Need to punch window holes in complex wall

[twdant]

Hey all,

I'd like to find a more automatic way to perform a common SketchUp task of mine. I often need to punch window and door holes in my projects, but TIG's hole punch plugin doesn't seem to work for a face this complex. Here is the wall I'd like to punch holes in:

As of now, my process is to create a box frame with the front and back open, explode everything, and intersect faces with the wall and box, delete everything inside the box, and delete the box itself. I can get it done, but it takes time and effort, and tends to play havoc on my already established groups and components. Is there and easier way?

[Dave R]

Solid tools.

Which Intersect Faces function are you using when you do what you describe?

[twdant]

I'm grouping the box and wall together and exploding both inside the group editing interface (to avoid selecting or editing anything besides the wall). Once everything is stripped down to raw geometry, I highlight it all and intersect faces within selection.

To clarify: I can accomplish what I need to, it's just a bit arduous to do so.

[cotty]

You can try hole on solid ...

[screenr:12w8mjdf]urHN[/screenr:12w8mjdf]

[Box]

A tip on doing the intersection without a plugin, Keep the box and the wall as separate groups, select both and intersect faces with selection. This creates the edges of the intersection outside both groups that you can then cut and paste in place within the wall context.

[twdant]

Oh, that is magnificent. Life just got a whole lot easier for me. Thanks guys.

[pbacot]

I always like to be sure people remember "Group and delete" in clean-up of intersections. You should be able to knock out the deletion in one pass.

Another thought is --I've been working on creating standard wall sections with windows already in them, that are designed to be joined or fitted to adjacent wall areas. If you are doing metal buildings this might be another approach, you could include the window opening framing as well in such a component. Actually most useful if you have a complex wall surface.

Another thought- make a plane of the wall- with openings after mounting windows in a flat surface. Use 1001 bit tools for the paneling. I do this for battens.