edges that need erasing.

I triple clicked it, so it has the dotted black lines around it with everything outside of this grayed out. Still deleting the entire tab.

@DaveR

@riley.james

Where he is using the rotate tool, but when he makes the first click, he drags it across the middle axis of the shape itself.

I haven’t seen the video yet but I expect he’s holding the left mouse button while dragging to get the Rotate tool oriented correctly. You should be able to do the same.

Yeh I have been trying any and every which way whilst holding the mouse button down, dragging the pencil, click drag on the track pad, no luck.

@DaveR

@riley.james

Or if I’d be better off with more of structured step by step course, paid or not, for learning from the ground up, any advice would be appreciated.

It wouldn’t hurt to have a look at the tutorials at learn.sketchup.com It might be that you would also benefit from learning to use SketchUp on a computer. I think it’s easier to translate over to the iPad if you have that background and you’ll find many more tutorials dirrected at SketchUp on PC or on Mac.

THIS is what I was looking for. I swore I saw this course years ago, before I purchased it, totally forgot about it. This is exactly what I need, and I imagine will help me understand how Sketchup operates. Forget even trying to solve my prior issues, I will go through all these. Thanks.

[DaveR]

@riley.james

I triple clicked it, so it has the dotted black lines around it with everything outside of this grayed out. Still deleting the entire tab.

Not sure what you mean by “tab” but based on that description, you would have opened the component AND selected all of the connected geometry. Triple click does that when opening a component or group for editing. If all of the geometry is selected and you click on it with the Eraser tool, the entire selection will be erased. Double click would only open the component for editing but not select any geometry inside. Then you can use the Eraser tool selectively.

[TheOnlyAaron]

It is also possible that there is a group inside the group… so when you double click to enter the group, you might be wearing another group that is inside. Without sharing the model or a screen recording, it’s kind of a guess.

[riley.james]

This is the case. I’ve abandoned this issue for time being, as I’m going through the learn.Sketchup fundamentals course now. But my nailing tab was indeed two individual groups that I then grouped as one.