Creating a component from a group 2021

Technical Problems
1

Hi, have I missed something?

In the past, I could select a group and make it a component. Now SU2021 complains that the component already exists and that it has to have a unique name. Is this a change in functionality???

Stay safe modellers!!!

2

No that’s not new behavior. If you’ve already used the name for a component it will warn you. It’s always done that. Component with different definitions cannot have the same definition name.

1 Like
3

In fact, SketchUp gave you the same answer as @DaveR just in other words.

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4

Thanks guys but the component does exist at the point I want to create it. It is a group not a component.

5

What name are you using for the component? If that’s already been used by another component you’ll get the warning.

6

As @DaveR has said, it is the name not the content that matters. The name is the unique visible identifier of the component, the new one can’t duplicate the name. Check in the components window and you should see the existing one with that name.

7

To elaborate on the others’ points: if you delete a component instance, the component still exists in the model. In my experience, if you try to create a new component with the same name, it will warn you and let you replace the other component. If you try to rename a component to the already-taken name, it will give an error popup. To make a new component with the same name, you can:

  • delete that component from the model, via the Components tray
  • purge the model of unused objects in Model Info > Statistics
  • purge unused components in the Components tray
  • purge unused components with a plugin like CleanUp
8

To be clear. I created the group. I then selected the create component from group option. There isn’t a component with the same name. It is a new component. There is a group with that name.
I get the message that the component exists - which it doesn’t - so I can’t create the component without changing the name.

9

Attach the model so we can see the issue.

10

AH HA!!!

I have found the answer. It was user stupidity.
I use an extension called Named Group to create groups. It allows me to create and name a group instead of the need to have to create a group and then go find it and name it. I use it so often it has become second nature and that is the problem.
If I use native menus it works fine - apologies to Trimble for ever doubting your code - but if I use the extension it gives the error message.

Thanks for all your help and support people. It really is appreciated.

Stay safe.

11

For what it’s worth, I keep the Entity Info window open 100% of the time near the upper-right corner of my monitor. When a new group is created (using the native tool), the group is automatically selected and shown in the Entity Info window. I can then click in the group name field within the window and enter a name for the group - no hunting or finding required.

3 Likes
12

Great tip. I’ll give it a go. It would be good if Trimble provided this type of functionaity!

14

They do. The Entity Info window is part of SketchUp.

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15

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