Sketchup Fault Lines

[Lee Cabana]

I've gotten the basics of prop placement, but am having trouble learning how to get fault lines lengthened and adjusted in the stage.  I'd appreciate any suggestions.

[JodiH]

Here's how to adjust fault line lengths.  I have made all the sketchup props/targets/walls I use into components, so if this doesn't work you will need to select the fault line you want to edit and then right-click and choose "make component" or similar wording...I don't remember what it exactly is.  Also, if you have multiple copies of the same fault line and only want to edit one of the copies, you have to select it, right-click and select "make unique" first, otherwise all copies of that certain fault line will be made longer or shorter at the same time.

To change the length, either double click on it with the select tool (arrow pointer) or right-click on it and select "edit component".  In both cases, the rest of the model is sort of grayed out and axes and a border show up around the component you are editing, this is a sort of a component edit window.  Select the push/pull tool (rectangle with arrow pointing up) and hover over the face of the fault line you would like to lengthen/shorten.  The face will become gray indicating that is the one that will be moved.  Then simply click and drag it to the length you want, when finished click anywhere outside the component with the select tool and it will close the component edit window and return the model to normal.

[uewpew]

Here's how i was taught:

Select the item you want to lengthen/adjust.  

Select the "Scale Tool"

Left Click on the CENTER green "handle" (it will turn red) & drag to the desired length.  Left click to finish.

Edited November 25, 2016 by uewpew

[Lee Cabana]

Thank you - I appreciate the help!

[Morphire]

Okay so here is another method entirely that works really well and takes only a minute to lay out all of your fault lines with no stretching or placing individual pieces. First forget about using fault lines as a specific prop. You're just going to draw the lines on the floor of your bay and then make them into a grouped object. I'm working from memory on this so let me know if something is left out or doesn't seem clear.

First I like to make sure I have a layer for the floor of the bay and a layer for a 1' grid sitting on the floor of the bay. I lock these layers so they can't be accidentally selected and use them to lay out my props and shooting area.

Change your Camera to Parallel Projection and your Camera>Standard View to Top so you look like you're sitting at a table with a page of graph paper on front of you. Use the pencil tool to draw the outline of the outside of your shooting area and make sure you close the outline by clicking the originating point as your final point. This creates a closed area that you will use to make your fault lines. Choose the Offset tool and click inside the outline you've just created move your mouse a little to show the parallel offset lines being created. Without clicking the mouse, type 2" on the keyboard and hit enter. The parallel lines will snap to being 2" inside of the outline you drew first and now define the bottom of all of your fault lines. I like to then grab the Paint Bucket tool and color this new surface bright orange so that all of the surfaces in the next step are already colored for me. Change your Camera>Standard View to ISO to get back your third dimension for the next step. Then grab the push/pull tool and click on the surface you just made and pull it upwards. Again type 2" on your keyboard and hit enter and your fault lines will now be defined as a continuous 2"x2" shape. Select the Select (arrow) tool and triple click on any surface of your new fault lines to select all lines, planes of this object. Chose Edit>Make Group to keep them from sticking to other objects and allow you to move them if needed.

Done.