[REQ] components to groups script

halroach · 16 Mar 2009, 08:21

Is there a way to convert a bunch of components into separate groups?
I know you can convert a group into a component but can you do it the other way around?

like for example if I have a bunch of nested components and I don't want to click through each one to make them all unique, and I don't wish to explode the hierarchy. I just want to make them all unique and not have to worry about changes I make to each one, that might effect the same object I had long ago copied on on the other side of my model...

Thanks

Ecuadorian · 16 Mar 2009, 09:36

Double-click on any instance of the component to edit it.
Select everything inside that component with Ctrl+A
Right click > Make group, and close the component
Select all the instances you want to convert to groups. There is a free script to help you with this:
http://www.smustard.com/script/Instances
Right click > Explode.

Now they're groups, and you can freely change any of them without affecting the others.

halroach · 16 Mar 2009, 10:03

@ecuadorian said:

Double-click on any instance of the component to edit it.

Select everything inside that component with Ctrl+A

Right click > Make group, and close the component

Select all the instances you want to convert to groups. There is a free script to help you with this:
http://www.smustard.com/script/Instances

Right click > Explode.

Now they're groups, and you can freely change any of them without affecting the others.

Thank You. That is a good way to convert a bunch of components which have no nested components within them. I for example, have a component with with a complex hierarchy of 10 steps of nested components. one within the other within the other... n times. And I'd like to convert allof the components and nested components into groups without the need to do the 5 steps you mentioned, cause that would require hundreds of double clicks and quite a health hazard if you know what I mean.

What I'm looking for is a command that would in one click convert the selected component into a group with the option of converting all of the nested components into groups or leaving them as they are.

Chris Fullmer · 16 Mar 2009, 16:07

You would even like the main outer component to become a group? Seems like it makes more sense to just leave it as a component and convert everything inside to groups.

I have to admit, I'm curious what this script is for? Have you made a bunch of components made of tons of components and you are finding it hard to edit them because it changes all other component instances?

Chris

Ecuadorian · 16 Mar 2009, 17:18

Is it my idea or did Matt666 answer the OP's request right away?
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=17590

halroach · 16 Mar 2009, 18:48

@chris fullmer said:

You would even like the main outer component to become a group? Seems like it makes more sense to just leave it as a component and convert everything inside to groups.

I have to admit, I'm curious what this script is for? Have you made a bunch of components made of tons of components and you are finding it hard to edit them because it changes all other component instances?

Chris

The idea is to select any component or group of components, if they are nested, or not, (which ever which way you choose) and to have the option to convert it/them into groups.

Yeah, I have made a bunch of components made of tons of others and it does become quite hard to edit them. When you least expect it, you suddenly reach a point where you've lost track of which component is duplicated where and what will happen when you change it.

When I start off with a small amount of components it's very ideal and efficient working with them. It's more efficient than groups, because making them unique is a type of group in itself. And components are far superior when it gets to changing a set of stairs, or for applying materials for working with Maxwell Render.

What happens is that after a while I find that I need some of the components which I have duplicated all over the place to be very singular... for example a desk made of many nested components, which has been copied all around a building. And then you want to change just one of them to fit a corner. So I start double clicking each component through and through to make each one of them or group of them unique. Not always sure how many components there are and how many click ins I should click... And most of the time I don't even want to know how many components there are. Exploding isn't an option cause I might want to change that desk to fit another corner... It becomes quite difficult and inefficient. A single click with a simple script could do the job... Just like you can convert a group to a component it should be reversible.

i'll check out that script from Matt666. That might do the job!

halroach · 16 Mar 2009, 19:01

Thank you Ecuadorian for pointing out Matt666's plugin.
It pretty much does the job. It doesn't deal with nested components. But it definitely saves you from doing the 5 steps you mentioned...
cool!

Chris Fullmer · 16 Mar 2009, 19:06

It might be speedy to open the outliner and use it to quickly select nested components there. Assign a shortcut key to the script also. Then just selecte the components in outliner, hit the shortcut key to start the plung. Repeat.

Chris

halroach · 17 Mar 2009, 05:52

That's an option too.
Thank you Chris

Matt666 · 17 Mar 2009, 06:49

See http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=10555 please... I've made this plugin on a similar request... But there is a SU bug on creating groups inside a component...