Christopher,
Really good model
...........
Do you know about this place ?
Bovington Tank Museum (UK)
http://www.tankmuseum.org/
...........
I believe they have the only working Tiger Tank MK I left in the World.
(Same chassis as a Tiger II Tank ???)
Well worth a visit if you ever get the chance.
They have LOADS of other Tanks and armoured vehicles too

• including a King Tiger Tank
  ............
  Tons of videos of the working Tiger Tank on YouTube
  eg this one (fast forward to about 1:30)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR9f6zrh4dM&feature=fvwrel
  .............
  The Museum might be able to help you out with Drawings / Plans / Photos etc
• especially if you show them what you've done so far and where you might be struggling for good info / photos / drawings etc to complete your model.
  ............
  Hope this Helps

Howard L'

Donald,
Really good model, thanks for showing it.
..........
Like you, I get involved with modelling steelwork structures.

A couple of plug-ins you may want to try that are VERY useful for such work:

Profile Builder
http://www.smustard.com/script/ProfileBuilder
Invaluable - well worth the £ / $
..............
StairCaseBuilder
A DC I've written to help model staircases - so you don't have to do everything by hand
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=18545
...........
Hope this helps

Howard L'

TIG,
I'm not sure if anyone has noticed or mentioned this before with regard to your XRef plugin........
.........
If I update a model that has Xrefs linked to it (ie if one of the Xrefs has changed and the parent model asks if I want to update model), when I update the model, the scene always changes to the shaded with textures style.
Typically, I tend to use the flat (shaded) style on all my styles.
..........
Might be worth looking into next time you are working on Xref plugin.
(Brilliant plugin by the way)
...........
Regards
Howard L'

SketchUp Elves,
Please update the SketchUp / ArcGIS plugin (its a Google written plugin).
Its not been touched (to my knowledge) since SU 6 / ArcGIS 8
........
If it could be updated to work with SU 8+ and ArcGIS 9+ it would be much appreciated
.........
Regards
Howard Leslie

Jim,
See SpiralStairCaseBuilder DC that I designed a while ago, it may help you:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=29484
I remember having a similar issue as the one you are having !!!
.........
In the end I decided to use handrailing guidelines in the DC.
The Spiral Staircase DC at the link above produces guidelines that are then used to construct the actual handrailing.
(a bit of manual finishing off).
That way you can use a bezier curve that gives a nice smooth finish to the handrailing.
(See Top Tips on Handrailing and the PDF at the link above).
..........
Hope this helps
Good luck with your DC

Regards
Howard L'

This may be of use for your purposes:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=18545
Very simple to use
..........
Hope this helps
Howard L'

Peter,
This Dynamic Door Component may be useful for your purposes:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=21350
..............
It's animated and you can change door size, door opening angle etc very easily with the dialog box
..............
Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'

Does anybody know if a Plugin or Script exists to Rename Components / Groups ???
If not, would anyone be interested in writing one ???
Would be very useful.
... SOME IDEAS ...
Eg to Add ID numbers to the start (or end) of a Components or Groups Name or Replace a Components or Groups Name Entirely.

eg Group or Components Original Names (for example) = RSC_9x3, RSJ_12x5, RSA_3x3 etc etc of which there are many in a model.
Script is Run.

New names = 1_RSC_9x3
Next Groups / Components = 2_RSC_9x3, 3_RSJ_12x5, 4_RSA_3x3, 5_RSA_3x3 etc etc.

OR

Option to have New Names Just as ID numbers (ie strip out original Names)
New Names = 1,2,3,4,5 etc etc
...........
New Name could equal:
[User Defined Start Number eg 1 or 100 etc plus User Defined Increments eg 1 or 20 etc]+[User Defined Seperator eg _ or - or & etc]+[Original Name].

ID Numbers may be a Prefix or Suffix. (Some users may want to specify this).
Additionally, some people may like the addition of some text to ID numbers.
.............
Script to Run on User Selection (if a selection is made) and Mine Down into Nested Groups / Components.
.............
A useful additional tool may also be to Name Components from their Definition Name (Blank by Default).
Users could (should) run this first to name Components.
(Option to delete Component Definition Suffixes eg #1 etc).
............
Users may also want ability to Strip off ID numbers eg Delete off Separator + ID from Group / Component Names.
ie Run the Script in Reverse at a later Date.
............
Any help / ideas / info much appreciated.
...........
Regards
Howard L'

Brodie,
See this:
http://www.smustard.com/script/SceneExporterPro
An invaluable tool - I'd be lost without it.
Pro version well worth the $10 - HIGHLY recommended.
........
There is also a free version.
........
I've found:
For everyday images (eg for use in MS Word / other applications or for A3/ A4 printouts) you can export out as jpg's.
For large (eg A0 / A1 size) high quality images, export out as png's (eg 6000+ px wide/tall ) - they come out really well - very sharp / crisp.
.........
Hope this helps
Regards

Howard L'

Speaker,
You'll have to decide if the following are any good or not as DC examples for your purposes, but some DC's I've created can be found in the Dynamic Components Area:

DC Door Builder
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=21350

DC StairCase Builder:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=18545

DC SpiralStairCase Builder:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=29484

...........
I suggest you do a search in the Dynamic Components Area of the Forum.
There a quite a few really good examples posted by different people in that area.
...........
I'd also suggest that you may like to move this thread to the Dynamic Components Area.
(Contact Moderators to do this).
...........
Hope this Helps

Regards
Howard L'

Andrew,
See attached.
Should get you started.
........
Extrude your CAD sections and use Bool Tools or new SU8 Solid Tools.
Use Intesect or Difference Tool
........
Hope this Helps

Howard L'

slophopper2.skp

Saladyne,
Your new improved DC looks OK
..........
A few Observations and Notes on DC quirks:

You don't have to design both metric and imperial versions (Good news !!!)

........ Flexible Units .................
In the Component Attributes Design Area......
I would NOT recommend using list boxes (dropdown menus) for user entered lengths / widths etc eg sizes such as door widths, heights etc eg for the Attribute LenY. (Not flexible for either you designing DCs or for your users).
Instead consider using settings as follows:

Units: Centimetres (Always pick this if you are UK / European - its very confusing !!! It doesn't mean your final DC Units are cm !!! NOT a good part of DCs)
Display Rule: Users Edit Text Box
Display Label: <Anything>
*** Display in: End users model Units *** <do this for all your user entered attributes>
Now users can use any units they wish - no need for you to make 2 DCs ie will work for American and European users no problem.

... Referencing Attributes - Relatively ............
You can use Parent!LenY for example to reference an attribute in a parent group or component (ie a relative referencing system can be used as opposed to an absolute referencing system).
Unfortunately you can't use Parent!Parent!LenY for a more deeply nested component. (2 levels down).
Parent! is useful because if you rename groups / components etc it still works.
...............
Hope this helps
Regards

Howard L'

Sebastian,
Has there been any further development on your Pipe Modelling Plugin ??? or
Are you planning any further development ???
..........
For those who have not seen it and are interested in modelling piping, see this:
http://www.3skeng.com/en/index.htm

Brilliant plugin, I've found it very useful and can highly recommend it.
...........
Feature requests:

Ability to name groups eg with pipe diameter
Ability to change a pipes diameter once it has been modelled (shift click to change diameter of multiple pipe sections).
............
Regards
Howard Leslie

We use Autocad / SketchUp all the time and are back and forth between the 2 programs constantly.
If we produce the CAD drawings - no problem 99 % of the time.

Occasional problems occur when curves turn into straight lines - sometimes you get clashes where previously in the CAD data you didn't. If you're aware of this SketchUp limitation you can get around it most of the time.
.........
If another Company has produced the CAD drawings then sometimes we have problems.
In other words, the problem you are experiencing is most likely not an Autocad problem.

If your CAD operators are using AutoCad as opposed to another CAD package and exporting as dwg / dxf out then the problems are most likely to be CAD operator error ie sloppy drawing.
Zoom in to some of the linework junctions / intersections in Autocad - are the joins good ???
........
Some CAD packages that export dwg / dxf (ie none Autocad) can mess the data up.
We've been on the receiving end of some of this junk also - can be a real nightmare.
........
Make sure your CAD operators are using the Snaps correctly in Autocad - End Point, Mid Point, Perpendicular etc.
All linework should be crisply snapped together - no over / under shoots.
Get them to turn off Nearest Snap - or use with caution - can be lethal in the wrong hands !!!
.........
Data Clean Up (in Autocad)

1. Turn drawing edge on - you should see a long flat line / lines. Anything above or below (0) is floating or drilled into the ground and needs fixing. (Manual Fix or FLATTEN)

2. FLATTEN Command - makes everything 2d

3. OVERKILL Command - eliminates duplicates

4. PURGEALL Command - Cleans out unused Blocks / Layers etc
   .........
   Hope this Helps

Howard L'

Saladyne,
After a quick look at the DC you posted.....
Your DC Door looks pretty good to me - especially the different door styles.
...........
You'll have to decide if the following are any good or not as DC examples for your purposes, but some DC's I've created can be found right here on this very forum:

DC Door Builder
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=21350

DC StairCase Builder:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=18545

DC SpiralStairCase Builder:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=29484

Plus a few more - do a search in Dynamic Components Area.

... DC Resources ...

As mentioned by others in this thread, DCs are poorly documented and development hasn't really changed since they were initially introduced. This is a shame because they are REALLY useful.

Some DC info that I've used and found helpful:

SketchUp 7 Guide (PDF) DC Development Chapter Pages 441 - 473. Download from Google SketchUp Official Website. Hopefully this chapter is still in the new Version 8 PDF Manual. Reasonable info in this Chapter. Well worth a read.

DC Component Functions:
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=108144

DC Reference Area:
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=115545

And of course, this forum !

Hope this Helps
...................
Regards
Howard L'

Eric,
This may give you some ideas:

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=21350
...........
Howard L'

It's quite old now and not the only way to achieve what you want:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=4276
I hope it helps you though
.........
Regards
Howard L'

SU 8 has allowed us to extract volumes of geometry with the native (built-in) tools.

Does anybody know.....
Does the volume attribute physically exist ???

ie is this new volume attribute attached to the geometry / embedded in the *.skp file somewhere like other attributes or
is it generated on the fly by SU on request ???
ie when you click on entity info or when you generate report (csv) and list out geometry and volumes
...........
The reason I ask is to do with extracting this attribute (volume) using other 3rd party software (FME).
Currently you can extract other *.skp attributes, but not volume, it doesn't seem to physically exist !!!
............
Any help much appreciated

Regards
Howard Leslie

mac1,
StairCaseBuilder is a Dynamic Component (SU version 7 file format)
All users of SketchUp can take advantage of DCs - both Free & Pro.
SU 7 & SU 8 can both use Dynamic Components
...........
TO USE THIS DC:

Open Component File - Don't Import it into an existing SU Model
(but see note below).
...
Bring up DC Toolbar: View - Toolbars - Dynamic Components
Dynamic Components Toolbar - Yellow Middle Icon - Component Options
Click on DC
Dialog Box Options should appear
...
Set options
Apply
...
Copy & Paste DC Staircase into your own model
.....................
You can actually import this DC into an existing model like a regular Component but the DC will be nested 1 Level down
(Look at Outliner).
You can still bring up the Dialog Box but you'll have to go inside the Components Context to do this.
(or Explode the outer most Component once)
..............
Hope this Helps / Make Sense

Regards
Howard L'

Jonathan,
This may give you some ideas
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=29484
........
See red staircase example and tutorial for modelling solid balustrades
for spiral and helical staircases
.........
You could model your whole staircase using this tool (dynamic component)

Hope this helps

Howard L'