Sketch Up continues to frustrate me more than help

[jgowrie]

Some of the UI elements and the way things interact with my mouse movements feels like I am fighting the software to do something extremely simple.

For instance, I was attempting to make a simple dimensional notation on a built in cabinet. I click the point at the top and start dragging downward, never straying from the edge and at the last moment the line jumps to another edge.

Trying to place a component on a face… it seems to me a super simple way to not frustrate the ■■■■ out of someone would be to allow them to first click the face, then select the component and bam, just put the component on that face and lock it there allowing the user to then move it about.

I am sure there are solutions to fix all this. The problem is Sketchup is incredibly easy to get started with giving one the illusion you can basically hunt/peck your way through and figure things out… that is until you run into some of these very odd UI behaviors that don’t feel like they make any sense in the real world.

Another thing, Where is the SHARE button on a model I create in SketchupFree so I can show a client? It doesn’t seem to be anywhere one would obviously be searching. A cloud based service seems like the SHARE feature would be something one could easily find.

Sorry, I just really felt compelled to express my frustration. Just ignore me - I only uses Sketchup on rare occasions since it starts off extremely easy to build a 3D visual… but always remember towards the end of building a model why I don’t come back for months on end to try again.

[DaveR]

Maybe you need to spend some time on this page.
https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000326

@jgowrie

For instance, I was attempting to make a simple dimensional notation on a built in cabinet. I click the point at the top and start dragging downward, never straying from the edge and at the last moment the line jumps to another edge.

Most likely all you need to do is change the camera position or zoom in to accurately set the second point for the dimension.

Placing components can be easier than you are making it.select the component and move the cursor to the face where you want to put it and click. when you grab the component from the Components window, you will have hold of it by its origin which is also the insertion point. If you don’t like the location of the insertion point, you can move.

@jgowrie

Where is the SHARE button on a model I create in SketchupFree so I can show a client?

You can upload the file to the 3D Warehouse or to Trimble Connect and provide someone else with the link. Click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner of the window and you’ll see both of those options.

@jgowrie

so I can show a client?

This implies you are using SketchUp commercially so you need to be using SketchUp Pro. See: https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000315 especially the bottom of the page.

SketchUp Pro would give you more options for dealing with components and better dimensioning options.