Flex Door

Ben Ritter

Can't seem to change the units from metric to imperial. Also, my doors do not update when I change parameters, such as door width.

Thanks.

halroach

Hi Ben,

If you change the model units, and the components units don't change, it may be related to a bug with the Sketchup dynamic components plugin.

A. It may happen if you have unchecked ‘Display units format’ (Probably in order to get a cleaner display of dimensions). The fix is to re-check it:

1. Go to: Window / Model Info / Units
2. Check ‘Display units format’
3. Save the model
4. Restart Sketchup

B. If A doesn't solve it, create a fresh new model. Change the units to the units you need. Pull in a flexdoor and check that the units are fine. If they are fine, copy and paste in place the entire model from your original file into the new file and it should all work ok. Not the most convenient... but it usually works.

halroach

@ben ritter said:

... my doors do not update when I change parameters, such as door width.
Thanks.

There are two door width settings:
1. There is 'Total - Width' which appears first in the component options list. If you change that, the width of the entire component should change. If not, let me know!

2. There is '(b) (c) (d) Opening - Width' - This only takes affect when the side panel option is set to b,c, or d. The default is set to a (no side panels)

The idea is that if there are side panels on, the width of the door panel is fixed to the width you set, and the panel changes it's length according to how wide the outer boundaries of the component are stretched to.

Ben Ritter

OK. Thanks for the help.

The units come in as imperial, but when I go to component attributes, the units are still in metric. I'm trying to change or establish my actual door leaf dimensions. Changing the door opening sizes under Component Options, does work, but how am I able to change attributes in Imperial units?

Thanks.

halroach

Have you tried the suggestions in the first of the two replies above?

Ben Ritter

Yes I did.

I had and have the ‘Display units format’ box checked, both in my original model and brand new model.

In the Component Options dialogue, the units are Imperial, but when I select Component Attributes, the units there are in metric.

Thanks. Ben

Ben Ritter

Actually, the Display Units Format box is checked but greyed out. I cannot uncheck it.

halroach

Can you please send me the SketchUp file to frandzel3d@gmail.com ? I’ll take a look.

halroach

I’m not sure, but maybe the issue you are facing has to do with the way the measurements are input?
a. In order to enter fractional dimensions, you must use full notation, for example: 0' 1/2".
b. The dimensions will later be shown in decimal - I can't do much about that, since it’s the way the Sketchup’s dynamic components plugin behaves. Please see this post:
https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-use-inch-fractions-in-dynamic-components/15949

Ben Ritter

Sent you the model.

Other questions: When I insert a Flex Door, the component is identified as "FlexWindow CT#1". When I double-click the DC, the component inside is now called "flexdoor#2". Related to these two component levels:

As FlexWindow CT#1, the component options are limited to 7 parameters. I can dynamically change the component's height and width (door in this case). If I double-click into this component and select the "flexdoor#2" component, the component options are then more detailed, or additional settings. If I try to change the height or the width here, the component does not dynamically change. Why?
Related to the 2nd level component, or "flexdoor#2", is there a reference guide as to what b), c), etc., refer to? It's hard to customize these components without knowing. However since the component doesn't seem to be affected by changing numbers, at this point I can't customize the door anyway. This is very disappointing, as much as I like the work you did for this extension.

Thanks.

halroach

@ben ritter said:

Sent you the model.

Thanks for sending the model Ben. I opened it and I have the same issue here. As I suspected, it's the same issue I described above regarding Sketchup's Dynamic Components plugin not fully implementing Architectural and Fractional inches.

Please see the following thread about this issue:
https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-use-inch-fractions-in-dynamic-components/15949

To get it working in Decimal Inches, you can do the following:

Switch the model units to Decimal with Inches.
Restart Sketchup
Open the model - You will then see the 'dynamic component options' settings in decimal inches.
If you need, you might still be able to set the model back to Architectural Inches. Then restart again, and I believe the components will remain in Decimal Inches and not in cm.

@ben ritter said:

Other questions: When I insert a Flex Door, the component is identified as "FlexWindow CT#1". When I double-click the DC, the component inside is now called "flexdoor#2".

I must have misnamed that outer component. Thanks for catching that.
In any case, that name in the 'entity info' has no affect on how the component works. If it disturbs you, Feel free to change it.

@ben ritter said:

Related to these two component levels:

As FlexWindow CT#1, the component options are limited to 7 parameters. I can dynamically change the component's height and width (door in this case). If I double-click into this component and select the "flexdoor#2" component, the component options are then more detailed, or additional settings. If I try to change the height or the width here, the component does not dynamically change. Why?

Actually I'm glad it's not changing height or width when you're trying to change it there . There is no need to try to change the dimensions of the inner component. You should look at the door component as one object, and when you double click into it, it's just to get to further settings that wouldn't fit into the main root window.

There are a few other internal design reasons why the settings are split between the outer and inner component. In future versions of FlexDoor I might be able to unite all the settings into the main window just like they are with the 'Standard' FlexDoor.

The door you are referring to the "Cutter" version of FlexDoor (Not Standard) which is meant to cut through single faces. Click on the cutter toggle button (with an icon of a "hole") to toggle between what type of components you are pulling in when you click on the toolbar component buttons. If you pull in a "Standard" FlexDoor (when that button is de-pressed) you will see all the settings in one place...

@ben ritter said:

Related to the 2nd level component, or "flexdoor#2", is there a reference guide as to what b), c), etc., refer to? It's hard to customize these components without knowing. However since the component doesn't seem to be affected by changing numbers, at this point I can't customize the door anyway. This is very disappointing, as much as I like the work you did for this extension.

Thanks.

I totally understand your frustration. I'm working on a reference guide as we speak, that will explain everything I wrote above, and better! But it will take some time for it to be complete. You can see the "work in progress" at:
https://flextools.cc/learn/install/

Regarding the little letters within parenthesis:
Which ever setting they are next to, like with (b) (c) (d) Opening - Width - 35.433" , that setting will only work if the drop down menu has (b) or (c) or (d) selected.
So in this case, if you want to see what happens when you change the Opening - Width setting, change the Side Panel setting from (a) to (b) Left for example. Then the Width of the door will be set to what you set in the "Opening - Width" and there will be a side panel on the left which will stretch as much as you scale the component with the scaling tool. Once you set the Side panel back to (a) OFF, the Total - Width setting is what controls the width of the component.

Let me know how it goes,

Ben Ritter

Thanks for the explanation to my questions. I'll try your suggestions and let you know.

So, bottom line, if I want a door opening that needs to have an exact 24" or 30" or 36" door leaf, I will have to do some additional math or some trial and error on the overall dimensions, then measure the door leaf width/height?

halroach

@ben ritter said:

Thanks for the explanation to my questions. I'll try your suggestions and let you know.

So, bottom line, if I want a door opening that needs to have an exact 24" or 30" or 36" door leaf, I will have to do some additional math or some trial and error on the overall dimensions, then measure the door leaf width/height?

I believe so. You would leave the "Side Panel:" setting we mentioned above on "(a) OFF", and you would need to calculate and input the Total width of the door by adding up the following:

"Frame - Width" X 2
+
"Clearance - Sides and Top" X 2
+
The door leaf opening you require. (24" or 30" etc.)

Once you have that set, you can save the door aside into the "Favorites Library". (check out the star icon with a plus on it). Once it's saved, you can pull it back in to the model quickly by clicking on the Star icon (without a plus).

One more note: You can change the default door that gets pulled in from the main toolbar by right clicking on the components within the Favorites Window...

Ben Ritter

@halroach said:

@ben ritter said:

Thanks for the explanation to my questions. I'll try your suggestions and let you know.

So, bottom line, if I want a door opening that needs to have an exact 24" or 30" or 36" door leaf, I will have to do some additional math or some trial and error on the overall dimensions, then measure the door leaf width/height?

I believe so. You would leave the "Side Panel:" setting we mentioned above on "(a) OFF", and you would need to calculate and input the Total width of the door by adding up the following:

"Frame - Width" X 2
+
"Clearance - Sides and Top" X 2
+
The door leaf opening you require. (24" or 30" etc.)

Once you have that set, you can save the door aside into the "Favorites Library". (check out the star icon with a plus on it). Once it's saved, you can pull it back in to the model quickly by clicking on the Star icon (without a plus).

One more note: You can change the default door that gets pulled in from the main toolbar by right clicking on the components within the Favorites Window...

Thanks so much for your response s