I’m modeling an old home in Europe for a remodel and walls are rarely square. Although the help available for SketchUp is generally great, there is very little on how to deal with all the headaches that come with walls that are not square.
This video is great because Aaron gives tips on how to deal with similar problems. But even here, I find that the solutions he proposes do not always work. For example, at about 7 minutes he says, "If there’s ever a situation where… the wall actually does get bigger, you can push it all the way through, intersect it and then trim off the excess”
But (as I show in the screen capture below) the option to “intersect with selection” does not work as it does at 6:41 in his video.
You can see that I did come up with a solution in this case, but that doesn’t always happen – and a lot of time is wasted. Any more tips on how to deal with unsquare geometry would be appreciated.
You need to share the model, not a link to the model, so we can interact with it.
Use the Download option to save a .skp to you computer and then upload that into a reply.
When you have off axis/non parallel faces you can tap ctrl to make the pushpull continue through the face.
Then you can intersect the faces to cut through.
Here’s a little demo to sort of exaggerate the issue.
When the shape is wholly within the faces it will easily push through, but if it hits an edge it will stop, and ctrl will let it continue through.
@Box After trying (and failing) to reproduce what you were suggesting, I eventually found out that it is the option key that functions as you say the control key does. I’m using a Mac (M3 MacAir) and it is usually the command key that functions as the control key does in Windows. The hint that appears when the push/pull tool is activated says that command will toggle stretch mode while option will toggle create new starting face. I’m guessing that means when an angled surface is encountered the tool will ignore that face and instead keep using the one it’s been using up to that point.
Anyway, much thanks for the lesson. With all the odd surfaces in my remodel project this new tool will come in very handy.
To be fair, you’ve been around for a bit and I figured you would already know that there is a difference at least enough that I didn’t need to go and work it out. I have never used a Mac in English, so my understanding of what key does what on what keyboard is rather specific. I keep enough c rap in my head that I don’t have space for what win key is a mac key.
If you would prefer I’ll not answer questions that may have a vague mac possibility in future.
@Box, you’re right – I do know about the usual differences between Windows/Mac. And I think it’s great that you provide such excellent help regardless of what platform.
But despite all my years experience with Macs/Windows and even SketchUp, I still got confused because the usual difference pattern (that Control on Windows corresponds to Command on Mac) doesn’t seem to be followed in this case.
So I included my exact experience to help others - not to complain. The quick reference that Guido provided doesn’t even mention Command (even though it clearly has a function, as I mentioned above), but instead suggests Option is used instead of Control this case (Option usually corresponds to Alt on Windows).
The other thing that makes it confusing for a user unfamiliar with this aspect of Push/Pull is the description of what the Option key does: “toggle create new starting face”. I see now that is perfectly accurate. But that’s only because I’ve been studying it for a while now. It would be pretty hard for a user to connect that description with what’s desired in this case. Much clearer would be “toggles push/pull tool ability to break through all surfaces regardless of their angle” But no one consults me about such things.
The basic use for this option is, Create new starting face. A very useful tool. A side issue is it allows you to blow through an edge.
The truth is both are relevant but how much info can you shove into a status bar or tool tip.
Finding and learning info for your specific application is key.
It’s actually getting worse as the years go by, there are now at least four versions that we should be specific about.
As a user who just helps I try to give simple general answers that work for all, and highly specific when asked.
There are different conventions. Ctrl is used to trigger menu items, and to toggle the selection of one item in a list, and so is Command. But, Ctrl is also used to make a copy of something, and on Mac that is usually Option. So, when Windows is using Ctrl as a way to copy something, the Mac equivalent is Option. If Ctrl is being used to trigger something, on Mac it would be Command.
I won’t try to come up with a reason that the paint bucket sample tool is triggered by Alt on Windows and Command on Mac.
