Hi I could do with some guidance I have a series of truss components that I would like to create a structure like a 6 legged table.
I have found all the components but have trouble aligning them with each other, can someone give me some tips and pointers on how this is achieved easily.
Was too big to install
thanks in advance
Alignment is performed much like any other positioning operation: you use the Move tool guided and constrained by inferencing. So your question is not really as narrow as “how do I align things?” It’s really more a question of “how do I position things?”
Inferencing is SU’s system of object snaps and dynamic guidelines. To align two objects, you would grab Object A by a specific point, move along an axis, using inferencing, until inferencing stops the move when the point aligns with a target point.
So, really, it’s time for a concentrated effort to get the hang of inferencing. So start here–Introducing Drawing Basics and Concepts–and read and view everything on inferencing you can get your hands on.
If you provide more detailed information about the specific alignments you are trying to achieve, we could show you specifically how to go about it, but you would certainly benefit more from an intensive study of the available inferencing instructional resources.
-Gully
Hi Gully
Thanks for the reply, I shared a link to a dropbox folder with a sip inside.
My main problem is getting thing to rotate effectively so I can align them up, when I try to rotate the truss or the corners I can’t get them to align properly.
Im trying to construct something like a 6 legged table in the truss, but if you see the linked sip I’m having trouble getting the truss to snap to each other.
Thanks Again.
skp not sip
Spell checker grrrrr
You’ve made yourself a bit of a nightmare in that file. You should use component from the browser with their insert points set at a suitable point so they fit together.
But having said that, here you see I use the move tool to position things. Click and release on a specific point and the object is stuck to the cursor. Move around until you can click and release to place it where it needs to be.
Note that you can orbit, zoom and pan withe the middle mouse button while you have the object attached to the cursor.
Before you ask, I used soften smooth dialog to get rid of all the extra edges.
Thanks Box
You certainly have made it look easy. Im going to try messing around with it and will come back to you.
My main problem is rotating the components slightly so they align. I have just found the flip one which is really useful for 180 degree flips but it the small rotates that are causing the problems.
I will let you know
Thanks
You’ve still given very little information about your problem. It would have been helpful if you had mentioned before that your problem has to do with angular rotation. It’s not clear how your trusses came to be rotated slightly off axis in the first place, but to rotate them back, clearly you need to use the Rotate tool. And you must still depend on inferencing to hit your mark exactly.
Rotating a few degrees is really no different from rotating larger angles. You must first select the object to be rotated, then set the axis, set the start angle, and set the finish angle.
Here’s a simple example:
-Gully
Thanks Gully
I suppose my problem is because they are round its hard to find a common point. I will keep playing around with them, Im sure once i get them all 90 degrees to each other it will be easy to flip them as desired.
90deg is easy, just use the rotate handles with the move tool. Move to 0,90,180, etc
Sorry Just a quick one hopefully, When I select the component I get the box around the outside, is there a setting that will allow me to rotate using these points. rather than trying to select one on the actual component.
Thanks
Look at my gif above, the move tool gives you the red crosses that allow you to rotate relative to the bounding box.
No, they are polygons, with points at the vertices. Lots of candidate alignment points.
-Gully
If the components are made well so that they align properly with their bounding box, you just need to click and release one of the handles on a suitable side to grab it, get the rotation going then type the number of degrees you want it to rotate to, and hit enter.
Hi Box
Thanks for your help. What do I need to do to turn on the red + symbols ?
Thanks Again
They appear when you hover over any selected object when using the Move tool. Move tool not the Rotate tool.
Just a pic to show you. I only used the select and move tool to position these. Didn’t touch the rotate tool.
Just grab the handles and rotate them so the blue box aligns with the axis. Then grab them from a point and snap them to a corresponding point. Start with a corner and work your way around. From what i have seen they appear to align ok. The last corner fit perfectly.
If the structure is the same top and bottom or left to right, you can always just make half and copy and flip to make the second half.
You are right how hard to find common points because all sides of the triangles have different lenght an angles.
Only the centerpoints are good for turning.
Guidelines will help to find the one and only axle for turning.
Seems not to be constructed by Sketchup ! The upper disk I have made with SketchUp to show the difference:
Some of the discs belong to components.
If You change one - all will be changed.
Hi box. Sorry not on PC on phone. That’s exactly what I wanted to do. Will have to practise more.
Hi Miller no it wasn’t drawn in SU I imported some dwg files. I will try again when I get back.
Box
Out of interest how big was the skp file of the truss you arranged. I’m just trying to see if my file size is too big. I have nearly all of the components on the screen
But the size is nearly 10mb. Does this sound right or do I need to tweet the components.
Thsnks
