I don’t know if this “subject” is the correct one for my questions. Also, I’m asked to say hello, but, where do I write my salutation? I really don’t know where to go to ask questions-very basic things. Is there a tutorial or instructions I could read in how to communicate in this Forum? When working or practicing Sketchup I think that I’m working with Autocad and when I do an Autocad operation the operation does nothing I get puzzled and ask myself why is this happening - expecting it to work as Autocad. I guess that most of your users are architect, so, why not incorporate basic cad operations like trim and extend. I understand that Sketchup was developed not for Architects, but could an advance version can be used Autocaders?
There is a long-running thread where you could introduce yourself.
There’s a FAQ thing at the top but you seem to be doing pretty well so far.
SketchUp is not AutoCAD. Probably the best thing you can do for yourself is get past that. They work differently. You’ll just frustrate yourself trying to make SketchUp work like AutoCAD.
There are ways to do those sorts of things both with native tools (as has been described) and there are some extensins out there that can add functionality along these lines. Frankly, the only time I ever need to trim or extend lines is when I have to work with bad CAD files from other people. I don’t have any problem avoiding them when I am creating my own models in SketchUp. Usually when I get CAD files like that I just start over and model the thing myself because there are usually so many issues, it takes more time to fix the garbage than to start from the beginning.
Where can I find those applications? I’m sure interested. Like I said, I’ve been using Autocad for close to 50 years, so it is hard to forget Cad’s existence. But, let me know about those items or applications, I’m sure that will help me a lot- “If the mountain does not come to you, go to the mountain…”
I’m not a good practitioner of Sketchup, I think this is the third time using it. I’m doing an as-build of a locale of my son who is starting a new business and I want to help him with the layout and exterior elements.
Do you mean extensions? There’s s4u Connect available in the Extension Warehouse. There’s Trim/Extend available from Smustard.com.
If you are modeling in SketchUp and getting the overruns or gaps, you should be sorting out why you are getting them. Very likely you need to improve your workflow to avoid creating problems instead of leaving them to be fixed.
It would be a good idea to spend some time actually learning how to use it instead of trying to force it to work like an entirely different tool. Start here:
https://learn.sketchup.com/
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I sympathize. And I only had to use Autocad for a few years before switching to Sketchup.
It may already exist somewhere, but it would be very useful for someone who knows both AC and SU to compile a list of differences. I can address a few for you but it will just scratch the surface.
No. 1 is to understand that SU is a surface modeller and not a 2D drawing package.
Another is to think of what you call lines as edges of surfaces, even when SU cannot actually create a surface (which obviously needs at least 3 edges.
Yet another is to stop thinking about layers in the AC way. Thankfully, they are now called Tags.
A really, really important thing to bear in mind is the inherent “stickiness” of geometry in SU. You use Groups and Components to keep elements discrete. If you don’t get used to doing that early doors, you will enter a world of pain.
One nice thing about SU is how intuitive it is (mostly). But it’s a double edged sword because it gives the impression of something that any inexpert person can master quickly. Like anything worthwhile, it takes time. But you have this excellent resource full of very helpful and very experienced practitioners. You’ve already met one (not me, @DaveR).
You know, I get a lot of lines not reaching where I need it to because the cursor hides the place I want to use. Sometimes, even getting close to where I want to start or end a line, the cursor gets in the way and only after trying some time to hit the specific place I get it. How can you go to where you want?
Try this: Go to Window>Model Info>Units and turn off Length Snapping. (This should be turned off in your custom template when you make it.) Then you should see that the endpoint of an edge will naturally want to snap to an endpoint of an existing edge instead of snapping to a length interval like it probably is now.
I guess I don’t see the cursor ever covering an endpoint anyway.
Well DaveR, nice to meet you and I’m very grateful for your help. This is great, I get to know a new friend while writing in a word square. You are right, I need to get over my “relationship” with AC. You know, young people like you (perhaps you are) is kind of easy, but guys like me who just jumped the 80 years fence takes much concentration and more patience. But now that I have been in this side of the fence for half a year I know the need of being patient for anything I want.
Nice to meet you, too.
I’ve had a number of SketchUp students over the years who started with AutoCAD or some equivalent. Unlearnin’ 'em and breaking some of their habits (whether they were good or bad in ACAD) was the biggest hurdle. Once they got over it, they found SketchUp much easier to use and more intuitive.
You haven’t mentioned it, yet, but I expect it’ll come up so I’ll try to head it off. Layers. You’re used to separting stuff with layers. SketchUp doesn’t have layers in the same sense as ACAD and with the release of SU2020, the term was dropped and replaced with Tags. Tags are used primarily to control the visibility of objects (components, groups, text, and dimensions) in the model space. ALL edges and faces should be created and remain untagged. You make components or groups of collections of geometry (edges and faces) and assign them tags as appropriate. Unlike in AutoCAD, there is never any reason to chase the active tag/layer in SketchUp. Leave the pencil icon at Untagged and forget it. Much easier workflow and less chance of errors.
By the way, I’m not really that young. I crowding 60.
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Wow DaveR, you are something¡ Thank you very much with those sketches, they really explain what I don’t know. And thank you so much with turning off “Length Snapping”.
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I’m glad that helped.
At some point you should plan to make your own custom template to use in SketchUp. That way you won’t have to concern yourself with making the appropriate settings for things like Length Snapping every time you start a new model.
Hi Joegar, welcome. I’ve been using AutoCAD professional since 1996 and I use it and SU together almost everyday. As others have said they are TWO different tools but these can work together. Yes, it’s hard to “un-learn” but you can do it and once you “get-it” they work together quite well if that’s what you need them to do. I started using SU on v3 way back when so they can work together. Just look at SU as just another tool in your toolbox to get the job done 
Hello young fella! What do you mean to leave “pencil” untagged? Also, what is the “visibility” of objects?
Leave the pencil icon At untagged. See the far right edge of the Tags panel.
Visibility of objects is controlled by the eye icon on the left side of the Tags panel. Compare the above with the image below. In the second screen shot I’ve turned off the visibility of the door, drawers, and kumiko.
This allows you to control what you show in a given view of the model. For example you might model your son’s place completely including roof and furniture and so on. If you make the roof a group separate from the walls and assign it a tag (probably called ‘Roof’), you can turn off the visibility of the roof in Tags and see inside the building. You could also use this idea to show or not show the furniture inside or whatever objects you want to control that way.
As an addition to what @DaveR has just posted, take a look at the Outliner. You can turn off visibility of individual Groups and Components and raw geometry (ie. untagged items). When drafting, that can be even more useful than using Tags. Turn off a tag and all the Groups and Components in that tag gets turned off. You have more individual control in Outliner.
Thank you (DaveR, simoncbevans) so much for your interest in my ignorance (don’t know a better word to describe how much I have to learn). I appreciate very much that and to make me welcomed in this neighborhood. I have practiced a lot and I think I’m getting better.
I don’t know if not being able to print the “semicolon” or feet has to do with not preparing the drawing I’m working on. I changed the keyboard and this persist. Any idea?
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