How do you save a component created within a model?
I don’t think that’s supported yet. That’s one reason I asked in another thread what the difference is between a regular SketchUp file and one created when you save out a component.
A component Saved As on desktop SketchUp is a SKP that is the contents of the component. It isn’t a model with the component at the top level. It’s as if the component had been exploded.
If you modeled things that were to be used as components in other models later on, you could save each one as a SKP, and while working on another model open that SKP in Files, it will insert as a new component in the new model.
The main difference between that way of working, and what you can do on desktop, is that on desktop you can reload the external SKP to replace an existing component’s contents and location. On iPad you would be getting a new component, and you would need to put it into the right location.
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I wouldn’t say exploded, rather it is a component that is open for editing.
Edit for clarity: An exploded component loses all of its properties, whereas a component open for editing retains its properties, and any changes made will be incorporated into the component.
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So, the SketchUp file’s natural (i.e. “reset”) axes are the component axes, and therefore, insertion point, yes? I wonder what happens if you set the axes to anything else. What about other component attributes like gluing?
We are talking normal sketchup, not ipad. I have no Ipad so cannot comment on anything to do with that.
If you use Save as from the context menu on a component and then open that component from explorer, the origin of that model will be wherever you set the component axes. And all other attributes are still there, but you are inside the component in edit mode.
So it won’t stick to anything or cut a hole, it is open for editing. If you close the file and bring it in from the component browser it will be a component not open for editing.
If you move the axis when you have the component file open, save and close, then reload it in the original model the axis will move, same as any other changes you might make to the component.
Are you sure? I think that if you want to change the axis of the external file, in a way that it affects the component when you reload it, you can’t change the axis when editing it as a file, what you must do is move the objects. The original axis when editing the file of the component will always be the same.
The easier way to change axis on components is not while editing the corresponding files, but while editing the component from the model that contains it, and use the axis tool.
Here’s a basic clunky gif.
I have the component file open, as you see the model axis is set to the midpoint of the cube, I move it elsewhere then save the file.
Then I go to another file with the component corner placed at the origin, when I reload the component it moves relative to the original placement.
That’s new to me. I don’t find that consistent, changing the model’s axis is always temporary, as you can alwaysvreset it, yet a temporary change to the model affects its xref placement, which should be fixed.
This means that, if you create scenes in that referenced model and each scene has a different axis, you’ll change its placement depending on the scene you were working on when you saved it. That could cause confusion in our office if we would change axis while working…
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If you right click on a component in your model and use change axes any subsequent component instance brought into the model will have that changed insertion point. Seems pretty consistent to me.
In both cases you are deliberately making a change to the component.
This is all pretty off topic for this thread tho.
Probably my fault, but what I was getting at was this: If on iPad you don’t have the ability to save out a component, how can you achieve the same results by editing and saving an ordinary SU file?
Of course, since iPad also doesn’t have a Components palette to drag them back in, or the ability to update a component instance, there’s some question of the value of saving components on iPad (locally). It seems you’re only comparable solution is to put all your components into private folders on 3D Warehouse.
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How do you right click on an iPad???
When there is something going on that might have a contextual menu, the tools along the bottom will have a … button. Touch or mouse or Pencil on that, and you see the right click menu.
…yes, and to the original question, unglue in on that list, but “reload” and “save as…” which you’d expect just below unglue don’t exist, at least yet. Any chance they will some day?
This!!! I didn’t know this was in the desktop version. This in iPad! Please! 
Edit::. Wait! It’s there. Dang 
I didn’t realize Unglue was there until your post.
Right? I’ve been copying and deleting anything with glue properties because I’m too stubborn not to create from the face of another object if that’s where it’s going to end up.
These are most definitely on the list.
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