This Entity Info thing is really useful!!!
I’m sure I triple-clicked the vertical member in order to make it into a Group (Component).
I also triple-clicked the shelf, also in order to make it a Component (Component).
If I click once (select a face or edge) I’m not given the option to make it a component; if I click twice I am, but declaring it a component then is wierd!; it’s only by clicking it 3x that I have the whole entity to make into a component.
Alternatively, it seems that if I select the entity with a drag-select that I can make it into a Component…go on to properly create subsequent Components, etc. But this is very difficult when the shelf is in-situ with its vertical supporter; and if I display it from edge (in order to select only it) it ends up downright wierd. Must I, to create a Component (in a crowd) successfully, employ Hide Rest of Model, to drag select it?
On a separate issue, what’s the easiest (free) way to generate an animated gif?
I’ve gone through SketchUp Fundamentals a couple times, the Square One series, SketchUp Training Series, SketchUp for Woodworkers, SketchUp Essentials, and of course, speciality SketchUp videos about topics not adequately (or completely) covered in the serieses.
I just watched Sketchup How To Use Selection Tools Tutorial - YouTube, SketchUp Training Series: Selection Tool - YouTube again, and SketchUp: Selecting what you mean to select - YouTube. None of them address the Component-specific question I have. (Incidentally, I triple-click-selected the ‘shelf’ member I wanted to become one of a set of Components because I knew that the entity(s) it was attached to was already a Group, and WOULDN’T BE SELECTED with it.)
So, aside from finding a way to drag select (window/crossing select) the item I want to make into a Component I still would like to know what alternative means of selecting that pre-component is available.
p.s. Thank you for your screen recorder recommendation.
Because you’re editing a component and selecting a bunch of ungrouped geometry. You can only explode a group or component, not the elements inside it. Exit the editing mode before you explode.
Why do you want to explode it anyway? If it’s a component it would undo that.
People have explained this at least a dozen times already. If you want to ensure you get everything you’re drawing into the component, make it a component early in the process!
For example, after you draw a single rectangle, immediately double click on it and make it a component. THEN double click it to edit and finish modeling. When you’re done you exit editing mode and you have a perfect component.
This is the process. If you want to make edits to that component — and EVERY INSTANCE OF IT — later, you simply double click on ANY one of them and edit it. They will all update accordingly.
Additionally, if you want to make copies of a component — instances of it — either copy and paste it. Move and copy it. Or select it from the components palette and plop it into your model. It’s always there for you. There is no reason EVER to enter into it for editing if all you’re doing is making copies of it.