Object Snap Tracking - does this feature exist in SketchUp?

SketchUp
1

I am new to SketchUp and have searched on this, but haven’t found an answer. I find Object Snap Tracking in AutoCAD to be incredibly useful, and was wondering if a similar feature exists in SketchUp.

Thanks for you help.

2

SketchUp has an inference engine which let tools snap to various part of the model. It it always working and not something you can toggle on or off.

http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/70140

3

Inferencing in SU is a system of dynamic guidelines and object snaps. As Thom Thom said, you can’t turn it off–it’s like gravity in that regard–but some forms of inferencing are rather bashful, so that not only do you not trip over them all the time, they need to be “encouraged” to make an appearance at all, generally by hovering. One of these is called From Point inferencing, whereby you can extend a dynamic guideline from a point along an axis if you hover over the point first (or as I like to think of it, let the mouse sniff the point). In fact, you can even create two perpendicular From Point inferences simultaneously and snap to their intersection.

Here are some examples of From Point inferencing:

-Gully

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4

yes, its exist in Sketcup.

6

Thanks. Can you tell me what the feature is called, and explain how you use it?

Thanks,

Steve

7

Thanks Gully. This is a little different. In AutoCAD, you can hover over a snap point and then start to move your mouse along an axis. You can then enter a dimension and it will take you directly to that point on the axis. You can draw a perpendicular line from there. It is very quick and easy without using guidelines. That’s the feature that I’m looking for.

Steve

8

You can simply use a temporary edge to the same effect. Starting from any point, you can easily construct an edge of a specified length along any axis. The new endpoint of that edge is the point you’re looking for. When you’re done with temporary geometry, simply delete it.

You’d probably be wise to become familiar with SU’s ways of doing things and take it more or less on its own terms. If you frame your questions by asking how to achieve a specific objective rather than asking for an equivalent to an ACAD command, you’ll probably get to an answer faster and more directly

-Gully

9

You can use a temporary line, or use the tape measure tool to construct guidelines and tick marks. You can toggle guidelines on and off by pressing Ctrl, and if you enter a specific measurement, it will make a tick mark at that location. I’m familiar with what you are specifically referring to in AutoCAD, and I don’t think there is a Sketchup equivalent: you always have to end up erasing your guide lines or measurements. However…you could put them on a separate layer and toggle the visibility of the guide lines. What I like about tick marks made with the tape measure tool as opposed to drawing a line as a guide is that you can see the tick mark whereas you have to rely on the object snap icon with a line (the endpoint of a line for instance can be hidden if drawn on top of another line…)

10

Hey gully, I’m having issues with snap tracking as well. I understand the on point referencing, but some objects just don’t track for some reason, as if they’re suck to a plane or something. Others do perfectly well of course. Any help?

11

Without specific example(s) from your side this is difficult to answer. Where / with what objects do you have problems when finding inference and snap locations?

12

Try, Right Click, Unglue.

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13

Oh yes, those sneaky sucking planes,… they’re almost as bad as quicksand. :wink: