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Gizmo is an inertial navigation device, which we have integrated into SketchUp. It has a toolbar, which selects two operational modes: “orbit” and “roll” (and a third button, which doesn’t do anything at the moment). Gizmo is mounted in a rectangular box with an arrow that indicates the “front” of the device. Two SketchUp tools operate it.
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Orbit. In orbit mode, Gizmo turns the model around a center; turn Gizmo and the model turns. By default the center is the center of the view when the tool is started; if you click on an object in orbit mode, that becomes the new center. Tilting Gizmo forward lets you look over the model; tilting it back lets you look underneath. Tilt left zooms out, tilt right zooms in.
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Roll. In roll mode, Gizmo lets you roll through a model at a fixed viewpoint height. When roll mode is activated, the height will be 5’6” (approx. 1700 mm) above the bottom of any selected object; if you click on a surface, that surface will become the new “floor”. In roll mode, Gizmo has a “transmission”, hold it level and it doesn’t do anything, lean it a bit and you can turn in place; lean it more and you roll. If you find the orientation difficult, level Gizmo, turn it to a more comfortable orientation, and start rolling again.
Gizmo is an inertial navigation device, which we have integrated into SketchUp. It has a toolbar, which selects two operational modes: “orbit” and “roll” (and a third button, which doesn’t do anything at the moment). Gizmo is mounted in a rectangular box with an arrow that indicates the “front” of the device. Two SketchUp tools operate it.
Orbit. In orbit mode, Gizmo turns the model around a center; turn Gizmo and the model turns. By default the center is the center of the view when the tool is started; if you click on an object in orbit mode, that becomes the new center. Tilting Gizmo forward lets you look over the model; tilting it back lets you look underneath. Tilt left zooms out, tilt right zooms in.
Roll. In roll mode, Gizmo lets you roll through a model at a fixed viewpoint height. When roll mode is activated, the height will be 5’6” (approx. 1700 mm) above the bottom of any selected object; if you click on a surface, that surface will become the new “floor”. In roll mode, Gizmo has a “transmission”, hold it level and it doesn’t do anything, lean it a bit and you can turn in place; lean it more and you roll. If you find the orientation difficult, level Gizmo, turn it to a more comfortable orientation, and start rolling again.
