"Jack Stein" wrote in message
...
On 12/15/2010 9:12 AM, Leon wrote:
wrote in message

Cool trick!
Now it would be even more helpful if that trick also worked for setting
the plane in the rectangle tool -- it is a PITA sometimes to have rotate
the canvas to get an orientation that favors your intended direction...

If you figure that one out let me know LOL..

As I said in a previous message if you set the view to front, back, top or
side it is simple to draw a rectangle to the correct orientation. Thats
why the first thing beginners should do is set up the tool bar with the
Views on it as I described.

Yes it is simple to do it that way however when I was formally taught
drafting we did front, top, side, and iosmetric views. Basically we
learned to draw 3D. With Sketchup I very very seldom use a flat view to
draw, it all starts and progresses as a 3D drawing. So going to a flat view
just complicates the process to draw a retangle with the rectangle tool,
much fewer steps to simply draw 2 lines and inference for the complimentary
lines to draw the rectangle. I do use the views tool bar but for other
purposes.




I always draw the lines to form a rectangle and push/pull to form a 3D
object. I do use the rectangle tool when I am able to snap to given
points,
say to close the top of a box for instance.

I never draw lines to draw a rectangle, that's what the rectangle tool is
for. You can quickly type in the size of the rectangle to perfection so
the line tool is just the wrong tool to draw rectangles, even if it seems
to work, it is inefficient.

And oddly switching from ISO/3D to flat and back again to draw a rectangle
seems way too complicated to me. ;~) To each his own. Keep in mind that
once you have a few lines or rectangles laid out in 3D the rectangle tool
works as expected when you use inferance points with out having to input any
data at all.





Still, the orientation is plain simple if you start out in the correct
view, regardless if using the Line or Rectangle tool.

If you are drawing a cabinet, and starting with a side, use side view, if
starting with the base or top, use top view, face frame, use front view.
The plane of the rectangle tool will be set, no problem.

Agreed, if you start with the traditional flat front, top of side view. For
me those days are long past.




--
Jack
You Can't Fix Stupid, but You Can Vote it Out!
http://jbstein.com