SketchUp , where to start ?

[simuk]

Ctrl+Z hit that key combination a few times

[jfc]

How does a live demo work then ? I'm having trouble buying a download so go slow

[jfc]

Ok on a serious note but very basic ive worked out how to make a box into a wardrobe shape with dimensions .
Marks link at the top of the thread helped with this .
I think ive pretty much sussed how to duplicate that shape across so i have four or five or ten of them but yet to try it . Back to Marks link for that .
I can do the spinny around thing
So assuming i can get the wardrobes as i want them then how do i put doors on them ?

[promhandicam]

So assuming i can get the wardrobes as i want them then how do i put doors on them ?

Hinges mate - assuming you want them to open that is

[jfc]

Opening doors is extra !

[promhandicam]

like handles! At least I think I've worked out how to add handles onto my SU drawings now - although it nearly cost me a new monitor

[jfc]

Dont worry about handles , no one like them anyway I need doors first !

[daver]

Don't you guys ever sleep?

Jason, the live thing will involve me setting up an online screen sharing session. It'll almost be like you're here looking over my shoulder without a trip through customs.

I am going to bed shortly so if you need something in the meantime, look at the video links here and here.

And for Promhandicam, you should look at this.

[jfc]

I had another play today and after the vids and Daves download found it quite easy to mock up some wardrobes that turned a corner , had raised and fielded panel doors a dresser area with draws and fillets . I messed up a bit by making the doors part of the box and not a seperate thing and also found that each box needs to be it own thing to work on . If you try and make a double unit and then add two doors it all gets confusing when doing the panels on the doors .
Im sure there are short cuts to do all this alot faster but for three hours use on sketch up i am very happy with what i have produced and would be happy to show it to a customer .

[nickw]

Well done that man! [Insert clappy emoticon here]

[promhandicam]

. . . and would be happy to show it to a customer .

. . . but not to us apparently Go on Jase - show us how your colouring in is improving!

[jfc]

I just binned it and will do it again tomorrow but learning from my mistakes .
I would like to know how to render it just to see where i f**ked up and why things happen but im cool with just pissing about for now if thats a step too far .
If i can work out how to save it and post on here i will . I think i can do what i did in three hours over the last few days in half an hour now and more practice will give a customer an idea on site with a lap top within ten minutes .
Ok its just a line drawing but if you could take a picture of the area on your phone and then put your drawing into that picture . How cool would that be ! Its the future baby Yeah !

[daver]

It does take a little practice but you'll get it.

If you want to share what you're drawing, set up a view that shows what you want to show and go to File>Export.2D Graphic. Give the file a name and save it. Then you can post the image here in the convential way.

As to your suggestion of putting your drawing into a photo, you can do that. Let's learn to walk before we try to run, though. You'll just wind up with skinned knees and you'll be in a bad mood.

[hammertime]

Makes me wonder if there's a Sketchup viewer for Android? I had a look a while ago with no success. Thing that made me stick with it was thinking a customer might do there own amazing sketchup drawing and ask me why I couldn't. Stick up some pics

[daver]

I don't think there is an Android viewer yet but I wouldn't be surprised to see something when the next version of SketchUp comes out in a few months.

[jfc]

A quick question about components . I take it you make something a component so you can use it again ? So rather than drawing ten units side by side you can just click on the component ten times ?
Ive made a unit a component and cant find it

[daver]

One of the reasons for making something into a component is so it can be reused.

Did you have attached geometry that wasn't selected when you made the component? If so you'll need to tick the box for Replace selection with component or the component won't be placed where the selection was. If you go to Window>Components and click on the little house icon there, you'll see the component is there. Clicking on it will bring allow you to bring it into the model.

[jfc]

If you go to Window>Components and click on the little house icon there, you'll see the component is there.

Ahhhhhh How did it get in there

[daver]

They all go there when you make them whether or not they show in the drawing space.

Get in the habit of making one thing a component before you move on to draw the next part. It'll save you all kinds of headaches later.

[hammertime]

I never knew thats where all the components were kept. Thanks Dave

[daver]

I never knew thats where all the components were kept. Thanks Dave

You're welcome. See this old thing, too.

[jfc]

Do you need to save anything after each session if you have been making compoments ?

I bet you wish you never popped your head in now

[daver]

What do you mean? You should save the SketchUp file you've been working on if you want it for later. You can save the components individually if you wish but if you don't save the file you've been working on, you'll have a bunch of components saved somewhere but they won't be assembled into a whatever it is you're drawing.

"I bet you wish you never popped your head in now."

Not yet but I bet someone else is.

[jfc]

I spent this evening making components for a basic wardrobe . I tripped up on thinking that making them on the red plane would be the same on the green plane so had to make two handed components for each plane . Is that correct or am i doing something wrong ?
Anyway , its very basic but this and variations of it can now be knocked up in no time at all so im happy

[daver]

Looks pretty good for a start.

The blue faces in the opening are reversed and I'd get rid of the endpoints and extensions if I were you.

I'n not quite sure what you mean by making them on the red plane or the green plane. It takes two axes to define a plane. The red/green plane is on the ground plane. Solid blue is up. North, when it matters, is up the solid green axis. The standard front view is looking north so if you want the standard front view to mean anything in your drawing, the front of your project would be parallel to the red axis. You're model doesn't really have just one front. I'd be inclined to put the right side of it parallel to the red axis and the left side parallel to the green.

[jfc]

Maybe i got my wording wrong . If i make a unit 500x600 on the red line and save as a component when i go to use the unit on the green line it is 600x500 . The same as if i make a door for the red line , if i try to use it on the green line it isnt flat to the units . I cant seem to spin components around .

[nickw]

Take a look at the rotate tool.

[jrm]

Jason, if you have dragged a door into the drawing as a component, you have a 'move' tool active. If you hover this over one of the planes (in this case the top of the door), you will find some red + symbols. Click on one and it becomes a rotate tool and you just drag it round to 90 degrees in whichever direction. As Nick says, you can do this at any stage with the rotate tool while a component is highlighted.

John

[jfc]

I wondered what they where , i thought it was my eyes

[daver]

Both ways work and you should get familiar with both tools. You'll need them, a lot.

I was going to add what John did but I made a little short video to show it before I go off to my day job. It picks up after inserting the component.

[jfc]

Another question if i may
The components i have made for the above drawing only seem to be on that drawing . If i open up another drawing/sketchup page they are not there . How do i save those components so they are always there no matter how many drawings i have on the go ?

[daver]

I gave you a link yesterday to a blog post I wrote that shows exactly how to make components available for other models.

Here is the link again.

So you aren't looking at the links I'm posting?

[jfc]

Sorry mum
This is why i said maybe wait for the live demo Dave . There is so much information to take in that im forgetting more than remembering .
I'll go back and look at the links again now i sort of understand what some of it is meaning

[mailee]

Hey, way to go Jase! Your robes are pretty good for a beginner mate. Keep at it it is certainly worth all the effort in the end. Nice to see you again Dave, been missing your input and expertise of SU.

[jfc]

Cheers mate Probably pretty rubbish to you lot but im playing with it on and off and its good fun ( untill you get it wrong )


Dave , that link you showed was to Hammertime not me mate . Ive not been looking at those yet as i thought they may confuse me more .
Your help really is appreciated aswell as all the other people that are chipping in with answers to stupid questions
I was thinking today that sketchup is an amazing tool . Anything i want to do with it can be done , i just havnt worked out how to do it yet .

[daver]

Jason, the links were meant for you, too. It's your thread after all.

[hammertime]

Dave, thanks for the linky. I need to try and stop hijacking the thread id be well pleased to produce a drawing like that wardrobe in such a short space of time grrrr

[jfc]

I think it has become a handy thread for anyone with questions to be honest . The theme being dumb ass questions everyone apart from me is scared to ask

[jfc]

Dave, thanks for the linky. I need to try and stop hijacking the thread id be well pleased to produce a drawing like that wardrobe in such a short space of time grrrr

Hijack away mate . You may ask some questions i want the answer for later