Orientation of Standard Top View, and Axis Change?

Hi Folks,

What’s the best way to get SketchUp to reorient the Standard Camera Views, to a newly set axis point (with different rotation).

I often use the KB shortcuts to get back to a plan view (Standard View Top). . . and most of the time I see the Red Axis align along the horizontal plane (of my computer monitor).

However if I reset the SU Axis, with the RED AXIS set to say 10º, 20º, 30º, off default position… from that point going back to look at Standard Top View – I still see the original Top view orientation of the old red axis taking on the horizontal alignment,. . . whereas I’d like to see the new red axis in that alignment instead.


Essentially, I say all this because of the selection box orientation. It doesn’t change to follow along with the new axis rotation. and at some point it gets harder to select partial sections of the model when the model is angled off in one direction, and the selection box is in another.

If the Red Axis was in the horizontal plane of the top view, everything would have a common alignment, making selection a bit easier, at least for the orientation I setup.

Maybe there’s a setting I can toggle that switches between both behaviors…assuming the one I mention is even possible…??

Take Care,

Jim

I think you are looking at things the wrong way.
Rather then changing axes etc, use scenes to create the looks you want.
This is a simple two scene setup, one set with a white style and parallel projection for your plan.
And one in simple working mode.
You can make as many scenes as you want from whatever angle or style. It the best way to navigate to preset camera views.
So even if you only have one scene set, the plan scene, you can flip to that just by hitting the tab no matter where you are in the model. And with scene transition turned off it changes to it instantly without the animation. I left it in to show you what it is doing.

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Thanks for the reply, Box!

I’ll have to work your ideas into my working habits and see how things go. I do use scenes but usually as a pre-formatting method before going into Layout.

One problem I can see right now is that I’d prefer to have a keyboard shortcut for changing between views, and I didn’t think that a scene could have an assigned shortcut to them. But maybe they can?. . . I hope.

In any event, it was the convenience of having the kb shortcut which got me use to the Standard View options. I like to avoid using the mouse for menu navigation if I can.

I’ll report back on the results, but it will take a little bit of time before I get used to a different approach.


How do I attach a movie clip to these threads? If I can show a brief clip of what I’m up to that might help out here.

Take Care, and Thanks again,

Jim

Page up and page down will toggle between scenes.
There is an upload button here.

The Camera > Standard Views are inexorably tied to the inalterable world axes.

However, you can set the drawing axes any way you wish.
Then, you can align the camera to the blue axis with the view rotated such that red is horizontal onscreen.

Use the Axes tool.
• Set the red axis along the edge you wish to appear horizontal onscreen; blue pointing up as usual.
• Then, right context click on any axis > Align View

Result:
The camera moves to the blue axis pointing at the drawing axes origin.
And…
The camera rotates such that red is horizontal onscreen.

Like Box says, create a Scene to return to those camera/axes settings when needed.

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Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to quickly navigate scenes. (Turn scene transitions OFF)

Thank You, Both. . . You guys are Great!!

You set me up very nicely for the New Year. Hopefully I can keep the momentum heading in the right direction on my part.

Best Wishes,

Jim

This camera control extension occasionally comes in handy.
Rotate Plan View v1.1 by TIG

turn on all layers, select everything and rotate it to align the way you want. This will stay, unless you do it again.

When you turn your model orientation to the wold axes, then shadows will be wrong. So that is not a solution to the problem with standard view orientation

You can use the Solar North plugin to change the North angle and set it so the shadows run in the desired direction.

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Wow! It’s so GREAT. Thank you so much, Geo. you helped me really well in my work.