Looking for doors and windows...

[brrbtr]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll check out the ones I can do myself (I learn best that way)
And if I can't figure it out, I'll post a link to my very newbie-ish model!

THANKS!
Bruce

[Jimuari]

Hi

I am new to sketchup. I was building a model and all seemed fine. I had cut out some windows and doors. Now for some reason when I draw the rectangle it imediately has several different colors in it and does not allow me to push a hole in the wall. In any wall any more for that matter in this model. It works fine for other models. Not sure what I have done. I was trying to make the model a group so I could cut out all the windows at once but may have done something wrong. Help please.

[Gaieus]

If it is a group, you need to edit it to be able to PushPull its faces. Simply double click and draw your windows "inside".

[Jimuari]

This didnt fix the problem. When I draw the rectangle it still gives the colors inside it and wont allow the cut to happen. I can push no problem but not cut

[Gaieus]

OK, I think it's time for you to attach an example file.

[Jimuari]

Ok how do I do that?

[Gaieus]

Under the text area you type your post, there is a blue tab "Upload attachment".

[Alan Fraser]

By far the easiest way of making foolproof cutting components is to actually make them in situ on a wall, complete with frame, glass...the lot. A simple vertical plane is best for the wall, because what you need to do after having constructed your window is then lasso it with the Select tool and make it a component...specifying hole-cutting.
If it is in place on an already detailed building, you are likely to select stuff behind it, as well (not good)...hence the reason for prefabricating it on another surface off to the side.
When you have turned it into a component, it is at this stage only an internal component. It can be used again from the component browser, but if you want to use it in future projects, you'll need to right-click and 'Save As' in the browser to save it as an external file.

The reason it's so much easier to construct on a wall and then save out is that hole cutting components actually have their axes at 90 degrees to the rest of the model. The blue axis is projecting horizontally out from a hole cutting window; and the cutting plane is at blue=0. This is why if you open one of the windows bundled with the program (as opposed to importing it) you'll see it's actually lying on it's back on the ground...the ground plane being exactly where the window will cut the wall. This may or may nor be where the glass actually is.

[Gaieus]

What I generally do (mainly to avoid selecting anything behind if I am inside a complex context) is that I start with a rectangle on a wall surface, double click on it and make it immediately a cutting component. This will make sure that it is still 2D (just a face) so there won't be any mistake with the gluing plane as well as only selecting what really needs to be in there.

Then I can edit it and add all the necessary details when needed.

[MartinRinehart]

@jimuari said:

it imediately has several different colors

Multi-colored faces are not a mistake by SU. It's trying to tell you that it has more than one face to display at a single location. You could have a group with a face there and then Rectangle another face. You could have two or more groups/components that both want to share a location. This can also happen when you have geometry on multiple layers in the same location.

[MartinRinehart]

@brrbtr said:

having some trouble getting doors and windows to properly cut into walls

The bane of my newbie life!

You watch the tutorial: the SU master Rectangles the opening, PushPulls it into the wall until it meets the far side. Voila! Perfection.

You try it. Your Rectangle won't PushPull except in the wrong direction. Or it freezes up half way in. Why?

1. The two sides of the wall aren't perfectly parallel. (Close isn't good enough.) Solution: use the oFFset tool to lay out your floor plan. Perfection without effort.

2. There's other geometry in the way. Harmless-looking lines on the far side, for example. Also, use Camera/Standard Views/Top to look inside your wall.