Converting non cutting window component to one that cuts

zook247 · 23 Jan 2013, 21:40

Is it possible to somehow convert a window component that does not automatically cut through the wall into one that does cut through the wall without having to rebuild the whole thing from scratch?

cotty · 23 Jan 2013, 21:51

You can explode that component and recreate it immediately with that option, if the lines are there which cuts a face...

TIG · 23 Jan 2013, 22:41

You could try simply changing its behaviors under the Edit tab in the Component Browser...
BUT be aware that the component must have its blue [Z] axis perpendicular to the wall face on which it is placed.
So when you are first creating it, you ought to make it in place on a wall face so that then SketchUp assumes where you want it to glue/cut... OR alternatively make it 'lying on its back' on the ground...
Its gluing/cutting plane are defined by the plane of the face you have made it on OR by z=0 if made 'flat'.
A cutting component must have a 'loop' [or loops] of edges on that plane which are then used to locate the instance on any future face it glues onto, AND also to create the 'hole' [or holes] in that face...
If its axes are incorrectly formed then, as Cotty suggested, it's probably easiest to explode it and immediately create a component from the still selected parts - setting the behaviors etc in the dialog, and give it the same name etc and overwriting the earlier version.
There are several 'reglue' tools available if you need to glue/cut any instances that you might have placed beforehand, which will now need to be told which face they need to glue/cut with...

zook247 · 24 Jan 2013, 22:05

I placed it on the ground plane on its back as you suggested. This was the only way I could get the blue axis in the correct direction. It worked like a charm. Couldnt wait to share this with others. Thanks a bunch!

mwm5053 · 25 Jan 2013, 00:21

I have more trouble with this and don't know why. a somple exercise. make a can light to cut opening did as TIG said watched a video the other day still no cut opening, the component browser Edit says it will cut opening some eluding my simple mid here. If I could get some help a BIG THANKS

cutting comp..skp

cotty · 25 Jan 2013, 07:00

Gaieus created a detailed tutorial about "Window to Cut Opening on a Face"...

cotty · 25 Jan 2013, 07:11

@mwm5053 said:

I have more trouble with this and don't know why. a somple exercise. make a can light to cut opening did as TIG said watched a video the other day still no cut opening, the component browser Edit says it will cut opening some eluding my simple mid here. If I could get some help a BIG THANKS

I Think you didn't had a hole while you created that component.
You can repair it with the following steps:

edit component -> copy outer circle which should cut the hole
exit component -> paste in place -> delete face in the circle
explode component
recreate the component with the cut hole option

Gaieus · 25 Jan 2013, 09:23

@cotty said:

Gaieus created a detailed tutorial about "Window to Cut Opening on a Face"...

Thanks Cotty.

Also, once you edited the component to be able to glue to a face and cut a hole, instances already placed will not automatically glue and cut the hole. Here is a little video on how to use ThomThom's superglue plugin

TIG · 25 Jan 2013, 09:53

You have created this downlighter component 'upsidedown'.
It glues onto a surface but because the 'bulb' faces the wrong way it glues looking 'up' at the ceiling rather than looking 'down' from it.
'Flip' its geometry and try again...
Also make sure that there's a loop of edges on the ceiling plane to cut hole.
Also why not relocate its origin/axes insertion-point logically at its center, on the ceiling plane.
Another point: you have modeled most of the room 's faces 'inside out'.
The 'off-white' should be the visible wall and ceiling faces, then the correctly oriented downlighter will glue onto the off-white 'underside' of the ceiling as you hope.
Tip: change your template's default materials [in its default Style] to have a much greater contrast between front and back face materials - say 'off-white' for the fronts and 'bright blue' for the backs; then when you use View > Monochrome mode, reversed faces are easily spotted and simply 'Reversed' by selecting and using the context-menu tool [shortcut to this highly recommended].
It's important to model with faces the right way round: as you have found gluing objects decide how they'll place themselves from each face.normal [aka the front's 'direction']; more critically, if you've applied materials onto face-backs that are also oriented backwards and appear 'right' unless you check in Monochrome mode, then many 3rd party renderers will ignore the backs' materials entirely and render them as their own 'default' - which can be white/black/transparent etc depending on the app: this means that your lovingly placed materials will be ignored if only you had oriented the faces as you modeled

mwm5053 · 25 Jan 2013, 14:05

Thanks guys I watched that video. Just to save face here I didn't model the can light it's from KT's component lights to use in with KT and the walls in the .skp was just a fast way of showing my predicament with the can light but thanks TIG for your explanation. I think instead of using there's I'll model my own.