Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

[TSJHD1]

When I'm working in 2D, and draw a line that is not along one of the fixed axes, ie red, blue, green, then I want to draw a line perpendicular to that line, how do I do that? I have seen when SU will "snap" my line parallel to another line (I think I know how to make it do this, but it doesn't seem to work every time), and change the line's color to pink/purple, and tell me it's parallel. And I've seen it do the same thing, except that it's perpendicular, but I can't figure out exactly what I'm doing to make it give me the perpendicular line.

Is there a certain way I'm supposed to "hover" over some particular point to get it to "snap" me a pp (purple perpendicular) line? Or got a link you can send me to...maybe there's a tutorial that I missed that explains how to do this exact task?

Thanks,
Tom

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Tom,

Sometimes you need to "encourage" the inference. Start drawing your line segment and then hover over the edge you want to reference for two to three seconds . Using the on edge (red square) reference sometimes makes it easier because you are referencing the edge and not a specific point (end point, midpoint).



Both the parallel and perpendicular inferences will give a magenta line. Make sure the line has the correct label before your finish the line segment. Some times when you are working fast, and drawing a perpendicular line, you might not realize you are drawing a line parallel to another line in your drawing if the angles are very close.

Todd

[glennwarner]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

I can always get the purple indicator. Click on the point on the line, move cursor away and swing an arc until you see the purple indicator, then shift to lock the inference. If you can't get the purple, try orbiting the whole drawing to a different plane. Or switch to a different view.

Depending on the viewing plane you could get four purple indicators as you swing around the chosen point.

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Glenn,
If your line segments are connected, you will get inferences to the line you are connected to. If the lines are not connected you will have to "encourage" the inference to the line you are trying to reference.

Todd

[archmolding]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Your best off getting use to Inferencing by hovering or "Encouraging" like Todd is explaining. That will get you thinking like SU and is faster.

[TSJHD1]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Thanks for the replies guys. Everything you said, I have done, but without getting the perp. line I wanted. Here's what I'm finding out about Sketchup:

It has its bugs. I have found several. The perp line thing is one.

If I was to start a brand new drawing, with very few lines drawn, it will be quite willing to give me the perp line inference. Yes sometimes I have to rotate the view, so my frame of reference will be more on a different plane, but usually that gets it done.

But when I have lots of info on the page, it simply gets stubborn. And no matter what I did, I could not get it to give me the perp line I wanted. I was coming from the center-point of an arc, so maybe it has a bug that won't infer a perp line from an arc. I don't know.

Some other bugs I found:

I drew 2 lines the same length, from the same point, at about a 40 degree angle to each other. Then I drew a 3rd line, same length, that bisected the angle. Then I wanted a circle whose radius was the length of the lines. Started by placing the center of the circle at the intersection of the 3 lines, then extended the radius straight down the center line. Entered in the dimension of the radius I wanted (the line's length), then hit 'enter.'

What I got was a circle that did not pass through the end points of the outer lines. The dimension was off by about 1/4" on a line that was about 8' long. That should not happen at all. The circle should have crossed the end points of all 3 lines, exactly, especially since I entered the dimension, and all 3 lines were the same length, and all shared a common end-point (the center of the circle.)

So I have to conclude it's a flaw in the code.

Also had a problem when entering text next to a dimension. I placed the word 'radius' next to the dimension, but when I would zoom and rotate the drawing, the word 'radius' did not move with everything else. I thought it might have something to do with placing text outside a surface, so I added a circle temporarily, then tried placing the text in the circle. Now the text moved with the drawing, and continued to do so even when I erased the circle.

So between the problems getting it to infer a perp line, the inaccuracy with the circle, and the text issue, the program is quircky. But hey, it's free, and it does have a pretty quick learning curve.

Tom

[archmolding]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Well Ill let Todd answer the magenta inferencing issue. I assure you that although SU is a bit quirky at times. Its Not that Buggy! As with every program out there especially this type, there will be bugs that get fixed with every release. Google has really made an extreme effort to make this program perform efficiancy. Im sure what your experiencing has an answer. I used to feel the same way when things were not cooperating for me. However. Come to find out it was most issues were caused by Surfaces not being coplaner, or to much geometry not grouped properly together. Forcing SU to render it all as one surface etc. Post your SU file up for DL so we can look at it?

Anyways, here is the solution to your Text issue. There are 2 ways to Put text. If you want a logo or simular you use the 3D text tool. This text is a surface, and will only stay on the plane or axis you put it on.

The other way is with the "Text" Tool. That creates a pointer that you add text too. This one will rotate and follow the camera as it rotates or orbits around the screen.

See attached. Hope that helps.

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Wow, lots to cover here. A circle and an arc are considered one line segment, even though they are made up of different segments. You won't get perpendicular or parallel references from them, unless you select it and choose explode curve from the context menu. Then you can get an inference off the individual segments.



The problem with the lines "overshooting" the curve has to do with the fact that Sketchup defaults to a 24 sided circle. If you gave your circle 18 or 36 sides (something dividable by 18 since you have a 20 degree wedge 360/20=18) the arc wont "shortcut" the corner. type #s in the MTB to change the number of sides.



The dimension text can be edited by double clicking on the existing text. It defaults to align with the screen. You can change it to align with the dimension line by going to Model Info>Dimensions and selecting that option

[TSJHD1]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Post your SU file up for DL so we can look at it?

See attached. I fooled with the circle and got it close. I was trying to get the perp line to come off the center-point of the arc. Finally I just did some geometry on paper so I could locate the center-point. What I wanted to do was come perp from the arc at its center-point, the distance of the radius, minus the height of the arc. But as I said, I couldn't get the perp line to render.

Tom

Edit: I just realized I'm using the wrong term. I wanted the center-point of the radius to come from the chord I had drawn, but understand, it was simply a line I drew from 2 points on the plans where the circle was to be tangent. Iow, I had not yet drawn the circle when I was trying to get the perp line to come off the chord.

2nd edit: I just stripped the drawing back down to 2D, and I still can't get it to give me a perp line in the red/blue plane from the mid-point of the chord (measures 6' 1/8") I have drawn.

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Glad you got it fixed. If you hover over your arc or circle with the line tool you will get an inference to the center when you move close to it. There is also a ruby called point at center that will place a guide point there.

[TSJHD1]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Glad you got it fixed. If you hover over your arc or circle with the line tool you will get an inference to the center when you move close to it. There is also a ruby called point at center that will place a guide point there.

Still not getting it. Can you look at the drawing I just posted (added to my previous post) and see if you can do it?

Thanks,
Tom

[Woodtick]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Tom,
Here's a plugin that might help:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/view...6&hilit=plugin

It will create a perpendicular face for you that you can draw a line on, then delete the face.
You will have the option of square, circle, and custom shapes. It's not a plugin that I use often but it works great when you need it.

Hope this helps.
Rich

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Alright, see if this is what you were looking for. I'm not a framer so forgive me. The original had a lot on lines that were not coplaner, which may have caused some of the problems you were having.

Also, once you have drawn an arc you can change its radius by selecting it, right clicking on it, and then going to entity info. There you can re enter your radius.

[toddmurdoc]

Re: Sketchup-Drawing Perpendicular Lines

Tom,

Sorry, I guess I missed that you sent a 2-D drawing as well. After I looked at it, I know what the problem is you were having with your perpendicular inference. Since it was not drawn in a plan view, SketchUp has no plane of reference for the line you are drawing. You can give it one by creating a face to draw on.