Copy a component from one project file to another

I have gone through about thirty tips for copying a component from one Sketchup project file to another, but nothing has worked so far. I have Sketchup Pro 2024 and Pro 2021.
The normal copy and paste does not work and luring the program with a copy in the second instance to ‘wake’ it up does not work.

Thanks Peekay

Which version are you copying from and which version are you copying to?

Another option would be to save the component out of the first file and import it into the other. If it’s a component you’ll use more than once you should actually be saving it into a collection so you can drag in to other SketchUp files.

Always to the same version, although I think copying to a different version or between two old versions is maybe a solution.
I am not conversant with collections, but will try.

I haven’t had any problems copying components between two instances of SketchUp. What exactly is the process you’re using? How large (complex) is the component you are copying?

I select the component I wish to copy and then press Ctl C. Then I click into the other instance to get focus and then press Ctl. V. The only thing I see happening is that the second instance show the move icon, but does nothing.

If you use Paste the object will be attached to the Move cursor. It’s prompting you to click somewhere to place it. Like this:


This was recorded after the second video.

If you want it in the same location relative to the model axes, use Paste in Place instead of Paste. Like this:

I’m using the Edit menu items but you can do the same thing with keyboard shortcuts. I created a shortcut for Paste in Place because I use it much more often that Paste.

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Try using Edit>Paste In Place - the component will be placed in the same place you copied it from. Then you can move it around as needed.

Seems like there’s an echo in here. :wink:

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I have no hope of gaining ‘sage’ status because I’m not on here enough, nor am I fast enough on the draw…

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I can see it in my Components tray for the model, but when I drag it from there, there is no component visible to place it on the drawing.

That kind of implies to me there’s a scaling issue or perhaps an axis location thing. Maybe you can share the file that you’ve added the component to and tell us what the component is.

OK, I found the problem. When I imported it, it made the component 1000 times smaller and I could not see it.
Thanks for your patience.

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There you go.

If you scale it up to the right size make sure you first open the component for editing andthen scale up the geometry or, after scaling up the component, right click on it and choose Scale Definition to fix it. If you’re going to use the component again, save it into a local collection after correcting the defintion’s scale.

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How do I save it to a local connection?

Collection.

When I do this I set the Components panel to show the In Model components by clicking on the house icon. Then I open the secondary pane (button top right corner of the Components panel. In the secondary pane I click on the menu button to the right of the search window and choose Open or create a local collection. Create a new folder if needed and open it. Then I drag the thumbnail for the component from In Model to the collection.