Google SketchUp: The Missing Manual

Using the Offset Tool

The world is full of symmetry—both natural and human made. This fact was not lost on SketchUp's software engineers; they created the handy Offset tool so you can easily copy and use the existing shapes and edges in your drawing. The Offset tool is in the toolbar, near the Move and Push/Pull tools, or you can choose Tools → Offset. For some tips and details about using the Offset tool, see the box on the next page. In this next exercise, you'll trim out the window and doors of your house model. Trim out is a carpenter's term for applying wood trim around something like a door or window. Trim hides the seams and provides a more finished look.

Figure 4-19. By using the Move (M) tool and an inference line, you can align elements like this garage door to other parts of your model, like the peak of the roof.

UP TO SPEED: Saving Time with the Offset Tool

The Offset tool does more than simply copy and paste. The Offset tool lets you copy, paste, and modify with incredible speed. Consider a common architectural detail like the wood trim around windows. Perhaps it's a simple 1 x 4-inch piece of wood. You draw a rectangle for the window that's exactly the right dimensions. Then you need another rectangle (or two) with slightly different dimensions. With the Offset tool, you can select the rectangle for the window opening, and then enter a value such as 4" in the Measurements ...