Using sub-components to create "Kit lists"

SketchUp Dynamic Components
1

Hi all,

I use SketchUp heavily for my work and I’m having issues generating lists of kit exactly in the way that I want.

In my work, we use a ranges of products from a range of manufacturers, all of which need to have specific information added to their “Description”, so that it can be seen in the kit lists when we produce them. Because Sketchup saves files as components, and you can’t (to my knowledge) add information to their “description”, I have SKP files which include 1 whole range from 1 manufacturer, with products saved as individual components within those models, instead of a bunch of folders with individual SKPS

I’m trying to create some kind of system where I can use these SKP files as almost folders, and access the components within them in the SketchUp Component Tray, or something like FlexTools Component Finder. But of course, when I try, Sketchup only recognises the actual SKP (Which contains the individual products) so it wants to add every product from the range in.

I have tried having the individual models as their own SKPs and having folders for each range. The problem with this, is the actual component is now a nested component, unless I explode each product I include. Another problem is that you can’t give the two components, which are supposed to be the same thing, the same name. And another issue is that if I need to edit the information written in their “description” for each product, I’ll have to open up hundreds of files, instead of just the range file and doing them all together quickly.

I’m currently just opening up the SKPs which contain the ranges within them, and copy and pasting them what I need in individually. If this is the most “A to B” solution, I’ll continue to do so, but I thought the great minds here could suggest a more efficient way.

Is there a way I can edit the component finder to search for 1 layer of nested components? Or an extension where I can edit the description of a “Component File” without opening them?

I’m sorry, I know this is confusing to read, but in my defence, it was difficult to write as well.

2

I’m not sure I understand the problem correctly, but you can give a name and description in the Model Info>> File section, which - if you use this file as a component - will appear in the Components Tray and Edit tab.

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3

You can edit the description of a component that is in your model:

Not sure if that’s what you mean.

4

Thank you so much, I was looking in the wrong place clearly. Do you also know if you can also have files saved within a certain tag? Not just the items in the model, but the component of the model itself?

Because the kit list generator I use only counts components in selected layers, all the different “File components” now don’t belong to any tag, even though the loose geometry within them does, so they don’t show up in order.

There must be an easier way :sweat_smile:

5

Thanks, sorry if I wasn’t clear. That’s the perfect way to add a description to a component in the model, but because the whole file becomes a component when saving, I wasn’t sure how to add a description to file, but that’s been shown to me now. I appreciate the assistance!

6

No, the model itself cannot be tagged, the root editing context always remains “Untagged”.

So the best thing to do when you insert a component is to assign a Tag to it immediately.

Loose geometries do not need to be tagged anyway, because visibility control becomes an issue if you tag the base geometries in addition to the components/groups, and because it does not affect the tagging of the surrounding context.

It is also not a good practice to leave loose geometry at the root of the model. Better to “book” them in a group or a component.

Based on the official help pages:
By default, any new raw geometry you create has, - and should remain - the ‘Untagged’ tag. Your models will be much more predictable if you refrain from assigning tags to entities like edges or faces, or changing the active tag. (Unless you are an experienced modeler, don’t use the pencil icon in the Tags panel. Or do not use Tag Toolbar to change tag when nothing selected).