# Restoring original model Axes **URL:** \ **Category:** Pro\ **Tags:** sketchup\ **Created:** [May 26, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812 "2021-05-26T00:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/1 "2021-05-26T00:07:49Z")
I created a complex model with components and groups using the same axes. Afterwards, I geolocated the model and rotated the axes of the model to match true north. Now, all my component are not parallel/square to new axes and it is a constant headache to edit and work with them. I do not know exactly how much I rotated the model to true north, but I want to get back to the original axes. How is this done? ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/2 "2021-05-26T00:09:20Z")
You can put the axes back to their default orientation by right clicking on one of them and choose Reset. Normally when you add geolocation the green axis points north. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:23am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/3 "2021-05-26T00:23:19Z")
When I right click the axes, “reset” in the menu is grayed out. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:23am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/4 "2021-05-26T00:23:53Z")
Then the model axes _are_ in their default location. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:24am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/5 "2021-05-26T00:24:48Z")
Is there a way to know at what angle an element is to the axes? ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/6 "2021-05-26T00:28:51Z")
If you open the group or component you can see its own axes. Whether they align with any geometry in the object depends on how you made them. You could use the Protractor tool to measure the angle between the geometry in the object and an axis line. ![angle](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/f/6/f6011dac785f5770d31d39eca0bf628636a5ba4b.gif) ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/7 "2021-05-26T00:33:09Z")
Thank you. I’ll see if I can give that a try. I don’t know what set this axes as the default. I know I originally took all the elements of the model and made them a group and then rotated them to the new axes indicated by the geolocation. I tried to take the same group and align the axes to it but it didn’t work. Thanks for the illustration… I’ll give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/8 "2021-05-26T00:47:21Z")
Everything seems to work except I don’t get a measurement readout. I’m still learning, but how do I turn on the measurement box? I looked in “trays” for a measurement option but didn’t see one. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/9 "2021-05-26T00:50:47Z")
By default the Measurements window is in the lower right corner. It’s can be moved by selecting it in View\>Toolbars. I only moved it so I could get it closer to the action so you could see it. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:55am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/10 "2021-05-26T00:55:04Z")
Thanks. I see it now. I swear it wasn’t there before?? Can I assume that if I rotate the group that contains the whole model to this new angle that the axes will adjust in all the separate components and groups? Thanks for your patience. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 12:59am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/11 "2021-05-26T00:59:50Z")
> [@David44](#): > > I swear it wasn’t there before?? 🙂 My son said that about the stop sign he ran the other day. > [@David44](#): > > Can I assume that if I rotate the group that contains the whole model to this new angle that the axes will adjust in all the separate components and groups? The group and component axes will retain their orientation relative to the geometry inside. If you rotate the groups and components the axes will rotate along with them. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/12 "2021-05-26T01:05:54Z")
If I understand you correctly, the answer is no… turning the whole model will turn the axes too. Then, how did I manage to turn them all off their original parallel axes just by aligning the complete model group to the geolocation north. That does not seem consistent. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:09am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/13 "2021-05-26T01:09:35Z")
I am not questioning your expertise… I just don’t understand how I got to where I am and can’t a similar, one step act, to do the same thing again to correct it. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/14 "2021-05-26T01:23:19Z")
Rotating a group will rotate the group’s axes, too. It won’t rotate the model axes, though. I don’t know exactly how you’ve gotten your model to where it is. Maybe at some point you moved the model axes before creating the groups and components. When you create an object (group or component) the object’s axes will be aligned with the current model axis orientation. Of course if you rotate the object after creating it, then it’s axes will be rotated relative to the model axes. It’s not unheard of for new users to unwittingly move or rotate the model axes a little and not know or understand the implications. I guess without seeing the model I can’t really give you specific guidance for fixing the model. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/15 "2021-05-26T01:30:31Z")
Thank you again for your patience. I know I created most of my components before I rotated the whole model. It just seems strange that each component and group are off their axes the same amount. I would share the model with you for your insight, but I don’t want to post it for everyone to see. I don’t know if that is possible. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/16 "2021-05-26T01:43:07Z")
You can share it via a PM by clicking on my name and then “Message”. Likely the file is too large to upload directly but you could upload it to Drop Box and share the link. ---
**Author:** ![David44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@David44](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/David44)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/17 "2021-05-26T01:45:12Z")
Thank you. I will try that in the morning. My wife has called me to dinner and she has plans for the evening so I can’t do it right now. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/18 "2021-05-26T01:45:58Z")
Good enough. It’s getting late for me, too. ---
**Author:** ![kristikautz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/kristikautz/32/141095_2.png) [@kristikautz](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/kristikautz)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 11:50pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/19 "2022-03-31T23:50:39Z")
Did you ever figure this out? I’m having the same issue ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/restoring-original-model-axes/165812/20 "2022-03-31T23:53:19Z")
The OP never came back to report. If you share your .skp file I’ll take a look and see if I can help.