As previous said, you divide the object into parts and build the relationship between them. A reasonable time consuming effort. So first one must ask whether its worth it. If you going to create say 5 to 10, I would say not...20 to 100 yes. Then decide what avenue to take in regards to its use, technically or aesthetically A method that I currently employ is to create a DC that I can change back to a solid. The DC in the file attached is of one side of the box. Right click it and save it to a designated folder as a component. Now you can change its options to size required, Then by using outliner and expanding the contents you can see two points, one where the hole / slot can be exploded twice, then another where it can be outer-shelled and exploded. These operations can be done by right clicking (context menu) and selecting the appropriate action within Out-Liner. This creates a solid side with just the front wrapper. If you require to change it then swap it for the saved component (it will update to current option selections as it still retains the cover component) [image: p6TL_Capture.JPG] The benefits of such approach is that one achieves smaller file sizes, protects ones intellectual rights and "Dave can take it off in Cut List" The side lugs were done using the normal make a part and build relationship the top and bottom done using a copy method When I built the slot or hole, I selected a rectangle on the body surface then applied a cut face when making it a component. Next enter the component, push-pull to create sides then delete the front & back surfaces. Exit then created a matching rectangle component with a cutting plane at rear, deleted the surface then moved it into position. Thus creating a movable hole components, these named "front and "back" are the first to be exploded to make a solid body with a hole in when changing the DC to a standard component. It took me 3 hours to create this side, so probably a full days work to make a the box...you need always to consider if a DC is worth it (plus half an hour to write and edit this) v8 and above

@unknownuser said: my own custom Dynamic component by using ruby. This is a curious thing You can make Dynamic Components without using any Ruby or other Language! See this for example Click-Cuisine who is made only with Dynamic Component without ruby! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQC5gVAg5CA You have also many tutorials for make Dynamic Components without any languages but in French!

Assuming you aren't looking for joints etc., it's a pretty simple dynamic to make. You'd probably do better with some of the plugins mentioned above, but here, I attached one for you. Pretty basic - use the options to change height, width, flange/web thickness. Scale tool changes the length. I-Beam_DYN.skp

The class is somewhat like a module in this context... But still best to include the whole lot inside your own module... Can I suggest you revisit your various entities definitions. Sometimes you use model.active_entities, another model.entities, they might not always be the same thing... Also if you make your group and immediately add thing to group.entities it might be easier...

Thanks pcmoor, i will download the samples and try at work later today. BTW i posted a link to the 3Dwarehouse where my model is, but it didnt show up. Ill try it again, https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=ud374f307-8802-4ac4-9be6-c7f1bdebf68e Thanks again

Thank you very much. Problem solved

Does this program create the threads?

Show us an example please.

This is what I use # Let 'point' be the new insertion point of the component. # Let vector=ORIGIN.point.vector_to(point) # Let tr=Geom;;Transformation.translation(vector) vector = component.transformation.origin.vector_to(new_origin) tr = Geom;;Transformation.translation(vector) component.definition.entities.transform_entities(tr.inverse, component.definition.entities.to_a) # All of the component's innards jump to suit, so the instance is now in the wrong place relative to its container's contents... # To fix any instances so the contents are placed back as they were, inside their individual container... component.definition.instances.each{ |inst| inst.transform!(tr) } component.definition.invalidate_bounds

No You can only work within the group or component itself. so for a collection, they would be nested within a group component which would determine the copies. This can lead to heavier component or file size, however the contents can all be exploded leaving the parent details, thus a smaller file and when necessary swapped with its definition for further editing. Other methods include..... You can use outliner and use the filter to show all instances relating to its name The report writer will create a list based on a selection or the model or use an appropriate plugin or ruby script

Thank you pcmoor. i was able to use =CHOOSE(OPTIONINDEX. It gave me the result i was looking for. Thanks for the help!

The animate function (and animatefast, animateslow, animateCustom) can animate any atribute. And any attribut can refer to an other attribute. This way to animate changes the custom atribute Anim and any X child's attribute refer to this Anim parent's attibute. You should imagine Anim attribute like a timeline, 5000 frames long in this example, controled with OnClick = animatecustom(Anim,5,,,0,5000). I used animcustom to set de duration (5 seconds). Then, you must make childs animation sequences like on any timeline based animation or film making: [image: O6ub_TimeLine.jpg] For each child you must define the time range of animation (with two if statements), the start and stop attribute values and transform Anim value to right value range and give it to the right attribute with a "Anim to Attribute" equation. Attribute = IF (Parent!Anim>StartFrame, IF (Parent!Anim<EndFrame, Anim2AttribEqu, EndValue), StartValue) In this example, the Comp2 must start to move at Anim = 1000 and stop at anim = 2000, so the child attribute (X in this case), the start position is X=0 and end position is X = 1000, and Anim to X equation is X = Parent!Anim-1000 (when Anim = 1000, X = 0 and when Anim = 2000, X = 1000) X = IF (Parent!Anim>1000, IF (Parent!Anim<2000, Parent!Anim-1000, 1000), 0) I hope it's clear enough...

Hi John, LenX is a size, but you said "move" and position which is a little confusing. Do you want to have the component snap to a position, or snap to a length when scaled? If you want the position to snap to a grid, you would use the X, Y, or Z attribute. Maybe: X: =floor(current("X"), 600) [image: y9ut_2015-03_244.png]

I concur, I have a passage door that opens and closes. It is panel raised and can have up to a dozen panels. If I use a Schlage handle drawn professionally it works fine. I found another door handle (needs 2 per door) which is round and has way too many facets. It's motion is rather jagged.

Three years ago, I made this model to test DC and my trigonometry knowledge. I bring out it to show my students the wonder of SU Dynamic Components. But... After the divide by zero problem we talk in this thread, I have a new problem with SU 2015 (on Windows 7 and 8 64): it seems that there are any problems with very small numbers. That's what happen when I roll and unroll the bridge on SU 2015 : [image: mSXi_SU2015.jpg] That's is the good position after the sams operation on SU 8 : [image: heoT_SU8.jpg] If I explore components, I find it : [image: sYJj_DC_SU2015.jpg] An error is highlighted on a very little number with a negative exponent e-6. Is the result of a COS calculated in the formula. Perhaps SU DC don't understand this way to write a number and consider it like a text... Perhaps... Some one have same issue with this model or other DC ?

you can use alphabetical prefixes to organise your named attributes like a_ b_ for the other DC attributes like LenZ you would have to pass the values from a named attribute like "a_len" or wherever you need to place it like say g_len instead

Your issue is this... The rectangular face inside the DC has no materials at all == <default>. Use Entity Info on the internal face [edit the DC] to see that. When you change the DC's "Material" it applies to the DC instance itself. So when you get Entity Info on the DC itself it's say "Red". But the internal face with no material <default> which are inside a component [or group] 'display' the material of that container - the face's material does NOT change from <default>. So although a face might 'look' "Red", it actually has no material at all <default>. Your DC code looks for all faces colored "Red" inside the DC component, BUT there are NONE, because the actual face has the <default> material - so you correctly get Area=0. You can fix the DC code to report the face's area by using Area as =FACEAREA()/2 Note /2 *** to consider just the one side ! Now that DC always reports the Area of the internal face***. In your current DC the Area is returned, and you have its Material of say "Red" etc. BUT if you have a "Red" material actually painted on to the face itself [one side], then the code =FACEAREA(Material) will work IF the chosen Material is "Red" - giving Area=12345... - otherwise it's Area=0 - as if another color is chosen there are no "Blue" or "Green" faces, so then the DC's chosen Material returns Area=0 again... In DC code you cannot assign a material to a face, only to a 'container' - component-instance or group. You can change the way a face 'appears', because any faces using the <default> material displays using the container's material, but its material is still <default>. ...

@bmike said: Thanks for the link to the script. What is a RAR file? A RAR file is a compressed file like a ZIP. You can uncompress it with many un-compression apps. Perhaps your regular ZIP/unZIP tool can cope with it ? Otherwise get an app that can...

Thanks Jim. I figured out that if I change the "Units" in the drop down list from 'Default:Text' to 'Decimal Numbers' the IF function worked out. Hpe that helps anyone else going through this.

The Dynamic Component Attribute dialog is probably designed for single selection. Depending on where exactly the attributes are stored (component attributes, sub-entities etc.) you may have success with the Attribute Inspector extension. Like SketchUp's Entity Inspector, it works with multiple selection. First select one component and find the attribute to change. Then select all and set the same attribute.