Component storage

nuclearmoose

I am not understanding something fundamental in regards to components. In the SU System Preferences > Files menu there are places where you can tell SU where to find models, components, materials, etc. I have done this, and have ensured that the path to those folders is correct. What I do NOT understand is this: When I create a component within a model and save it, why is it not saved in the Components folder that I created and pointed to in the System Prefs.

I thought that components were basically stored in a library and that in a model, all that actually existed was a pointer to the component folder. I have been doing a lot of modeling of late and there is not one single component in that folder. What is the purpose of those System Settings then?

I have to re-think my workflow because I'm screwing things up and making way more work for myself. I've had to import entire models into my current model just to pull in a specific component.

I hope that I have explained this clearly, and I hope that someone can steer me back onto path so that I can be more productive than I am currently.

Thank you.
Craig.

Gaieus

Hi Craig,

The main component folder (that you use in your component browser) is (on my XP at least) C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 7\Components

The one you define in Preferences is where you save out your components or where you reload them from (right click menu method). In fact, this can/could be the same component folder in the Program files so easiest is to store your components there.

Most probably this is something that had to do in favour of those who work in an office environment and do not have administrative permissions to write (or even open) the Program files directories.

The same with materials actually - in fact, I wish there was such a "custom" folder for plugins as in the school I teach SU at, the kids cannot install them (although true that they should learn the basic, native tools first).

nuclearmoose

Gaieus,
I appreciate your response, but something is simply not right in my install. I cannot find the actual components as files anywhere. If I open a model, they are there, but within the Google/Google Sketchup 7/ folder they are not there. They are not in the folder where I set the SU preferences, either. I have no clue where they are, except that when I open a model, all of the components show up.

I'm really frustrated by this. I think I'm missing something totally obvious here and for the life of me, I'm just not seeing the problem.

Gaieus

Components inside your model will not show up anywhere on your HD unless you

either "save them as..." (from the context menu on a component in the model or in the component browser) - in this case it will be saved where you set your preferences
or simply drag them into somewhere in the secondary window of the component browser - in this case they will be copied into the google su/components folder under program files.

d12dozr

Hi Craig,

When I want to save a component in my model for future use, I...
-open the components browser
-click the "plus" at the top of component browser so I have parts to the browser
-on the top half I click on the "home" button so I can see the components in my model
-on the bottom half I navigate to a folder I want to find my model in later
-drag the component from the top half to the bottom half of the browser

Thats it! It took me longer to write this than it takes to do it

The only time I have to know where my components are saved is if I want to add a new folder to the components browser.

Cheers!

Ah...Gai beat me!

nuclearmoose

OKAY! NOW I GET IT!

I feel so much better now! Thank you both for your patient responses. I have crossed another hurdle and I can get back to learning even more about the SU toolset.

Thank you thank you thank you.

Gaieus