Still not getting cardinal points

SketchUp
21

This is what I have never understood… Thats fine in a 2D world when the axis are visible… But how do you know if the face has no axis marks?

How can you tell where the 4 points of the compass are, if you have a circle floating in space, but alligned to the axis?

I like the idea that the select dissappears when you are over the Cardinal point, but if there is another way I would like to learn.

How can I tell which of these 2 points is on axis, and therefore the Cardinal point, other than the fact the circle is blue or blakc

image

image

22

When you create them make sure you pull along an axis so the line is a colour and not black, black being a random angle.
By always creating on axis you can match your circles up and find the cardinals.

On axis 01

1 Like
23

Yes… i do that now out of habbit… I am pretty sure all my drawings are “On axis” (other than the odd time, I make a mistake)

But my question is how you find the Cardinal points if you can’t see the axis… Is the only clue that the circle goes black rather than blue?

24

yes .

25

Thanks… I understand now… Cheers.

26

You can also use a standard view that allows the circle to show flat. For example, if the circle lays on the red-green plane (ground plane), choosing a Top View automatically set the red axis horizontally on the screen and the green axis vertically. Even if the axes do not show because your circle is far from them, thee red and green directions will be as described. Then it is easy to check if the circle is oriented correctly.

27

I do this all the time. Also works with arcs that are “created” by such extensions as “Round Corner”. Caveat “FollowMe” changes all kinds of things at tangent points making restoring circles/arcs darned near impossible.