Aligning objects

The general problem I am having is to align exactly separately drawn objects. The approach I have taken is to find the geometric center of the faces I wish to align and then move one of the objects until the geometric centers are coincident.

The only way I can find to place a mark at the center of the face is to use the tape measure tool, but this is awkward. For example, to find the center of a rectangle I draw a line from corner to corner and then use the tape measure tool to find the middle of the line. I then have to manually input the distance shown on the tape measure (umpteen digits) so that a construction mark is made. Marking the center of a circle is tricky because the circles are really "multigons" and you have to pick up points that are exactly diametrically opposite.

This process seems so "clunky" compared to other elements of SketchUp, that it makes me wonder if there is a simple way to line up objects directly, or if not, to find and mark the center of a face in a simple manner.

Thanks in advance,

Robert

P.S.

Simple example. Draw rectangular slab. Draw separate circular cylinder. Move cylinder to exact center of slab.

P.P.S.

I know the above example can be done in one drawing, but in more complicated cases I find it necessary to make separate parts and then assemble them.

Hi,

You need to use the move tool and use SU's inferencing (engine?). Hovering on object faces (or their edges) highlights midpoints and endpoints.

Check this tute:

http://www.youtube.com/v/rDvwHon6-zY

- show quoted text ---

thegoodguy

With a circle, it's actually very easy, just activate Ruby script examples under Window > Preferences > Extensions (I think at least that's what you need to activate but to make sure,activate everything). [Install Example Ruby Scripts to install Point at Center.]

Anyway, from now on, when you've drawn a circle, click on its edge and there's a context menu item "point at center". This also works on polygons and arcs.

For rectangles (or in fact, any other, more complex shapes), you can use a plugin called Centerpoint.rb:

http://www.smustard.com/script/CenterPoint

Then there are a multitudes of other plugins that can add different guide points and such.

Gai...

Hi Gai,

BINGO! Thanks a million!

Robert

Hi Robert, hi folks.

For a rectangle, SU can get a double inference from the center point of two adjacent sides to allows you to get its center. To get that, proceed as follow:

1 - Hover the cursor on one side, near its midpoint, untill you get a large cyan dot and a pop-up stating "Midpoint".

2 - Do the same over an adjacent side untill you get the same cyan dot and the same pop-up.

3 - Move the cursor near the center. You shall see the two dots as black dot and a pop-up stating "From Point".

If you were to grab the rectangle at this point, it would be its geometric center.

If you are not confident enough or have difficulty in finding this double inference, you can draw a diagonal from two opposite corners. Its center, which is also the center of the rectangle, can be easily found by inference.

By the way, I just tested the procedure explained above and I as able to grab a rectangle by its center and then, using the same procedure on a second rectangle, move the firts one over the second one and get their centers correctly aligned.

Just ideas.

Jean (Johnny) Lemire from Richelieu, Quebec, Canada.