Line
This tool creates lines that typically become edges. When lines (or other objects such as arcs, circles, or polygons) lie in the same plane and form a closed boundary, a face is automatically created.
Open SketchUp, and an empty file appears in Top view. You are looking at the red-green plane, and the blue axis (vertical) is pointing toward you. By default, you are in the Line tool, as indicated by the pencil-shaped cursor.
Note: If you don't see the axes displayed, select View / Axes. This is a toggle function - it can also turns the axes off.
2. To control the way lines are drawn, open the
Preferences window (Window / Preferences, Mac: SketchUp/Preferences). Open the Drawing page.
- System Preferences
Qick Style r Click-drag -release (• Auto detect C Qick-move-click
Continue line drawing Miscellaneous
P Display crosshairs
Qick Style r Click-drag -release (• Auto detect C Qick-move-click
Continue line drawing Miscellaneous
P Display crosshairs
Three setting here affect line creation:
Click-drag-release uses a mouse drag to create lines.
Click-move-click will define a line by two points.
Auto detect enables both methods, depending on how you use your mouse.
We want to enable both methods, so click Auto detect.
Also, be sure Continue line drawing is checked, in order to automatically start a new line after completing a line. If this is not checked, you create lines one at a time.
dick Style -
Close the Preferences.
Now open the Model Info window (if it is not already open), either by selecting Window / Model Info or by clicking the icon.
Mac: You can add this icon to your toolbar via View / Customize Toolbar.
Open the Colors page and check the color for Edges. By default, edges are drawn in black, but you can change this color if you like.
Components
Dimensions
Location Section Planes Statistics Text
Tounguide Units
Geometry
Edges lighlight
Face front
Constr lines
Face back
Lock
Background
Background
r Sky
Transparency
If you like to work with as much screen space as possible, close the Model Info window.
Note: Model Info is one of SketchUp's stacking windows, which means you can leave it open but minimized. See "Stacking Windows" on page 437.
9. Line should already be active, but if it isn't, click Line, or select Draw / Line.
Move the cursor up in the green direction from this point, and click to place the next point.
9. Line should already be active, but if it isn't, click Line, or select Draw / Line.
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Move the cursor up in the green direction from this point, and click to place the next point.
Click to place the first point (not on the origin), and move the cursor to the right. The On Red Axis inference tells you that the line will be parallel to the red axis. Click to locate the second point.
14. Move the cursor until you see the Perpendicular inference (the preview line is magenta). The perpendicular constraint is always available relative to the last line you drew. Click for the next point, trying to maintain the general proportions shown below.
Tip: You could also click the first point, hold the mouse button, drag to the second point, and release.
11. Because you selected Continue line drawing, you immediately start a new line. Locate the next point in the green direction from the last point.
Note: You can also use the perpendicular and parallel constraints relative to any line, not just the one you just drew, as you will see in another few steps.
15. Make the next line perpendicular from the last line, stopping when the red direction constraint appears.
The next endpoint is to be located directly above the midpoint of the first line. Hover over this point; the midpoint is indicated by a cyan dot. Do not click yet!
15. Make the next line perpendicular from the last line, stopping when the red direction constraint appears.
- 16. Draw the next line in the green direction.
You can make new lines parallel or perpendicular to any existing line, not just the most recent line. Hover over any point along the edge shown . . .
¡Constrained on Line from Point I
23. Draw one more line to complete the face.
18. . . . and move the cursor until you see the Parallel inference (be sure not to activate any other inferences). Do not click yet.
¡Constrained on Line from Point I
23. Draw one more line to complete the face.
Now we use a double inference. With the Parallel inference still showing, press Shift. This ensures that no matter where you move the cursor, the line will always have this parallel orientation. When you press Shift, the magenta inference line turns thicker, indicating that this constraint is locked. With Shift pressed, hover over the corner point shown to see the double inference. Click this point.
TIP: If you want to create an open shape, you can press Esc to end the chain.
NOTE: Face colors are set in the Color page of the Model Info window. Each face has a front and back, and these are typically assigned different colors. You can reverse a face's front and back by right-clicking and selecting Reverse.
24. Like all drawing tools, Line can be used just as easily in 3D. Click Orbit (Mac: Orbit Camera) and move the mouse to spin the model around. (If you have a three-button or scroll wheel mouse, simply hold the middle button / scroll wheel and drag - no need to activate Orbit).
- 21. Similarly, press Shift when the next line is perpendicular to the previous one . . .
25. Orbit to the orientation shown below.
We will use a parallel constraint again. Draw a line up from the point shown.
26. If it's not already active, activate Line, and draw a line from the point shown straight down, in the blue (vertical) direction.
We will use a parallel constraint again. Draw a line up from the point shown.
31. Hover over any point on the edge shown .
- 27. To draw a rectangular vertical face, hover over the desired corner point . . .
31. Hover over any point on the edge shown .
32. . . . move the cursor until the Parallel inference appears. Press Shift to lock it and click the corner point.
- 28. . . . and move down (in blue) and click when the double constraint appears.
- 33. Complete the face.
- 29. Draw the third line to complete the face.
34. Lines can also be used to divide faces. Draw a vertical line connecting the midpoints of the horizontal edges of the face you just completed.
35. Both lines are now divided into two lines. To verify this, hover over what was the midpoint, and now it is an endpoint.
- 36. This line also divided the original face into two faces. To verify this, activate Select (Tools / Select).
- 37. Click either face to see it highlighted.
38. We will now see how lines can be used to heal faces. Click Erase (Tools / Erase).
- 39. Erase one of the top edges. Because it no longer has a closed boundary, the face disappears.
- 40. Recreate the face by simply replacing the line.
- 41. Erase the dividing line, and the two faces are healed - joined into one face.
- 42. If you erase a line that is a boundary for more than one face, all affected faces will be deleted. Erase the common edge shown, and both faces sharing this edge disappear.
- 43. Redraw the line to recreate both faces.
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I Display Settings | ||
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Show: U" Edges | ||
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[>? Profiles | ||
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Edge Effects: Depth cue |
[E | |
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I- Extension | ||
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Endpolnts | ||
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V Jitter ^ | ||
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Edge Color: | By axis | ||
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Faces: P Use sun for shading | ||
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P Enable transparency | ||
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quality: 1 Faster |
3 | |
Note: Display Settings is one of SketchUp's stacking windows, which means you can leave it open but minimized. See "Stacking Windows" on page 437.
45. All edges parallel to one of the axes take on the axis color.
Some prefer to work with By Axis on, and some find it distracting. For the purposes of this book, black edges will be used.
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