Hi Sketchup Masters
I have created a range of dynamic doors and windows that are highly configurable. However, I have two problems. The first is tags on subcomponents do not copy, so switching between my 2d drawing and 3d is a pain as I have to go in and individually retag the copies generated for example of mullions with a Mullions_3D tag or similar. Would it be possible to add an attribute that simply says copy tag? This could be applied when creating the sub-components Window PLT 1.skp (2.1 MB)
that will get copied.
Secondly
Would it be possible to select for example doors or windows and change the value of just one attribute without altering all the others at the same time. For example I want to change window manufacturer and that alters perhaps the material and my framing dimensions globally, but I do not want to change the overall lengths, heights or other values of the successfully placed parent components.
I may be missing this but IMO it would be a fantastic help.
PS When using replace would it be possible to have an option of retaining the variables that are in the already placed components? If one edits a components say to add another material it is a pain to overwrite all the previously placed components’ attributes.
All attributes of the ‘Parent’ should remain when ‘Swapping’ the DC.
So the dimension attributes after a scale should remain.
Swapping is found in the context menu of the DC.(eg. Rightclick > Dynamic Components > Swap)
Ok MIke, thanks for the reply. I have not come across swapping, I’ll check it out. I don’t see the swap command anywhere… I see it now I was looking in my components folder not the component to be swapped. When I clicked it brought the revised component in but changed the Len X value. What I am looking for is a way of globally updating a particular value across a selection without changing other individually editable variables. I’ll test it out some more and maybe this will work well enough idk.
regards P.
place the tag on an inside wrapper of the sub component
that is where necessary double wrap, make the contents of the to be copied sub
another component and pass any needed attributes through and tag this new component.
Then editing in mass, any exposed common attribute in the DCs will update to the first. The only way around this is to create a ruby script that allows you to choose and change a particular attribute. You do need to use scripts to overcome these problems and other short comings with DCs. As its very unlikely the sketchup developers will do anything with this or any other bugs and needs. There seems to be a general philosophy to keep the sketchup environment as open as possible, have scripts meet specific needs, on the belief that too many tools related to specific requirements hamper or shapes creativity.
Hi PC
thank you so much for this reply. I’d heard the expression double wrapping but didn’t understand what it meant. This is very helpful. I’ve now got this to work and it speeds the drafting process immensely. Thanks again.