Getting the file of a component

[rubine]

I store a component as an skp file on my computer. Is there a chance to get that skp file (if I have the component definition of the component)?? (So, I do not want to search for the file by typing in the path, but by using the relevant component in the model)

Could someone help me, please?

[TIG]

You can load an external component - you need to know its path.

http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_ruby/Docs/Ruby-DefinitionList.html#load

You then place it...

http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_ruby/Docs/Ruby-Model.html#place_component

[rubine]

well, actually I do not want to load it, but to store/save it in a file (skp file).
There is a method for Model objects to be stored. Can I somehow typecast the component object in a model object so that I can use the save method (of class Model)??
Or is there any other possibility to save the component in the local file system?

[TIG]

I see...

You can only save_as manually. Open the compo browser, click the little-house-icon option to list the model's comps and hover the mouse over the one you want, now right-click and save_as to save it...

You have come up with a question about a "ComponentDefinition.save_as" method that has been around for a while. It doesn't exist in the current API and looking at the SDK it's not easily made either. Wait for v7 API ? ...

[rubine]

do you see a chance to rebuild the "create component" with ruby?
i.e. writing your own "create component" method (creating a ComponentDefinition)

[TIG]

@rubine said:

do you see a chance to rebuild the "create component" with ruby?
i.e. writing your own "create component" method (creating a ComponentDefinition)

You can easily make and place components with ruby methods, such as.

Definitionlist.add("componentdefinitionname")

ComponentDefinition.entities

Group.entities

Group.to_component

entities have lots of 'add' methods: http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_ruby/Docs/Ruby-Entities.html#add_instance

You can't 'save_as' components in current Ruby - but you can do it manually.

I've discovered that in the SDK there's a kind of ...Group.SaveAs() method that would allow us to write something like a dll or a socket that could then access that function. In a script you'd have to say something like:
require 'GroupExporter.so '
...
GroupExporter.new(group,filepath)
...
This would then save a specified group to a .skp file at a specified name/location. These kinds of variables can be got/set in earlier bits of Ruby coding...
To get it to export a Component all we'd need to do is make a temporary group, that's then named after the component-definition and even with a copy of its description if any (that way the final exporter component matches the original in the model...). Then to that group's entities we add an instance of the component (and explode it inside the group?). We then use GroupExporter.new(group,filepath) and finally erase the group to tidy up. If we want it done 'silently' we can specify the filepath - say as the model's folder_path/group_name.skp - or we could prompt for a component name and/or location...

All I need now is someone who can make this dll/so with the SDK - my C++ is too poor to do it...