Does anyone know the purpose of ctrl + orbit?

[mxabucknell]

As the title says, I was wondering about the use of this function. I have known about it for a while, but it isn't listed anywhere obvious in sketchup.

Is it just a glitch or does it have some use I am not getting?...

[Gaieus]

When NOT Ctrl+Orbiting, SU tends to keep the objects "vertical" so that architects (who see things in this way and for whom the software was primarily made) can be comfortable with it.

With Ctrl pressed however, you can orbit around the object vertically very easuily as well (try doing it and then release the Ctrl button - SU will "Jump" back to vertical position).

[tomsdesk]

Well I'll be...this old dog thanks you for the new trick!

[jeff hammond]

must be a pc thing?

[fbartels]

must be a pc thing?

Jeff, It is Option on the Mac. This was also a new one for me. Thanks Gaieus! Fred

[Gaieus]

Well I'll be...this old dog thanks you for the new trick!

One learns new trick every day. I have learnt a lot from you, Tom, for instance at the old forums!

must be a pc thing?

Hm... I don't know much about Macs but there the Option key is usually used for what the Ctrl is on a PC.
_______

Well, Fred beat me - still I'm not sure about Macs

[Wo3Dan]

As the title says, I was wondering about the use of this function. I have known about it for a while, but it isn't listed anywhere obvious in sketchup.

Is it just a glitch or does it have some use I am not getting?...

mxabucknell,

This feature is most certainly described in Sketchup User's Guide.

Suspending the Gravity Setting
The Orbit Tool is designed to maintain a sense of gravity by keeping vertical edges pointed up and down. Press and hold the Ctrl key during orbit to suspend this gravity setting and to roll the camera on its side.

There are more than one 'reasons' to use the option 'Orbit+[Ctrl]'.
One is to be able to see your model from any angle you wish with rotated camera. Obvious!
You can then save these scenes for as Gaieus wrote, the rotated camera setting is not stable. Releasing Ctrl will bring the camera in vertical position again.
This feature can also be very useful when you need to make special selections dragging a window 'around' part of the model that you want to select. Often you can only do so after more or less rotating your model in the right position.
Now you can do that even better with the option 'Orbit+[Ctrl]' to align that part (the geometry) vertical/horizontal to the screen, like the selection window is aligned. (SU hasn't the best options for selections).
Try to 'Orbit+[Ctrl]' your model clockwise or couter-clockwise to have other geometry vertical/horizontal aligned , combined with 'Wire Frame' back and forth etc. to see how much more you can do when selecting certain geometry.

Wo3Dan

[jeff hammond]

must be a pc thing?

Jeff, It is Option on the Mac. This was also a new one for me. Thanks Gaieus! Fred

whoa! me likes

[twharvey]

When NOT Ctrl+Orbiting, SU tends to keep the objects "vertical" so that architects (who see things in this way and for whom the software was primarily made) can be comfortable with it.

With Ctrl pressed however, you can orbit around the object vertically very easuily as well (try doing it and then release the Ctrl button - SU will "Jump" back to vertical position).

You know what's odd? My Orbit tool has worked as you describe Ctrl+Orbit since It was first installed. Is there a way to turn this off (I've checked preferences,but maybe I missed it.) Some times it would be useful to only orbit verically.

tom

[Gaieus]

Tom, I think Wodan (and the SU Guide) explained it more precisely than me. This term "gravity" expresses it well - so it is not vertical orbiting really but orbiting horizontally around the model while it tends to stay verical (unless you deliberately orbit really out of the middle, horizontal stripe of the screen or how to explain it).

I would really go nuts if I always had the orbit behave like when Ctrl orbiting (it's like being drunk) but unfortunately I know about no setting or such to fix this.

[phsmith]

'Gravity' in Sketchup keeps the horizon, visible or not, horizontal in drawings. Whether it is visible or not depends on the template in use, when you select a template some show a horizon in the thumbnail. The effect is that when orbiting a model with gravity active the horizon will remain level however you move the orbit icon, if you suspend gravity you can tilt the horizon. As soon as gravity is restored and you orbit the model further the horizon will return to horizontal. I have yet to find a situation where I couldn't edit the model as I wanted with gravity active.

[Dave R]

Thanks for dredging up this old thread. It's nine years old. Interesting to see some names from the past.

[pbacot]

the golden age!