LSS Arch Tool

All LSS Arch tools have similar logic, usage scenario and user interface elements.
Refer to User Interface Elements Diagram to get a general idea about interface elements of a typical LSS Arch Tool. Each tool has its own tool dialog, which displays parameters of an 'arch' object to be created using this particular tool or parameters of selected existing 'arch' object.

Typical Tool Operation

open tool dialog by clicking appropriate speed-button of LSS Arch toolbar or by choosing apropriate tool name from Main Menu>>Plugins>>LSS Arch
(optional) adjust 'arch' object's settings: geometry, materials, identification etc
click topmost command button of the dialog to start 'arch' object creation in an active model
click at starting point to begin drawing of object's contour
move cursor and click to add new vertices to a contour or enter offset value from keyboard using value control box (VCB)
double-click at ending point or single-click at ending point and press <End> key to finish drawing of a contour
(optional) finish drawing of a contour at starting point

Make just single-click after step 3 to create objects such as column or opening right away.

There is one more way to open a LSS Arch tool dialog in case if some 'arch' objects already exist in an active model: select existing 'arch' object using SketchUp's 'Select' tool, then right-click on it to pop-up context menu, select LSS Arch tool name (it should correspond to selected 'arch' object type) from context menu to open LSS Arch tool dialog.

Udoing LSS Arch Tool Action

It is important to acknowledge that all LSS Arch tools often perform some accessory operations during tool session, that's why it is necessary to click "Undo" button more than one time in order to rollback last action made by LSS Arch tool when needed. The most usual "accessory" operation is hiding/showing of picked LSS Arch entity, when LSS Arch tool is active. This minor inconvenience in user experience is present in order to ensure extension's stability.
Anyway each LSS Arch tool shows transparent preview of an object to be created and allows to evaluate object's features before its creation. This approach allows to minimize a need to rollback any actions performed by LSS Arch tools as such.

Tool Dialog

Tool dialog can be minimized/unfolded by single click at tool's icon (upper right corner of a dialog).
State icon displays current basic state of a tool:

'Default' mode is for selecting existing 'arch' objects
'Draw Contour' or 'Draw Profile' modes allow drawing 'arch' object's contour or profile vertex-by-vertex
'Pick Face' or 'Pick Curve' modes are for picking any face or curve, which represents a contour of an 'arch' object itself (or contour of its profile if any), instead of drawing it vertex-by-vertex

Upper part of a dialog contains main command buttons, which allow to perform tool's basic operations. Each command button corresponds to each one of basic tool's states.
It is also possible to switch between states just by clicking at a tool state icon or using up/down arrow keys.

Middle part of a dialog contains parameters of an object to be created or of picked (selected) object. It is possible to pick an object by single click when tool is in default state. Parameters of selected object can be re-adjusted using tool dialog. Changes of parameters take effect after clicking 'Apply' button at the bottom of a tool dialog.
Parameters are grouped into following sections:

Geometry
Materials
Reporting
Identification
Misc

Each group of settings could be collapsed/expanded by clicking at -/+ button respectively.
'Geometry' and 'Materials' sections directly affect the process of new 'arch' object creation.
'Reporting' section contains read only 'measured' quantitative values such as for example area or volume just for reference.
'Identification' section stores information, which might be used for further labeling and/or listing of created 'arch' objects. It is possible to ignore or leave blank identification information in case if there is no need to attach labels to created 'arch' objects or generate lists, which contain identification information of listed objects.

By default tool dialog stretches to fit its content height, but there is a toggle button at the bottom of a tool dialog, which determines weather to stretch tool dialog or not.
'Apply' button at the bottom of a tool dialog makes sence in 'default' mode, when some existing 'arch' object is picked. Click this button to accept changes of parameters listed in the middle part and to rebuild picked 'arch' object.
'Reset' button works almost like <Esc> key: it switches tool to 'default' state and deselects picked 'arch' object if any.

Object Representation

Tool displays 'arch' object under creation (during drawing state) or selected object (picked by single click in tool's default state) as transparent body outlined by black wire-frame. It is possible to adjust opacity level using 'Settings' dialog. It is also possible to display wire-frame only by setting 'Preview mode' option of 'Settings' dialog to 'wire'.
Note that by default tool hides actual geometry after picking (selecting) an existing object in an active model (it is possible to turn off this feature in 'Settings' dialog though).
When an existing object is picked (selected), tool shows a set of so-called 'adjustment points', which are designed for direct manipulation of selected object. Direct manipulation typically allows to perform the following:

move/copy selected object using a 'drag handle' (option: enter amount of copies to create an array of copies)
rotate/copy selected object using 'rotation handle' (option: enter amount of copies to create an array of copies)
adjust re-sizable parameters of an object if any: width, height, thickness etc (varies depending on certain object type)

It is also possible to adjust re-sizable parameter by typing a new value of it using value control box (VCB) while hovering over corresponding adjustment point.
Note that it is possible to place 'drag handle' temporarily to any specific point by clicking at it while holding <Alt> key. This feature allows to drag selected 'arch' object precisely from one specific point to another using SketchUp's object snap.

Another type of direct manipulation is ability to re-shape a contour of selected 'arch' object.
Tool shows a contour of an arch object with red line. When existing 'arch' object is selected, tool displays square handles (grips) around contour's nodal points and triangular handles at the centers of contour's segments. It is possible to move nodal points and segments by dragging those handles. Releasing a drag immediately rebuilds selected 'arch' object.
It is possible to delete vertex (node) of selected 'arch' object's contour by hitting <Del> key while hovering over it and to insert new vertex into a contour by hitting <Ins> key while hovering over a center of contour's segment (triangular handle).
Finally it is possible to split a contour of selected 'arch' object:

pick an 'arch' object while LSS Arch tool is active
hover over nodal point handle and right-click at it to pop-up tool's context menu
choose 'Split contour' command from context menu

Note. It is possible to adjust the size of adjustment points and handles according to screen resolution and personal preferences by setting 'Grips magnify factor' option of 'Settings' dialog.
Distance between 'drag handle' (aka anchor point) and 'rotation handle' is also can be adjusted using 'Settings' dialog.

In case if adjustment points overlaps contour nodal points it is possible to switch off displaying of adjustment points by hitting <F2> key, so it will be easier to re-shape a contour of selected object.

Accessory Features

Paint Settings
If there is a need to make some of previously created 'arch' objects the same* as selected one, it is possible to use 'paint settings' feature:
1. (optional) in default tool state select 'source' object
2. hold <Ctrl> key and click at 'destination' object to apply settings currently listed within tool dialog to a clicked object
'Destination' object should be of the same type as an active tool. It is possible to click multiple times holding <Ctrl> key.
The term 'the same' means here 'with the same parameters' (geometric parameters, materials etc). So contour and location of 'destination' object remain unchanged after 'paint settings'.
Get Material
Another handy feature is an ability to pick a material from an object in an active model instead of choosing it from a drop-down list. To pick a material:
1. click button near material caption
2. click on any face in an active model to pick its material
Switch Tool
In case if there are some 'arch' objects of different types in an active model, it is possible to switch from current tool to a tool, which corresponds to any other 'arch' object type, which are present in an active model:
1. in 'default' tool state hold <Shift> key to turn on 'tool shift' mode
2. click on any other object in an active model to switch tool
Use Context Menu to Open a Tool Dialog
In case if there are some 'arch' objects in an active model, it is possible to open tool dialog right from SketchUp's context menu:
1. select existing 'arch' object (i.e. wall, column, beam etc) in an active model using SketchUp's selection tool
2. right-click to pop-up SketchUp's context menu
3. select tool name to open LSS Arch tool dialog, which corresponds to selected object type
'Preselection' Feature
By default each LSS Arch tool processes selection while opening tool dialog. It is possible to select the following objects before tool dialog opening using SketchUp's selection tool:
1. any existing 'arch' object (i.e. wall, column, beam etc)
2. face
3. curve
Selection of an arch object prior LSS Arch tool dialog opening equals to selection (picking) of an 'arch' object in tool's default mode when tool is already opened.
Selection of face or curve equals to picking of face or curve for creation of a contour of an object instead of drawing it vertex-by-vertex.

Note that in case of choosing a material using a drop-down list of tool dialog, material should exist in an active model in order to appear in a drop-down list.
SketchUp provides an easy way to add a material into an active model even without applying it to any object. To add some particular material from any collection:

open 'Materials' window by choosing 'Materials' command from Main Menu>>Window or just by activating SketchUp's 'Paint Bucket' tool
browse collections to find a material, which you want to add into an active model
right-click at a material and choose 'Add to model' command from pop-up context menu

New material automatically appears in an active model right after its creation and it have to appear in drop-down lists of LSS Arch tools as well. If new material was created while LSS Arch tool dialog was opened, then it is necessary to close a tool dialog and re-open it in order for changes to take effect.

Common Hotkeys

ESC = cancel current operation and return to 'default' mode
Enter =
- select arch object under cursor in 'default' mode
- confirm face picking in 'pick face' mode
- confirm curve picking in 'pick curve' mode
Del =
- delete last entered vertex of an arch object's contour in 'draw contour/profile' mode
- delete arch object under cursor in 'default' mode
- delete vertex (node) of selected arch object's contour while hovering over it in 'default' tool mode
End = finish drawing of a contour of an arch object
Tab = toggle arch object's geometry information visibility, while tool is active
Ins = insert new node in arch object's contour, while cursor is over center of contour's segment
Shift =
- lock inference while 'draw contour' mode is active or while dragging a vertex or segment of arch object's contour
- switch to another LSS Arch tool by single click at an existing LSS Arch object of another type in 'default' tool mode
Ctrl =
- paint any LSS Arch object existing in an active model with settings currently listed within tool's dialog in 'default' tool mode
- togle 'move/copy' modes while dragging an arch object using 'drag handle'
F2 = hide arch object's adjustment points (drag hangle, rotation handle etc)
Alt = place drag handle (anchor point) to another position
Up/Down arrow keys = shift tool state one step up/down

Pay attention to a tool dialog window focus, while using hotkeys especially with respect to <Enter>, <Del>, <End> and <Tab> keys. These keys have different effect depending on context. For example, when tool dialog window is focused, <Tab> key moves cursor to a next data field within a tool dialog, when tool dialog is opened but blurred (not focused), <Tab> key toggles arch object's geometry information visibility.

Related Information

Learn more about LSS Arch Entity
Learn more about Global Settings
Learn how to make curved segments