Hello All,
Relatively new to SketchUp and couldn’t find the answer after doing a few searches here and on google. I’m working on creating a dynamic component that will basically work as a configurator. I’m wondering what is the best way to go back and re-edit the master component each time.
Here’s what I did:
I opened a new file, drafted the geometry (several components) and then made all of that into what I’m considering my master component. I created attributes that allow me to toggle off (hide) individual walls. I then saved the component.
Now to go back and edit it further, I figured I’d navigate to the component file, open it and edit. However I can’t see any of the master components attributes or options, only the underlying components.
So back to my question:
If I want to edit my master component and lets say add a new attribute, change underlying components/geometry, etc do I need to open a new file, insert the component, edit it there, then save it again over the original? Is there any easier way to edit a saved component?
Components are saved using the right click menu (context sensitive). To work or update one you insert an instance either by your own broswer (drag and drop) or the inbuilt broswer, after finding its folder. Once okay, use the right click “saveas”
If you save out a component to a separate file, the file doesn’t contain the component but is the component. This in itself is very logical, as a component can be thought of as an embedded model, with its own axes and all. However, the way the Dynamic Component extension is designed it can be quite confusing, as you no longer have access to a bunch of attributes, not have the ability to scale from the outside, when opening this external file.
Another Covid lockdown so doing some housekeeping cleaning up components in my library
I have searched a lot but find a dearth of help on editing existing components with updated attributes etc, eg additional description, glue to face properties… etc … plenty of help on dynamic components but not standard components.
So one little problem I have at the moment… The thumbnail image of my little TV refuses to show me the perspective view and defaults to the less helpful plan view… the only change I made was adding a “glue to Horizontal surface”
Hmmm, further testing and if the TV is not glued to anything I get a perspective TV as expected
Glued to a vertical or any plane and I get a perspective elevation [maybe the plan view is also in perspective.
This is very frustrating, has it always been like this?
could not find these thumbnail constraints documented anywhere…
Gary, if you open the component file itself, you can adjust the view and resave the file.
The thumbnail should be updated upon save. (Make sure that the “Redefine thumbnail on save” box is checked on the File panel of the Model Info dialog.)
Once the component file is updated you should reimport it into the model. (Right-click the component in the “In Model” collection of the Components inspector, and choose Reload… from the context menu.) The reload command relies upon the path that a component definition was loaded from, so do not change the name or path of the updated file.
There was a bug a few versions back that produced incorrect thumbnails in component definitions. Your problem component may have been created with that bugged version(s).
Thx Dan… I was exploding and and then recreating the component anew… would the bug still be embedded in the component somehow?.. using the second last updated version… will update to the latest and test again
Just uninstalled Flextools Component Finder and a whole swathe of complex extensions - artisan , profile builder 3 etc… still problem persists … so does not seem extension conflict related.
Anyone else having this problem in W10 and latest update also when saving a glue to horizontal setting? ?
disabled every extension and still the same problem even when creating a new component with glue to option,
hmmm, i tell a fib… even when i disable all extensions in Extension Manager about 20 of them remain enabled after a save [but i dont think extensions are the problem…
Just did a repair install as administrator , still problem exists
disabled every extension … really did !.. still problem exists
Extensions stay in memory after you have disabled them. You would want to close and reopen SketchUp between tests to be sure the extension isn’t still around. Or find and rename the Plugins folders, then open SketchUp. The dynamic components extension be recreated, as will three other shipped extensions, but none of the third party extensions will be.
Most extensions are in the AppData roaming folder, below here:
If you explode, then recreate the component without glue options, the 3D thumbnail holds on saveas, then load from file then edit for a glue to any… the default top view seems not to replace the thumbnail.
Check it out on your TV, or if can upload the file to gives a try
PS here is the componebt I have been testing with, it is pretty simple and the problem is not specific to just this component, even a brand new construct exhibits the problemTV-LCD-90cm.skp (200.2 KB)
@pcmoor thanks tried that method also, does not seem to work unless I followed your process incorrectly…
1 Load component
2 explode it
3 recreate with glue as none and perspective view
4 saveas - component- i see the perspective view in the thumbnail
5 load the component file into a new SU as a file [it is not a component in this file form
6 define as component while turning on glue to horizontal
7 saveas and overwrite the original component file
Result see perspective thumbnail but the component does not exhibit glue to horizontal actions
