Add a point
Shift + click where you want the point; SliceDim aligns it with the rail inside the saved boundaries.
SliceDim documentation
User guide
Create, edit, and update chained native SketchUp dimensions without rebuilding every interval by hand.
Overview
Getting started
SliceDim turns visible geometry along a detection span into a chain of native SketchUp dimensions placed at the offset you choose. Pick the span boundaries, place the rail, adjust its points or position if needed, and commit - without snapping every interval by hand.
Works best with axis-aligned models
SliceDim is particularly useful for cabinetry, joinery, interiors, fabrication models, shop drawings, and other work aligned to SketchUp's global axes.
Core workflow
Create a dimension rail
- 01
Start the tool
Choose Extensions > SliceDim > Create Dimension Rail, or use the SliceDim toolbar.
- 02
Pick the start
Click the start of the detection span. Normal SketchUp inference and snapping remain available.
- 03
Pick the end
Click the end of the detection span. SliceDim projects it onto the nearest global model axis and scans the visible geometry between the two points.
- 04
Place the rail
Move the pointer to position the rail, then click to set its offset. The rail now enters edit mode.
- 05
Adjust and commit
Add or remove points, or move the rail if needed. Press Enter or double-click to commit it.
Tip: Type a length while picking the end point, or type an offset while positioning the rail.
SliceDim creates native SketchUp dimensions and links them as one editable rail.
Refine the result
Edit a rail
Select any dimension in a SliceDim rail, right-click, and choose Edit SliceDim Rail. SliceDim opens the entire rail as an editable preview.
Remove a point
Ctrl + click on Windows or Option + click on macOS. Boundary points cannot be removed.
Move the rail
Drag the dashed guide to reposition the entire rail while preserving its points and spacing.
Delete the rail
Outside edit mode, select any member and choose Delete SliceDim Rail. You can restore it with SketchUp Undo.
Press Enter or double-click to save an editing session. Press Esc to discard it and restore the committed rail.
Keep documentation current
Rescan versus redraw
| What changed? | Use | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Model geometry or visibility | Rescan SliceDim Rail | Scans the selected rail's saved detection span and replaces automatically detected points. |
| SketchUp font or dimension appearance | Redraw All Rails | Recreates managed dimensions from saved rail data so they adopt the model's current style. |
| A SliceDim setting | No manual action | Existing SliceDim rails update automatically while the licence is active. |
Rescan after geometry changes
- Finish the model changes and set the desired entity and tag visibility.
- Select any member of the affected rail.
- Right-click and choose Rescan SliceDim Rail.
- Check the updated rail. Use SketchUp Undo if the result is not what you expected.
Rescan keeps the two boundary points and any points you added manually. Automatically detected points are rebuilt from the current visible geometry, so a detected point you previously removed may return.
Apply a new font or style
- Change the appearance in Model Info > Dimensions.
- Change related units or precision in Model Info > Units.
- Choose Extensions > SliceDim > Redraw All Rails.
Important: Redraw uses saved rail points. It does not discover new intersections; rescan affected rails when model geometry changes.
Appearance and readability
Settings
Open Extensions > SliceDim > Settings. Changes are saved and applied immediately; there is no Apply button.
Minimum dimension
Hides the text of shorter intervals while preserving their points and linework. Set it to zero to show every value.
Maximum leg length
Caps long extension lines without moving the saved rail. Set it to zero to disable shortening.
Text position
Places dimension text above, centered on, or outside the dimension line.
Text alignment
Keeps text horizontal on screen or aligns it with the dimension line.
Use Reset defaults to restore SliceDim settings. Font, units, precision, and endpoint style remain controlled by SketchUp's model-wide settings.
What gets scanned
What SliceDim detects
- The scan uses the current SketchUp editing context.
- SliceDim adds dimension points where the finite detection span touches or crosses visible faces.
- Visible faces inside nested groups and components are included, even in rotated or scaled instances.
- Hidden geometry, invisible tags, guide lines, and guide points are ignored.
- Visible locked geometry is included.
- Coincident contacts are merged into one dimension point.
- If there are no intermediate contacts, the picked boundaries still create one interval.
Common questions
Troubleshooting
If SliceDim seems to be waiting, first check SketchUp's status bar. It shows the active step and the controls available at that moment.
I picked the span and offset, but the rail was not created. What am I missing?
The offset click places the rail in edit mode; it does not finish the command. The dashed guide and colored point markers are still a preview. Press Enter (Return on macOS), or double-click away from the rail, to commit it as native SketchUp dimensions. This also applies after typing an offset in the Measurements box.
Why did the rail disappear when I changed tools or pressed Esc?
A new rail is not saved until you commit it. Switching tools cancels an uncommitted rail. During creation, Esc steps back one stage: from edit mode to offset placement, then out of the command. When editing an existing rail, Esc discards that editing session and restores the last committed version.
Why are Edit, Rescan, or Delete unavailable?
Select one native dimension that belongs to a committed SliceDim rail, then right-click it. The commands are unavailable when nothing managed is selected or when the selection contains members from more than one rail.
Why is a face or intersection missing from the rail?
SliceDim scans visible faces crossed by the finite span in the current SketchUp editing context. Check that the entity and its tag are visible and that the span actually crosses the face. Guides and guide points are ignored. If the reference is intentional but cannot be detected, enter edit mode and Shift + click to add it manually.
Why did SliceDim add more points than I wanted?
Detection includes every visible face contact along the span; it does not distinguish outer faces from internal layers or filter by object type. In edit mode, Ctrl + click on Windows or Option + click on macOS to suppress an unwanted interior point. The two boundary points cannot be removed.
I changed the model. Why did the dimensions not update?
Some points, such as picked corners, may update automatically because SliceDim uses native SketchUp dimensions. If the rail does not reflect your model changes, select a member and choose Rescan SliceDim Rail. If you only changed SketchUp's dimension appearance, use Redraw All Rails instead.
Why did a point I removed come back after a rescan?
Rescan rebuilds automatically detected points from the current visible geometry, so a face contact you previously suppressed can return. Boundary points and manually added points are preserved.
Why are some dimension values blank even though the lines are visible?
The Minimum dimension setting hides the text of shorter intervals without removing their points or linework. This is useful for reducing clutter from repeated short intervals, such as slab thicknesses. Set it to 0 in SliceDim Settings to show every value.
Why did my font, units, or endpoint style not change?
Those are model-wide SketchUp settings, not SliceDim settings. Change them in Model Info > Dimensions or Model Info > Units, then choose Redraw All Rails so managed dimensions adopt the new appearance.
Why is the rail missing from a scene or LayOut viewport?
Check the scene's saved tag visibility. SliceDim assigns rails to SliceDim Front, SliceDim Side, or SliceDim Top according to view orientation. Update the scene after changing those tags, then refresh the LayOut viewport.
Can I create a rail along a diagonal or a component's local axis?
Not currently. SliceDim projects the picked span onto the nearest global red, green, or blue model axis. For an unsupported reference, use native SketchUp dimensions.
Why can I see existing rails but not create or update one?
Existing native dimensions remain visible when a trial or licence expires, but creating, editing, and rescanning rails requires active access. Starting the free trial on the first commit also requires an internet connection. Open SliceDim Settings to check the licence status.
Access
Trial and licensing
The free 30-day trial starts when you commit your first rail - not when you install or open SliceDim. An internet connection is required for that first commit. Afterward, SliceDim can work offline between licence checks.
Activate a licence, sign out this device, manage anonymous usage-statistics consent, or open account and privacy links from SliceDim Settings. A lifetime licence supports up to 2 registered devices.
Licence expiration never deletes, hides, or rewrites existing dimensions. Creating, editing, rescanning, and applying settings to existing rails requires an active trial or licence.
Quick reference
Controls and shortcuts
Enter edit mode first
A new rail enters edit mode after you set its offset. To edit an existing rail, select any dimension in it, right-click, and choose Edit SliceDim Rail. Edit mode displays point markers and a dashed rail guide.
| Action | Control | Available when |
|---|---|---|
| Add a point | Shift + click | Edit mode |
| Remove a point | Ctrl + click on Windows; Option + click on macOS | Edit mode |
| Move a rail | Drag the dashed guide | Edit mode |
| Commit | Enter or double-click | Edit mode |
| Step back or cancel | Esc | Any SliceDim step |
During creation, Esc steps back one stage. When editing an existing rail, it discards the session changes.
Compatibility: SketchUp 2021 and newer on Windows and macOS.