Is anyone using Flex Tools with Profile Builder? How do you get round the issue that Flex Tools strongly prefers the walls to be components if adding a window for example, whilst Profile Builder uses groups?
I’ve tried simply ignoring the Flex tools warning and inserting into groups but it is erratic and odd behavious can result. Flex tools do not recommend this approach and I would agree.
Conversely I’ve also tried converting the Profile Builder groups into components (Thom Thom’s Convert Groups to Components is best rather than Flex Tools doing it as I’ve found as the resultant naming is better). This works but then the Profile Builder geometry is no longer editable with the dialogue and becomes ‘dumb’ geometry.
In the absence of a fix, the latter approach is still worth doing in my view, as being able to use Flex Tools ability to cut multi-layer walls combined with Profile Builder’s fast creation of the walls (after the profile is built) is fantastic. It would however be great if there was some way to get both extensions to work as they were intended when used together. Has anyone found a solution, or if the authors are reading this, any chance of addressing this issue either jointly or separately as it would strongly benefit both extensions in my view?
Thanks Mike that’s great, I hadn’t seen the preferences dialogue. That solves the issue of groups vs components.
What still doesn’t work however, is any edits to the PB properties with a Flex Tools window in the wall (such as mirroring or changing the joint), loses the window’s ability to cut a hole. Whilst it would be good if this didn’t occur, it’s not a big deal though as I would be unlikely to be changing these properties anyway having decided on the wall type before placing it. (Edit, I’ve just tried a workaround of copying the windows, deleting them, then pasting them back in place, which re-cuts the hole).
Overall these two extensions are a great combination and really improve the useability of SketchUp for building design.
Copying/Cutting and Paste in Place usually works well. Sometimes you could also try just refreshing the components with the refresh button from the toolbar.
You can also try using the refresh button that is within the wall cutter options window - it’s faster, because it only refreshing the openings and doesn’t try to refresh the dynamic components.
