Hi
I have a meta component that consists of other components.
I want the sub components all to have the same axis of rotation.
Is there a way to tell the component as I add it to the meta component take on the same axis of rotation of all the other pieces that comprise this component?
Or once I place a component I want to copy the axis settings of a previously set component over to the new one.
The way I do it now is to put a guide using the ruler and set the axis to the guide.
TIG’s Originate Component Axes will move the axes of selected components to the model origin so this would work if the parent component’s origin is at the model origin.
Hi Dave
This would mean a different approach to my modeling…I think.
Right now I’m drawing my big kahuna model around the origin and constructing my components off to one side or in place.
So I could create my components in another copy of SketchUp around the origin use TIG’s Originate Component Axes and then paste them into my big kahuna model.
Or I suppose I could move the origin over to where I’m working off to the side or in place and build my components like I have been but that would require me to be able to put my origin back to where I got it…sounds easy enough.
Hmm I’m not sure which way to go six one way and half a dozen the other.
Maybe I should figure out how to write a Ruby script to do what I want??
Maybe your own script would work. You’d learn something in the process.
Out of curiosity, why do you want all the child component’s axes to be in the same location?
Hi Dave
I’m making a door frame that has a hinge and is covered in sheet metal.
I want the door frame, part of the hinge and the sheet metal covering the door to rotate in the same axis to open and close.
It works but I have to manually set the axis (at least the Z part) the same for each component.
I suppose you are right now is a good a time as any to learn a little Ruby.
I see. Is this for a dynamic component?
Hi Dave
Yes sir
What if you just nest the door component and the moving hinge leaves with that nested component’s blue axis on the centerline of the hinge pin?
Hi Dave
Umm I think that’s what I"m doing.
I just have to set the axis for each component each time I add a component.
Let’s say I have what you suggested above and now I add the piece of sheet metal to cover the door frame.
I have no idea where the axis for the piece of sheet metal was when I drew it so now that I pasted it in place to add it to the component I now have to set the rotational axis.
If I wrote a Ruby script I would want it work like this.
I would click on/select the sheet metal and then choose/Run the script “set axis” a dialog box would open showing the current values of the component’s axis and I could either type in the new values or click on another component and it’s axis values would magically populate the dialog box eh?
Does that make sense?
I don’t know. It seems like you might be making it more complicated than it needs to be.
I grabbed a dynamic door from the 3D Warehouse and added a couple of components to represent the hinge. I intentionally set the moving hinge leaf’s axis away from the geometry. With the red leaf selected you can see its axes in blue on the far left.
You can see the component structure in the Outliner. The component called “DoorBorad” (must be some language other than English. 
) contains the door and the red hing leaf components.
DoorBorad has the rotation on click attribute so the components inside it are just along for the ride. when I click on the door, the hinge leaf rotates around the axis of the parent component and not its own blue axis.
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Book Marked this one!! Thanks! Dave I sent you a PM if you get a moment…
I’m not seeing any indication of a PM.
Umm no surprise there but it is certainly not my intention.
I don’t want to do it that way it because of reuse issues…I think.
If I do it that way the parts of the hinge that don’t rotate are not contained in the door component as they have to be put in the frame, I lose the relative placement information of the hinge parts to each other and I have to go to two spots to get all my hinge components.
I also feel it is better structurally to keep things together if possible.
When I put things that rotate in one component with things that don’t it works fine (I’m new at this) but I have to set the axis as the parts rotate when clicked on but they rotate around the wrong axis they had coming into the component.
I went through all that here.
http://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-make-dynamic-component-children-inherit-the-onclick-message/27634
Here is a copy of my door.
Door_Rotating_On_Hinges_002.skp (1008.0 KB)