Component instance not updating / becoming unique when edited

Hi Sketchup Gurus,

Problem: Instances of components aren’t updating when I edit 1 of them. When I try to edit one, it removes it from the “family” of instances making it unique. I have to undo my attempted edit to return it to the family.

Workflow: I’m creating a low poly section of truss. I’m making a component (clicking “g”) and then copying by clicking “m” for move, starting to move it, then clicking “CTRL” to make the instance. When I click on the 4 instances I’ve created, entity info says “Solid Group, 4 in model.” (I’m referring to the 4 shorter cross sections, not the long ones, which behave properly)

When I click into one of the component instances and edit (push pull, or deleting bits), the others don’t update and now when I click on it, it is shown as its own instance and now there are only 3 of the others instead of the original 4. I’m not clicking “make unique” or anything like that.
Truss Tomcat Core 12.skp (174.6 KB)

The only thing I’ve done that maybe could be causing this is that I used the trim tool to cut away areas of intersection, but nothing that should cause this kind of behavior.

I will upload the model. Thanks in advance for your help!

All of the components I create seem to duplicate normally with the move command and then pressing ctrl, until I trim it against the long chord of the truss. Then it is its own instance and even if I make another instance of the trimmed component they don’t update as they should.

Do not use trim or any of the other solid tools. They may convert the result of that particular edited instance into a group, just like you have experienced. If you edit the instance otherwise you will see them all change likewise.
I think @eneroth3 has an extension for solid tools that handles editing SketchUp Solids more carefully. Maybe others can chime in to confirm this.

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You may need to see what is the difference between groups and components:


You may also need to check if the “g” is really your actual shortcut for making compoent:
https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/customizing-your-keyboard-and-mouse#create-shortcut

who of the sages is still awake right now :yawning_face:

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I am. But then…

As @Wo3Dan mentioned above, this is your issue. Solid tools has a flaw, in that it doesn’t respect components. It always makes the result a group, effectively breaking the component.
It has been pointed out many times but never fixed. I suspect it is so ingrained now that were it fixed it would cause more complaints than compliments.

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Sounds to me as if you would find it useful to keep Entity Info open and refer to it frequently. And, as was suggested, use Eneroth Solid Tools instead of the native Solid Tools.

@Wo3Dan @DaveR @Box guys thanks so much for your quick attention. I’ll get the eneroth tools. Used to have them but hadn’t reinstalled when i went back to windows.

Thanks again!

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