SU Concentric circles

[Michael Adelong]

Is there a way to "help" (force?) the circle tool locate the center of a previously drawn circle? It seems that the inference engine does it only once in a blue moon.

I must be missing something...


Michael

Edit: Nevermind. I was missing something. Draw the second circle on the same layer of the drawing as the first one. The IE finds the center pretty quicky that way...

[Dave Richards]

Michael, you should be doing ALL of your drawing on Layer 0 and then moving components or groups to other layers as needed.

If the concentric circles belong to the first circle you can also use the Offset tool to create them. Otherwise even if the original circle is not part of the group, you should be able to start with the cursor on the edge of it and then move toward the center. The inferencing engine should get it.

[Art Mulder]

Michael, you should be doing ALL of your drawing on Layer 0 and then moving components or groups to other layers as needed.

Umm, why? I've been drawing things on other layers and didn't notice any problems.

After seeing your post, I went to the sketchup help, and it said that items on different layes still intersect with each other, and for that reason you should probably draw things on layer0 and then move them to other layers.

But I still don't get it. If the objects still intersect, even when they are on different layes, then how does it matter which layer you draw them upon? What am I missing.

...art (still lots to learn...)

[Dave Richards]

In complex models you can run into some issues with stuff being on drawn on different levels included in the same group or component. It can get so confusing that it might be easier to start a drawing over than to fix it. Fixing it can be done however.

If you always leave Layer 0 as you active layer, there'll never be any confusion later.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Michael, you should be doing ALL of your drawing on Layer 0 and then moving components or groups to other layers as needed....

Dave, I love this approach in general. Problem is, I've never successfully moved anything to another layer in SU. How do you do this?

Thanks,
Pam

[Michael Adelong]

Pam, Just context click on the item and select model info. All you need to do is select the layer that you want the item to go to from the drop down list.

Dave, I normally do draw on layer 0 and then move to the layer I want, but I have 2 exceptions. I use a layer called "Dims" just for dimensions, and one called "Lines" just for construction lines and points. In this case, I was trying to draw the second circle on the dimension layer. The first circle was on layer 0.

Hmmm... Looks like my mistake didn't go completely to waste. I felt bad about posing a "nevermind".

Michael

[Pam Niedermayer]

Thanks, Michael.

Pam

[Michael Adelong]

You're welcome.

[Dave Richards]

Michael, putting your dimensions on a separate layer is a good idea. There may even be cases where more than one dimesnion layer would be helpful. Construction geometry doesn't need to be put on a separate layer since you would generally want to erase it all anyway. I have a shortcut assigned for erasing all construction geometry and use it frequently.

As far as the circle being drawn on the dimension layer, that's a great example of why you should do all your drawing with Layer 0 active and then move things to other layers. When you edit something that has been moved to a different layer, you don't need to make that layer active. simply triple click on the group or component and begin editing.

Oh, and not to pick nits, Pam, after you've created the new layer, select the geometry you wish to move, and open the Entity Info dialog box to change the layer.

Sorry for the long delay in responding. I was up north for a week. I didn't even know about the SMC outage until I got back. There was a dark cloud that passed over the sun about the time of the outage but I didn't know what it meant.

[Marty Walsh]

In complex models you can run into some issues with stuff being on drawn on different levels included in the same group or component. It can get so confusing that it might be easier to start a drawing over than to fix it. Fixing it can be done however.

If you always leave Layer 0 as you active layer, there'll never be any confusion later.

Boy is Dave ever right about this being a problem in complex models. I found out the hard way when things were going hooey in my very complex shop model. Components created on layers other than layer 0 REALLY got me in trouble!

Thankfully, Dave was able to straighten things out for me and get me back on the right track. Now I do everything on layer 0 and move to different layers as needed!

Thanks again Dave...
- Marty -

[Dave Richards]

Marty, it was my pleasure.

Someday I'm going to come and see in person what you drew in SU. ;)

[Marty Walsh]

Marty, it was my pleasure.

Someday I'm going to come and see in person what you drew in SU. ;)

Consider the invitation open. I'd love to have you visit...just wait til this heat subsides!!! :p

- Marty -

[Dave Richards]

Thanks Marty. You can bet I'll wait. I don't even want to go home from work today because it means I'll have to leave the air conditioning for 45 minutes or so. :rolleyes: