Nearest Dimensions
Select something, enter Nearest Dimensions, and the gap to the nearest face in front, behind, left and right of the selection shows at once. Click a label, type the distance it should be and press Enter, and the selection moves there. It's Temporary Dimensions with the Targets found for you, so tapping to stay, holding to peek, Cmd-clicking an Anchor and the one Undo for however many values you try all work the same.
If you have used Revit, it's the temporary dimensions that show to the nearest walls as soon as you select something.
| Finds | |
|---|---|
| Each side in plan | The nearest face along each world axis from the middle of the selection's side |
| Floor and ceiling | Above and below too, when you turn it on |
| Faces square enough | A face turned more than 45° from the line is passed, and the next one counts |
| Inside groups | The face it meets, however deep, or the box of the object it belongs to |
Bind a key to it
Like Temporary Dimensions, it has no shortcut until you give it one. Find Nearest Dimensions under Extensions › Aplo on the Shortcuts page of SketchUp's preferences and bind it, for example to Shift+D. Pressing the other shortcut while you're in switches between the two, so you can go from nearest to picked and back without leaving. The button beside Temporary Dimensions in the Aplo Modelling toolbar enters it too.
Right-click for settings
Right-click in the model while you're in it for two settings, kept for next time:
- Include Floor and Ceiling also looks up and down. It's off at first, since most of the time it's the walls around you that matter.
- Measure Inside Groups measures to the exact face inside a group or component, like a cabinet door. Turn it off and the dimension goes to the side of the cabinet's box instead.
Pick one instead
Option-click a face, edge or corner and you're measuring to that, as in Temporary Dimensions, and the found ones go. Shift-Option-click adds it to the found ones, or takes one of them off.
| Input | What it does |
|---|---|
| Your shortcut | Enters Nearest Dimensions, or switches to it from Temporary Dimensions |
| Right-click | Include Floor and Ceiling, Measure Inside Groups |
| Option-click (Alt on Windows) | Measures to that instead |
| Shift-Option-click | Adds to the found ones, or takes one off |
| Click a label and type | Moves the selection to that distance |
| Esc | Closes an edit, then leaves |
For SketchUp on Windows and macOS.
An early build, so expect rough edges.