Sketchup props dropping thru ground

[paul788]

Is there a way to keep all props at ground level? I try moving stuff and some of them sink into the surface for no reason I can see.

Thanks

Paul

[colt]

Thats because you have to move straight up or down. There will be a green line when its straight. Drop it and grab it again to move side to side along a red line. No cross ways or it will picks it up or sinks it. Only took me 2 years to learn that one. No one ever accused me of being the sharpest knife in the drawer. I have are bays drawn up to the right size and the wall we use are the same size in google so it comes out real close.

Good luck. Brent

Edited April 23, 2013 by colt

[lynn jones]

cut and paste

[Mark R]

If your bay template has a grid, make sure it's turned on. Grid will help with keeping things above ground.

When you select a component for moving, don't select a spot on it half way up else that will be the spot that gets put at ground level. I always use a lowest intersection of the component.

When moving a component, I use the mouse wheel to zoom in to ground level, press space bar to enter select mode, and click on a lower intersection of the component. Then wheel (zoom out) and move the component to where you want it.

If the component moves under ground, move it again by pressing the O key which gets you in orbit mode, move under ground and select the component at the same lower intersection, once selected, press O again and orbit back above ground to complete the move.

[colt]

Some stuff I didn't know !!! How do you turn the grid on in a bay?

Brent

[Mark R]

Some stuff I didn't know !!! How do you turn the grid on in a bay?

Brent

Layers under window menu. That is if you have a template that was built with a grid. If you need one, go to Goggle Warehouse and search for DVCMarkR. I put a stage design template up there a while ago. Copy the file to your system, open it, then save it as a default template. Then every time you open skecthup, you will get a new stage design template with grid.

[n2ipsc]

You can always select the object or group, select the move tool on the LH toolbar, and press the up arrow on your keyboard repeatedly 'til it moves on the blue/vertical axis.

As mentioned above, always be sure that, when you're moving something, it moves laterally on the red axis, or longitudinally on the green, or says "on surface" to avoid "sinking" stuff...

[spanky]

the easiest thing i've come up with is to always ensure you are on the red or green axis when you're dragging objects.

[ncxdm]

Ahh the biggest pain in the neck in sketchup. The arrow keys are great to lock you into axes. You can also watch the color of the line as you move along a surface. Depending on the color of the line you will follow the plane of the bottom of the bay. Try moving just one axis at a time (say just red then just green). If you type a number as you move it will move the target that many feet along the axis you are working on. Makes it quick to get exact dimensions if you need it.

Another part of this is where you pick the target up from. If you grab the base where it is in contact with the ground it will let you "snap" to the surface and you can drag it freely and it will not sink. If you grab the top of the target it will try to snap that point to the surface you are working in front of and your target will sink or disapear into the object.

Hope that helps.

[eric4069]

Try moving just one axis at a time (say just red then just green).

This.

Eric

[KyalSharpe]

The best way i find to prevent that, is to make sure you grab the bottom corner of the object, then it will snap to the ground easily