Is there a plugin that will copy a component separately?
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I could perhaps do with a bit less nesting but in general it's a pretty good workflow for what I'm working with. It helps me to group things and make fewer changes. I work with a lot of symmetry so, for example, I can use components to build one side of the building's walls and then mirror it to the other side. Then if I nest some tables in there, those will mirror over as well. And if I have a group of 4 similar tables that's scattered around each option I can make a component of those nested within the mirrored component. It makes future changes much quicker.
The only real downside, other than the current topic, is having to click down to the bottom of the nest. Luckily I've got a programmable gaming mouse so I was able to set up a button that basically performs about 10 left-mouse clicks
-Brodie
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If (once you establish your primary Unique component) you edit the component in a separate source file (always use a separate file for editing), the nested components that are modified will be given a new definition when the component is reloaded. This way nested components that are still identical in the two cases, will remain so in the (what would you call it?) Main File.
Test this. I haven't had that particular need regarding nested components, but it seems to work. IDK if this is a direction you'd take, but I find working on a complex part (component) outside of a Main file, actually relieves complication and speeds the program up.
After all I think you are describing having two scenarios in one file. These components would not be visible at once?
You might try outline to get quickly down to nested components.
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That's not a bad workaround Peter. I do, in fact, do this on occasion and it works pretty well. Where it sometimes breaks is when in the cases where there's a component that doesn't change and I bring it back in and it's not disassociated with the other similar components in the main file. It's not an issue at that moment, but sometimes, down the road there is a change to one of those components and I have no good way of knowing/remembering that it's linked with another option's components.
Of course, I guess the workaround to that would be to ALWAYS edit the options in another file but at some point the copy/pasting can be pretty time consuming. Plus you sometimes need references that are in the main file so it's nice to just be able to work in there.
I'm not a big fan of outliner. Not of any fault of outliner, I just work with so many components that I don't bother naming them so my outliner dialogue is nonsensical.
-Brodie
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So you're saying there's a bug or error wherein the component that should be the same has obtained a new definition. But in your original request all the components are unique already so you've lost that connection anyway.
Also you shouldn't copy paste, but Reload. IDK-- a lot of time is saved not dealing with the rest of the model while working on a part such as a single building.
Your point about getting to nested components. Shouldn't there be a context menu (plugin?) that opens the bottom nested component under the mouse? That would be cool.
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The language is a bit complicated here but I think there's a small miscommunication based on your first point. I'll post a little video illustrating my manual solution. I've copied the Option 2 into another location for illustration purposes but normally it would be overlapping with Option 1 and I would toggle between the 2 options.
-Brodie
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I see. I didn't mean "already", I guess, I meant that what you're suggesting is to make all nested components unique.
The source file technique gives you the option to keep some components the same. But, yes, if you work on the nested components in the main file you run a risk of changing components you don't want changed.
It seems "Make this component unique, including all nested components. Keep all instances the same" is a possible ruby.
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@pbacot said:
It seems "Make this component unique, including all nested components. Keep all instances the same" is a possible ruby.
Better one-liner than I was able to come up with. Sounds exactly like what I'm talking about. I'd hoped it was already out there and something I'd missed but it sounds like I'll be doing it manually for awhile longer
-Brodie
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I've been working on house models lately and when I have a window made I often just want to make a new size or modified window of the same style. I usually have nested components. While at times it may serve to leave these components as is, usually I want them all unique to make the new window or door.
"Make this component and all it's nested components unique" would be very helpful for this. If for exambple, you wanted to change a bank of windows (while keeping the old component for use elsewhere), the plugin should work on multiple instances.
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FredoScale has a function just like this.
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Oh, I see. I didn't realize. Only problem I have there is it crashes Sketchup half the time, but I think it's the same idea. Thanks. Peter
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Probably better off highlighting this to Fredo and see if he can address it instead of somebody starting to develop something new from scratch.
(And maybe it's a plugin you have that conflicts...)
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