Hello all and I have a question on Sketchup.

I make one or more components and sometimes I get them off plane. I have yet to find a way to get them aligned with the x,y and z again. A few times I have thought I had everything back on plane/axis until I start putting together a few components and can see where they do not line up as they should. Was wondering how everyone is doing it.
This old dog is having a hard time leaning new tricks.

see example picture here: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/ ... orpost.png

Thanks for any help that can be given.
George

 

I use something called flatten.rb from Smustard.com

 

George, use the 'select' tool to select the parts. Alternatively you can triple click on them. Right click on them. In the drop-down menu select 'Phlat edge' and then 'Phlatten Selected Edges'. It will do the same as what Jeff said only it's already in SU if you have the Phlatscript. Also, I think that the flatten.rb cost money, $10, and the Phlat one is free.

 

Check out tutorials on sketch up home page. I've watched all the tuts, and when I run into a snag I will go back and watch the related tutorial again. I'm learning faster than ever, now that I started doing this. Slow down and watch your axes when you draw. It'll come to you, just keep practicing. Good luck George.

 

lovebugjunkie,

I can't believe you can be off like that. The best thing to do is never be off in the 1st place. Use the undo, if you make an mistake. I try never use the "rotate tool", unless I have to. It's too complicated, in my opinion. What I always do, is group the part and use the "move tool". There will be 4 points on each face you can use to rotate the group.

Don't use any of the flatten scripts, because you will get the projection. Meaning the part will be shorter in that direction, that it flattens. If you flatten an almost vertical part, it will mostly disappear when flattened. This is not for regular drawing, but a fix when you import 2d dxf files that are a hair off.

As to correcting parts back to the major planes, it can be done. 1st make sure you have the View/Toolbar/Views checked and you can use "views toolbar" to change your view so they are dead straight. What you need is a reference. So draw a line, touching the part, where you want the part to end up when rotated. Make sure the line is lined up to the axis. It will change to the axis color when it is inline. Then you can use the "rotate" tool to rotate the part and it should snap on the line you have just drawn. If you need to measure, an angle, for some reason; you can use the protractor tool.

-Kwok

 

Don't use any of the flatten scripts, because you will get the projection/quote]
Yes, I forgot to mention I rotate the part onto the flat plane before I flatten it to the zero plane.

 

Thanks for all the answers and suggestions has helped me a lot.

Kwok, you are right, I just did that as an extreme example of what I wanted to correct. I have been off, but not quite as much as the example I posted.

Thanks again
George