Components - How to break link to External File

Aroundthebend · 12 Jun 2017, 23:45

I've been creating new models from Step files. I import the Step files at 100 times their original size because of the small faces/edges found in the Step files. After Ive finished creating the model I scale it down to it's original size. This was working fine until I saved a few components as external files (right click - save-as). Now when I want to scale this model down to it's original size SU tells me "Components within the model that were loaded from external files will not be resized! ". So I've been looking at ways to Break/Remove the link to the External Files but with no luck. I did try making the component 'Unique' (right click 'Make Unique') but this Unique copy held onto the External File!!! Which is very odd .
Any ideas?

bmike · 13 Jun 2017, 00:18

Have you tried starting a new file and dropping in the correctly sized components from a collection or copy / paste?

tuna1957 · 13 Jun 2017, 00:30

explode the component and remake as new component ? not sure it will work in your case , but worth a shot.

Aroundthebend · 13 Jun 2017, 06:04

@bmike said:

Have you tried starting a new file and dropping in the correctly sized components from a collection or copy / paste?

Thanks bmike for your reply. I might have to do something like that. I think I'll delete all the external components, scale the Model and then re-add the deleted components. Could take some time!

Aroundthebend · 13 Jun 2017, 06:27

@tuna1957 said:

explode the component and remake as new component ? not sure it will work in your case , but worth a shot.

Thanks tuna1957 for your reply. I tried that but SU froze while exploding it! It's a large component from the original export from Step file. On looking at it; the file address for the external file is no longer there! It looks like a temporary file:
/var/folders/jv/dss541m53qz0n5122xw18dpr0000gn/T/com.sketchup.SketchUp.2016.'myname'/skpZBAV9Z
That's interesting!!

Aroundthebend · 13 Jun 2017, 18:53

I sorted the large component (with Externally link!), that contained the original imported file, by moving items out of it by Cutting / Pasting. I then deleted the component from the 'Components Window'
The other Components I added/created - including some with Externally links!) were sorted by following these steps:

1- Rename the Component I want to turn into a internal component by adding XXX (CompName XXX)

2- In the model on one of the Components instances right-click and select 'Reset Scale' (ie it scaled it to it's actual size). Remember I was working on a modal that was 100 times larger than actual size but I created the components at actual size and scaled them up!

3- Explode this instance and Right-Click the selected items and make a new Component (and named it CompName), before clicking 'Create' 'Set Component Axes' to the same point/direction as the original component (this is very important because of my next steps). I also selected 'Any' for Glue to Alignment.

4- Delete this new component in your model and re-add it using the Components Window.

5- Scale it up by x100 (I find that it scales up from the component’s axes because of the 'Glue to').

6- In the Model select all the renamed original components (CompName XXX that have the External Link), then in the 'Components Window' Right-Click the new component (CompName) and select 'Replace Selected'

7- In the Components Window delete the old renamed component (CompName XXX), you can use 'Purge Unused' from the drop down.

Job Done, I can scale the whole model without an issue.