Wrap my head around Rotated Rectangle?

Would someone help me understand how to effectively use this tool? I’ve been banging my head over the course of several days trying to figure out what does what. I’m using Make 2015.

In this drawing nothing is aligned with the major axis’. I’d like to be able to use this tool without having to align axis.

I’ve read the manual, read Matt Donley’s instructions and watched the video, utilized trial and error, and searched the forum but still can’t get consistent, repeatable results. There are a number of things I’m still not getting.

For instance, clicking and dragging along the top edge of this rafter produces the first edge of the rectangle, but I don’t understand where my next movement should go to get a plane that is perpendicular to the face of the rafter. It seems that I get a choice of 3 different directions toward which to move the mouse (and use the VCB to enter angle and length,) each producing different results. I don’t seem to fully understand the process. I’d also like to understand how to use the modifier keys Shift and Alt, if that can help me move forward.

I created this rotated rectangle, which is what I’m trying to do, but if I try to repeat it I frequently fail. I have been able to easily use the tool to create a plane that is parallel with the ground and perpendicular to the face, but I’d really love to be able to use this great tool consistently. It would help a great deal in my modeling of roof framing geometry that is, how shall I say, challenging --at least to me.:slightly_smiling:

I’ve done a very small bit of roof framing. What worked for me is to draw one rafter using the global axis, then rotate it to the angle I need. Once I do that, I reset the axis of the rafter by: 1) Editing the rafter Group (or component) 2) Right click and choose “Align Axis”

Once I do this, I get some nice behaviors - but only when I’m editing the group!

  • New geometry withing the grouping uses the group axes, not the global axes.
  • Push/Pull works in relation to the group, not the global axes.

Not sure if this is a solution to your problem, but I hope it helps a bit!

Ahh, but that would be too easy.:slightly_smiling: I really want to use the rotated rectangle. But here’s a link to a technique I’ve started using. Simple Roof Design in Sketchup - YouTube

This idea is just perfect for modeling complex geometry. Just in case you might be interested. Thank you.

Does this help, I’m not sure where you are having the problem. ?

I just checked the same thing in 2015 and if you are doing this sort of thing a lot I would seriously recommend you upgrade to 2016, totally different.

Box, now what would you do to create a plane that is perpendicular (and along the blue axis) to the side face of this entity using the rotated rectangle tool?

Is the rotated rectangle tool different in 2016?

edit: I don’t mean along the blue axis, I guess just perpendicular and at 90* to the top edge…

The second one is 90/90. By following the magenta inference you get perpendicular and 90.

And yes, the RR tool doesn’t work so well in 2015,

The rotated rectangle tool is much more useful with the enhanced referencing in 2016. The pink/magenta lines in @box 's video are a result of the new referencing feature.

Thank you.

I’m sorry, that is a video? I’ve suspected for a long time that I’ve been missing something in the forum posts. How do I view the video? It only shows up as a picture on my web page. (I’ve been perusing the “duh” thread–perhaps this is one of those.):grin:

Oops! I meant .gif

His animated GIF shows rotated rectangle being used in 2016 with enhances referencing.

Aaron, I’m not seeing any animation either… a setting of my IE perhaps?

No idea! Sorry… I’m on a Mac, not sure how to get IE to show Animated Gifs… A quick web search suggests making sure that your IE is updated to the most recent version… :persevere:

Thanks Aaron. My browser should be updated–I’m set to automatic updates from Microsoft.

I’ve never been able to see animated Gifs on this forum. I didn’t know any better, but I had a feeling I wasn’t seeing what everyone else was commenting on.

Maybe someone else could clue me in on IE 11 settings to enable that function? In the mean time I’ll poke around on the web.

Well I found my problem. I had “Play animations in websites” turned off in IE advanced settings.

I will now download SU 2016 and work on the RR tool.

Thanks, Box, for your help!

Hi, I’ve been working through the George Maestri tutorial on Lynda. Have not had much trouble so far with Sketchup, and have enjoyed getting to know it.

Not now.

Have spent the last two hours trying to replicate the first minute of this tutorial on Rotated Rectangle. Can’t get it. At least not yet.

Good to know I’m not alone.

  • Joe