SketchUp Usage Tips
1. When selecting, double-click a single face to select both the face and its bounding edges.
2. Double-click twice on an object’s face to select the entire face and all its edges.
3. While using the orbit or camera tools, you can input the eye height in the input box located at the lower right corner.
4. With the dynamic zoom tool, enter a value followed by deg (e.g., 60deg) to adjust the camera’s field of view angle.
5. Using the dynamic zoom tool, enter a value followed by mm (e.g., 35mm) to set the camera’s focal length.
6. To create groups or components, select mirror mode from the axial mirror options in the right-click menu.
7. Select an object, use the scale tool, pick a scaling direction, and enter -1 to mirror the object.
8. Use the push/pull tool once, then double-click to repeat the previous push/pull distance on the next use.
9. When selecting objects: hold Ctrl to add to the selection, Shift to add or remove from selection, and both Ctrl + Shift to remove from selection.
10. Hold Shift + middle mouse button to pan the view.
11. To lock a direction (e.g., parallel or polar axis), hold Shift to maintain the lock.
12. In selection mode, single-click selects a line or face; double-click selects connected lines and faces; triple-click selects the entire object. Holding Ctrl while moving copies the object, but note that if the object is grouped, the copy remains within the group. The eraser tool deletes edges but not faces, making it easier to clean up messy lines on a face than using the Delete key.
13. Press the scroll wheel, then the left mouse button to pan the view.
14. When moving or copying with Ctrl held, entering a value followed by a slash (e.g., 5/) divides the distance into equal segments, creating multiple objects between the two points (e.g., 4 objects between for 5/).
15. When exporting to CAD, use the options below the save/cancel buttons to include both edges and faces in the export.
16. To show hidden components, use View > Show Hidden Components or press Shift + A. Use Ctrl + A to select all, then hold Shift + Ctrl while clicking objects you want to keep visible before hiding others.
17. SketchUp’s space division technique: draw lines on a surface without clicking, hold Shift, and move the mouse to display parallel dashed guide lines, useful for dividing space.
18. SketchUp’s snapping works like CAD’s polar axis: when moving or drawing, if the direction approximates an axis, red, green, or blue guide lines appear to assist alignment.
19. Customize shortcut keys under Window > System Properties > Shortcut Keys.
20. After locking a direction, hold Shift to maintain the lock.
21. Holding Shift while zooming changes the view to a wide-angle lens.
22. Double-clicking a new surface repeats the last push/pull distance.
23. Right-clicking a surface lets you align the view or coordinate axes to it.
24. Under Settings > Rendering > Edges, enable “Use axis colors” to check for face issues in the model.
25. To create multiple copies, drag a copied object, then enter a value followed by * in the info bar to replicate it multiple times.
26. Holding Shift while using the eraser hides edges instead of deleting them.
27. Dragging a selection box from right to left selects all objects intersecting the selection area (similar to CAD).
28. In SketchUp 3.0, hold Shift while using the tape measure tool and entering a new distance between two points to scale the entire model; in 4.0, this can be done without holding Shift.
29. CAD solids (created with the so command) import into SketchUp as faces rather than wireframes. Polylines with width also import as faces, but faces created by the fill command cannot be imported.
30. Organizing layers efficiently improves performance—temporarily hide layers that aren’t needed, especially in large files.
31. During layout refinement, replacing 3D elements with 2D components can further enhance speed.
32. Turning off shadow display boosts speed.
33. Disabling material effects also improves performance.
34. Measurement tool tips: hold Ctrl to measure distance only (no guide lines); enter a number followed by r (e.g., 500r) after drawing an arc to set its radius. Entering a number alone adjusts the arc height from the chord line.
35. Circle tool: enter a number followed by s (e.g., 24s) to set the number of segments (up to 1024) for smoothness; enter a number followed by r to set the radius. You can redraw the circle and adjust these values afterward.
36. Array creation: copy one item, then enter a number followed by x (e.g., 5x) in the lower right box to create multiple copies.
Holding Shift while freehand drawing smooths curves.
Due to large model sizes causing performance issues, I split buildings into smaller units, save each as separate files, and import them to merge into one model. This approach, combined with grouping and turning off unused layers or groups, significantly improves speed.
39. When snapping points, Shift helps precision, but combining Shift, Ctrl, and Alt can produce unexpected behaviors.
SketchUp Tool Tips
1. Select Tool
a. Hold Shift to toggle selection (deselect selected, add unselected); hold Ctrl to add to selection; hold both Shift + Ctrl to deselect.
b. Single-click selects a line or face; double-click selects connected edges and faces; triple-click selects the entire object.
c. Selection behavior from left to right or right to left matches CAD conventions.
2. Paint Bucket Tool
Hold Shift to apply material to all faces; hold Ctrl to apply to connected faces; hold both Shift + Ctrl to apply to the entire object; hold Alt to sample a material.
3. Eraser Tool
Hold Shift to hide edges; hold Ctrl to soften edges; hold both Shift + Ctrl to undo edge softening.
4. Rectangle Tool
When drawing a rectangle’s diagonal, visual guides like “Square” or “Golden Ratio” appear at key points.
5. Line Tool
a. Hold Shift to lock inference when the desired guide appears.
b. Enter absolute coordinates in the input box to set endpoints precisely; relative coordinates can also be used.
6. Circle Tool
Enter a number followed by s to adjust the number of segments, converting the circle into a regular polygon inscribed in the circle.
7. Arc Tool
Enter a number to set the arc’s protrusion length; use s to adjust segment smoothness; use r to specify the radius of the circle the arc is part of.
8. Polygon Tool
Use s to redefine the number of sides for the inscribed regular polygon.
9. Tape Measure Tool
Hold Ctrl to measure lengths without creating guide lines; entering a number scales the entire model globally based on the measurement.
10. Protractor Tool
Hold Shift to measure angles only; entering a number inputs the measured angle; use extended notation to set slope inclination.
11. Move Tool
Hold Shift to lock inference; hold Ctrl to copy; hold Alt to fold connected faces in any 3D direction.
12. Push/Pull Tool
Double-click to repeat the last push/pull distance; hold Ctrl to create a new face for pushing/pulling.
13. Rotate Tool
Hold Ctrl to copy; enter a number to set the rotation angle; extended input can define slope.
14. Follow Me Tool
Hold Alt to use the face perimeter as the path.
15. Scale Tool
Hold Shift for uniform scaling along the selected direction; hold Ctrl to scale relative to the object center; enter a number to specify the scaling factor.
16. Offset Tool
Double-click to repeat the last offset distance.
17. Zoom Tool
Hold Shift to adjust the field of view; input a value followed by deg to set the viewing angle (default 30°); input a value followed by mm to set the camera focal length (default 90mm).
18. Walk Tool
Hold Shift to move vertically within the current plane; hold Ctrl to move faster.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up