# SketchUp Ellipses



## Nick Gibbs (5 Feb 2008)

I'm designing a kitchen table. Does anyone know how to draw an ellipse in SketchUp. I was expecting to do it in quarters and then copy it to form half and copy again to create the whole shape. Freehand is too rough (unless I'm doing something wrong). I can't find anything about an ellipse on the Help, nor in Google SketchUp for Dummies (suitable in my case!). 

Thanks

Nick


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## Rich (5 Feb 2008)

Hi Nick I'm afraid I don't yet know how to "transfer"threads but if you go to the design section, click on page 3 and right at the bottom is your answer.
regards, Rich.


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## Slim (5 Feb 2008)

There is a ruby script for drawing ellipses. I will look it out for you.

To do it without a ruby script, it is as simple as drawing a circle, and using the scale tool to stretch it out.


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## SketchUp Guru (5 Feb 2008)

Here ye go, Nick. http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDep ... llipse.zip That plugin will help you draw them. The native way to draw them is to draw a circle and then scale it in one direction only.


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## Nick Gibbs (5 Feb 2008)

Thanks to everyone who suggested the Ruby script. Why are they called Ruby? I've never used one before.

The only problem I've found is that when you draw the ellipse, and then push-pull to create a tabletop (for instance) there are lines on the edge at the four axis points. Any ideas how you can get rid of these?

Thanks

Nick


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## Chris Knight (5 Feb 2008)

Nick if you use the eraser on the lines and press shift as you use it, the lines should disappear.


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## SketchUp Guru (5 Feb 2008)

Nick, Ruby is the language the plugins are written in.

As Chris said, you can Hide the edges with Shift+Eraser tool. For an even smoother appearance, use Ctrl+Eraser (Open Apple on your Mac, I think.) to Smooth the edges. 

Actually, are you seeing a real edge there or is it a profile edge? If it is a profile edge, try increasing the number of segments used to create the curve.


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## Nick Gibbs (5 Feb 2008)

How can I tell the difference between a real edge and a profile edge? 

I seem to have solved the problem, though, so thanks to all. It's good to know what Ruby is! I wonder who it was named after???

Thanks

Nick


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## SketchUp Guru (5 Feb 2008)

Profile edges are the edges around the outside of the geometry. Imagine you're looking at a silhouette of the geometry and you drew around the perimeter of it. That would be the profile edge. The arrows in the attached image point to the Profile edges on these ellipses. If you orbit around to look at the ellipses from a different angle, you'd see that the place where these lines are appears to be smoothed.

There's an option in the Styles editor to turn Profile edges on and off. This refers to heavier edges but even with them turned off, you get a profile edge in places where a curve disappears behind itself.







Don't know who is the namesake for the Ruby language. Perhaps it was a descendant of Mr. COBOL.


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