Components

[dalek]

Why can't I get one of my components to move into another component I've made? Any ideas? Thanks.

[Gaieus]

Dalek,

When you open a component (in which you want to move another one - that is obviously outside of it), you cannot select anything but what is inside your opened component.

There are several ways though how you can do this

• Open the Outliner (Window menu) and there you can arrange any of your groups/components easily; such as moving one into the other as a "nested" component.
• You can cut your component (like you can cut things in other applications) then open the one you want to move it in and paste it (then place it) or if it was already in the right place, use the "Paste in place" command (Edit menu).
• You can also explode your existing component, place whateve you want in it and make it a component again with the existing name (say overwrite to the prompt).
  You can export your two components into a new2 SU file, explode there, place the one inside, make a component again, save and reload it (right click menu) into your original file.
  I'd suggest the outliner though. The easiest and smoothest of all possibilities.

BTW - Welcome to the forums here!

[dalek]

Thanks. Next question. When I want to add a small component onto the end of another component, I do so by making another component consisting of the two. So far so good. Now, how do I "meld" them together so that the lines don't show? For example, I'm adding a wood post end onto an existing post, both of which are components. I make a third component out of the combo, so I've got a component post with ends. How do I delete the lines between the two old components that have now become one?

[TIG]

@dalek said:

Thanks. Next question. When I want to add a small component onto the end of another component, I do so by making another component consisting of the two. So far so good. Now, how do I "meld" them together so that the lines don't show? For example, I'm adding a wood post end onto an existing post, both of which are components. I make a third component out of the combo, so I've got a component post with ends. How do I delete the lines between the two old components that have now become one?

If you want to have one (new) component that has the parts of the two components, BUT not the two components within it, then edit this new component that's now containing the two and select them both and explode them - now you have the parts within this new component BUT without any sub-components. Now you can erase any unwanted coplanar lines without losing their attached faces. If you remove an edge and a face goes with it then the faces to the sides of that edge aren't in the same plane (=coplanar)... so if you want the edge to be unseen you can either hide it or smooth it (erase+shift or erase+ctrl) - there are subtle differences in doing one or the other in the way the two faces appear to join or sweep together...
IF you want the two separate components to be kept within this new one, then to hide the edges where they 'join' you can edit each in turn and hide any edges that touch the other's so that when they are placed together in the final thing their coincident edges are hidden.
Toggle View > Hidden Geometry on/off to see hidden/smoothed edges as dotted lines...

[Gaieus]

You don't delete them because they are most probably edges of other faces you need to show.
You only delete the face that goes in between the two components and hide the edges bordering it.

See some ideas in this tutorial by Eric.
also note that this works best when the two faces are coplanar (so with two curved surfaces meeting it may show a break no matter how well you hide the edges). Edges of two different entities (components) cannot be smoothed together.

[dalek]

TIG,
Great help. Worked exactly as you said. Thanks from Kansas.
Dale

[dalek]

Is it possible to "search and replace" components? In other words, I have a component that I want to replace with a different component. Do I need to select, delete, choose new component, then place it? Or is there a simplier way?

[TIG]

@dalek said:

Is it possible to "search and replace" components? In other words, I have a component that I want to replace with a different component. Do I need to select, delete, choose new component, then place it? Or is there a simplier way?

Select the components to be replaced - picking + ctrl (or shift) adds to selection. In the component browser move the cursor over the component you now want, right-click and choose 'replace selected'. The selected components are replaced with that one...

You can also select an instance of a component and then select all the same ones using the 'select' sub-menu in the right-click context-menu... before using 'replace selected'... as explained above...

[dalek]

TIG,
Very helpful again. I've got another one.

I've got two components that cross in my model. I want to delete the bottom half of one of the components, and keep the top half that lies on the other side of the second component. Kind of like an "x", and I want to delete on of the edges so I end up with a "y". So, I "intersect with model." That gives me lines where the two compenents cross, but when I go to delete the edges I don't want, it deletes the entire edge, even the edge on the other side of component #2. Is there any way to prevent this, or do I have to retrace the shorter edges I want to keep?

Dale

[TIG]

@dalek said:

TIG,
Very helpful again. I've got another one.

I've got two components that cross in my model. I want to delete the bottom half of one of the components, and keep the top half that lies on the other side of the second component. Kind of like an "x", and I want to delete on of the edges so I end up with a "y". So, I "intersect with model." That gives me lines where the two compenents cross, but when I go to delete the edges I don't want, it deletes the entire edge, even the edge on the other side of component #2. Is there any way to prevent this, or do I have to retrace the shorter edges I want to keep?

Dale

Use 'Intersect' when you are within the component itself (during an edit). Do it for each component in turn. That way the intersecting lines are then made within the components and you should be able to erase them within each component during an edit as desired...