Dynamic(?) symbol in SketchUp?

SketchUp Dynamic Components
1

I’m creating a simple rectangular solid in SketchUp Pro 2022 (think: rectangular box) and want to make it a dynamic component so I can change the X/Y/Z dimensions on the fly. I have colors on all four sides, a pattern on two sides, and on one of the non-pattern / non-end sides I want to draw an arrow that will grow or shrink proportionately to the size of the component.

Here’s what it looks like:

StrawBaleDynamic
StrawBaleDynamic1232×855 131 KB

I want to draw the arrow on the top or bottom face. Alternately, I could draw 5-10 arrows (like a new pattern) and rather than grow or shrink they could just increase or decrease in number.

I know I could do this in Layout, but I typically have 5-10 of these components in my models and would prefer to handle it in the component definition.

This sounds like it should be an easy/common thing to do but I couldn’t find a similar forum topic (maybe my search-fu is weak) or in the online tutorials.

Application: designing course maps for Barn Hunt sport (www.barnhunt.com).

Any help? Thanks!

2

insert a “descaler”, an embedded group that has a restricted value for size, like a line of fixed length, a fixed size swatch works too
the idea is to create a material of arrows, then paint and rotate it on the sides you want, the number not the size will change with the scale, provided the above scaler is placed on one raw surface

3

I have no idea what any of that means. Little help?

4

If you want the arrow to grow or shrinks accordingly to the component you faint have to do anything m, just place the arrow inside of it. For making copies if you scale it you need to do a few more things, there’s a video of Aaron making a fence using dynamic components on the sketchup YouTube channel. It’s much better than trying to explain on a comment how to do it.

5

Update: I solved this by creating a new pattern texture with multiple arrows:

BaleArrows

It’s not what I originally wanted, but it serves my purposes.