Selecting all faces of a material throughout the model

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 10:56

Hi,

I have a large SU model of a mixed use multistory building, which i now have the task of rendering. The rendering engine i use requires me to place light portals on all glazed areas.

I would like to save all glazed areas as a separate SU file, so that I can add light portals more easily & quickly. Then import back into the original file.

How can i isolate the glazed faces?

Thanks

Dave R · 11 Feb 2014, 11:22

If they're all in the same context, you could use Select by Material and then copy (Ctrl+C) followed by Edit>Paste in Place in a different SketchUp window. If your windows are components, you could put those components into a collection to open in a separate file, edit them separately and then replace the originals with the edited ones.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 12:07

Hi Dave R, unfortunately there not all in the same context. Infact, the material is within many nested layers, groups & comps'.

Any other ideas? I guess exploding it all, so that it is the same context first, might help.

Thanks

Dave R · 11 Feb 2014, 12:43

I don't suppose your windows are components, are they? If so, do the other thing I suggested; edit the components and replace them. Or could you just edit the material that you've applied to the glazing? If you did that, it would update anywhere you have that material.

Any chance you could complete your profile with SU version, OS and so on?

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 13:16

Due to my old messy SU ways, the windows are unfortunately not comps'. Changing the material wouldn't help, because it's their faces which i need, not the material.

I shall indeed complete my profile

Dave R · 11 Feb 2014, 13:36

Bummer on not having components. How hard would it be to convert them? There are some plugins that might help in that regard.

I guess it doesn't help for this model but maybe for future models, it might be worth considering ways to clean up your process to make later edits easier.

Thanks for updating your profile. It often makes it easier for others to answer your questions.

Box · 11 Feb 2014, 14:09

I'm not sure I understand what problem you are having with the plugin Dave suggested. It will select the material throughout the model even when nested.
In this screenshot all three faces are selected at the same time in different contexts.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 17:50

Hi Box

The plugin does select the material throughout the model even when nested. However, when i try to copy it, and then "paste in place" in a new SU file as Dave R suggested, it doesn't transfer the selection:

Thanks

Box · 11 Feb 2014, 17:59

Yeah, I see, did a couple of tests myself and it seems to be a rather unpredictable plugin.

Dave R · 11 Feb 2014, 18:04

Well, I'm kind of at a loss for a solution to your problem with your current model. I can think of several options for the next model but they don't help you with this one.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 18:26

I had an Artlantis model version, so i just exported the material & it's geometry back into SU:

Thankyou Dave R and Box. I would have gave up ages ago had i not posted to you about it. Should save me a tonne of time now

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 18:33

ps: Dave r, I will deffo implement the comp advice for my next model

and

Box, its good to know i'm not the only one who experiences it's unpredictable nature. However, seeing as it actually selects the material perfectly, but i cant transfer it via copy - paste in place, could this be the issue? Not only did it not paste the entire selection, but other materials & in strange places too. i.e some of the roof elements are now on the ground

Box · 11 Feb 2014, 18:37

Yes it appears to move the faces to the origin of the parent component rather than retain their global position.

I've been hunting and it amazes me that I can't find a plugin to do this. It would be very handy.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 19:41

I managed to get most of the selection on a new layer, with the put on layer plugin(http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12494#p89978

but then i can't isolate it, as its nested within layer 0.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 19:47

oh, i forgot to mention, there's material maintenance:
http://www.keepingmyhandin.com/Downhome/Sketchup/material_maintenance_2
which allows you to higlight material selections, but it's currently crashing on my big model

mac1 · 11 Feb 2014, 20:21

Not in my wheel house so a shot in the dark:
Have you considered saving the model msterials as a collection. You can create a skm file which will contain all the materials. That file is a zipped file so just change name to zip and unzip and you can edit the files. I assume you have a relative few unique files that need changing so it may not be a big effort. You probably want to keep same names??
BTW this is a very easy way to ID materials causing large MB use in you model and unzip is not necessary. The skm file report the individual size and large ones will stand out.
just some thoughts.

fullyfledgeded · 11 Feb 2014, 22:12

Hi Mac1, would skm files contain the geometry they are currently applied upon? That's what i need so:

@fullyfledgeded said:

I can add light portals more easily & quickly. Then import back into the original file.

Thanks

Dave R · 11 Feb 2014, 22:41

No. The SKM files wouldn't contain any info about the geometry the materials are applied to.

fullyfledgeded · 12 Feb 2014, 15:45

cool, well I'll deffo look into SKM files now i have some insight. I'm trying to get more organised with my SU work anyway.