Thanks to all who replied-

I tried disassembling the closet, and was surprised to see how many separate components there were. I'm wondering if housebuilder has a version with US measurements- I tried building a wall with it and it worked great but I couldn't find the proper dimensions for 2x4's (1.5" x 3.5").

I'm going to re-draw my first project with extensive use of components and/or groups to see if this helps.

Thanks,
Dan

Thanks so much!
I'll try these tips tomorrow- I'm amazed to hear about triple clicking, and being able to move things to different layers. Newbies start out not knowing anything, but certain somehow that they know it all. I miss the days when I could go to bed with a manual and highlight all those subtle but important tips and techniques.

I thought I'd give version 6 a try... I've used several CAD programs in the past (like TruSpace, Generic CAD, but not Autocad or other high end programs) and perhaps this is a problem for me, as I might be used to working in a manner that SU doesn't like(?). I'm trying to draw my recording studio control room with proposed modifications. I'm using three layers- one for "as-is", one for "proposed", and one for "equipment". When I draw the 2x4's that go behind the drywall, some have only two sides and no middle or ends, some have ragged ends, and all are hard for me to manipulate into the right positions. I'll try to select all the sides of a 2x4 and discover I missed an end, or that part is on one layer and part is on another. I'll try to orient the 2x4 on to another piece of wood, and it won't sit in the exact right place. I'll try to make a copy of one 2x4 and then paste it in other locations and it loses pieces somehow and/or is very hard to copy without getting unwanted parts. I've tried to make a generic 2x4 component, but then find I can't modify its length to fit into another place. I've got bits of crud leftover on my drawing that I can't eliminate.

I've seen examples of very detailed work, and I wonder how in the world SketchUp created it! Can I make a drawing in SU that has not just the visual image of a room, but also the layers of drywall, and the wood studs behind it? Is there a way to take a rectangle, stretch it into an 8 foot long 2x4, and then save it for accurate repeated placement and modification? Are layers new to SU and do they work? Thanks in advance for any advice- I've tried some tutorials, but these really just show sketches, not how to accurately create detailed plans. I can't use just a box with a roof stretched on top. And what if you want to enlarge an area, or modify it- I discover that my primative parts are hollow and come to pieces as I try to change them. Or they are fused together when I try to separate them!