Component Window: Collections

SU 2019 MacBookPro

Ulitmately now trying to understand the operation of three functions"

  1. Open a Local Collection
  2. Create a New Collection
  3. Save as a Local Collection

Here is a screen shot. It represents the limit of what I understand about the component window. I have made three components: cube, pyramid, hollow cylinder. Then I clicked on the arrow pointing to the right and then clicked on “create a new collection.” A new window appeared (shown on the screen shot) and I created a new folder and labeled it ‘GeometricSolids’. But I don’t know what I’m doing at this point or what to do next in order to create a new collection.
…I thought I was going to put the three components into the new folder labeled ‘GeometricSolids’ But that did’nt work.

Niether do I understand where the new collection would be located. Would it be located within the present .skp file, or on the Mac HD somewhere in Finder?

Is a local collection stored within the .skp file?
Is an exernal collection located on my HD?

Screen Shot 2019-02-28 at 2.33.56 PM.png

A local collection is a folder of components (skp files) that you’ve created to save things on your computer for later use.

Open a local collection allows you to navigate to and open the folder containing the collection.

Create a new collection is used for creating the folder where you want to collect your components.

Save as a local collection allows you to save all of the components in your current SketchUp file as a collection. This would be useful if, for example, you created a bunch of like components in a modeling session and want to save them all as components for later. Maybe it’s a bunch of cabinet doors in a given style but of different sizes. You could save them manually into a collection(folder) but Save as a local collection makes it much faster.

Here’s an example of a local collection I have for hinges.

I created it using Create a New Collection to generate a folder after I’d drawn the first hinge component. For things like hardware, when I have a project that requires something like a hinge I haven’t used previously, I model it and then save that hinge into the Hinges collection. I open the secondary pane of the Components panel and then drag the component from In Model to the local collection which I’ve opened in the second pane.

1 Like

Okay
Ill be sure to study this.
The secondary pane I didn’t think I was ready for - cool
Nice instructional animation here, thank you.

Got it.
I was able to get my components (cube, pyramid, and cylinder) into my new folder (GeometricSolids) via the secondary panel and then use those same components in another .skp file. Very cool thank you.

Dave, thank you for this breakdown! Helpful, for sure.

I totally messed up trying to create a collection, and am trying to clean up said mess and start over. Would you, by any chance, be willing to join a quick one-on-one someday to help me do this correctly?

Yes probably.