Thanks for your replies.

@Dave R

@unknownuser said:

It would be better to teach them about how editing one component edits all other copies in the model

You are right, it's probably the way I should choose.

@Gaieus

@unknownuser said:

In fact, if you build up more complex components

I think the pupils are fine with "simple" components. See also the SKP-File below.

@Wo3Dan

@unknownuser said:

They can even scale them etc. But each time the try to enter them for editing, they will get a warning.

A very interessting approach. I will keep that in mind and run a test.

After I wrote the initial entry here I created a "brick builder workplane". The primitivs (groups)are placed on a "sidebar". Each group can be pulled from there 10 times.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/download?mid=ddd420a760b0580ab121301160291f7d&rtyp=s8&fn=SUStart&ctyp=other&ts=1366102577000

@ely862me:

@unknownuser said:

Joint Push&Pull !! viewtopic.php?t=6708

That sounds good. I'll give it a try. Thanks

@andre51

@unknownuser said:

They should be able to set the "skin" or outer shell to only print a certain thickness.

Yes, that's right. I'll ask Shapeways, what they can do for me.

@unknownuser said:

We do it on our little printer and it is a very simple process.

So do we. We can define (to) many parameters.

@d12dozr:

@unknownuser said:

Print services typically operate on an automated system, and this kind of customization is too much for current systems.

Exactly! That's why I was looking for a plugin.

I did it! The fridge does not look so well designed but it works as it should.
Thanks Jim

Regards
Kurt

KuehlschrankV2.skp

Hi Jim

OK, i'll try. Thanks for your advice.

Kurt

Some time ago I created the DC "Box.skp". It was quite easy because it was built by a simple cube. No nested groups at all. The "Fridge.skp" seems to be more complicated. Finally I would like to get the option that I can set the overall width and depth and the height of the lower (fridge) and the upper section (freezer). I need a hint where i should start. Any suggestions?

Regards
Kurt

Fridge.skp

Box.skp

It looks good!

@unknownuser said:

texture them like a checker

It is not a must. I'am fine with your solution.

When I choose "LenZ = 1cm" the copies are not shown. I will figure it out when i going to spend more time to DC.

General question: Are DC often used or is that something for Geeks?

Regards
Kurt

I will try and do my very best.

@unknownuser said:

Does that make sense?

Definitly! But as I am a bloody beginner with DC I have gone the way I could handle. Changing this to geometry is perhaps a challenge when I have got more experience. By now I have no idea how to start.

Kurt

Hi Brodie

@unknownuser said:

If your end goal is rendering

No, that's not my goal. The texture may help the students to understand, how wide, long and deep the box is. Each square is (should be) a square centimeter.

Regards
Kurt

I created a dynamic component, which calculates the volume of a "paper" box. The size of the unfolded piece of paper is set to 24 by 16 cm. Depending on the height of the box (that can be choosen in the dialogbox), you get a different volume.
For educational purposes these functions are just great.

The texture unfortunatly gets scaled when the box height is altered. Is there a way to avoid that or can somebody help with a workaround?

Regards
Kurt

Schachtel.skp

Hi
After a period of time i restarted to work with SP. As long as I did not build in joints, it worked pretty well. But when I added more complex stuff with joints, I got immediatly a bug splat. Is there a chance to get SP working more error-free.
I work currently with V3.2, I testet it also with 3.1
Regards Kurt

Edit:
Error message: Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library
This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way. Please contact...

Pinball.skp

OK, I'll test it.
Do you mean that I should leave DCs for this kind ob problems?

As time goes by I fixed the problem with the sections
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=f16964bbd6a753b29e756bc8ea688b9b
It works now pretty good. If I worked with DC, could I control the amount of truncation without getting into the component and change the position of the section? Something like a slider would be perfect. Specially if I could control it from outside of the component. Can something be done by DCs?
Kurt

@unknownuser said:

Maybe you could use a Section Plane animation?

I did it like this. It works when I alter the component. Unfortunatley the whole model looks quite confusing (for students without SU experience).

When I work with sections and scenes I'am afraid I can't control the amount of truncation. I just can switch between the preset scenes, is that correct? Could I control an DC by a slider? Even a self created one which comunicates with the octahedron.

@Dave:

@unknownuser said:

You can't really do anything destructive with Dynamic Components

Yes, that's right. I was thinking about this way: The octahedron is always truncated. With the DC I would just change the dimension X. Sorry for missleading. Perfect would be if I could change this X by something like a slider.

@Pilou: amazing collection

I want to create a truncated octahedron for educational purposes. By now I found this way: Start from a basic octahedron, divide the triangle lenght by 3, draw lines and then cut the pyramides of (orange part). This is quite easy but it takes some time. To show how the octahedron is transformed I would like to try it with dynamic components. I dont work with the SU pro but i consider to buy it. Is something like that possible? Perfect would be if I click on the model a part of the pyramides is cut off. That can be repeated al long as dimension x is not null. Is this the right way to do it?

Regards
Kurt

Thanks for replaying

@unknownuser said:

it seems a bit excessive to reinvent the wheel...

Your are completely rigth! That does not make sense. I was just looking for a possability to set and save such an option along the skp-file.

@unknownuser said:

Have you considered the JointPushPull script ?

Yes, I thought about that. But I decided to work only with a few plugins.
Regards,
Kurt

Is there a possability to set the Push/Pull option to add a new starting faces? Right now, I have to press [Ctrl], when I will create these faces.

Regards,
Kurt

Hi Gaieus

Thank You for Your reply.

@unknownuser said:

The real solution would be to delete the big component when you are zoomed in enough and it cannot be seen anyway. Of course, this is only good if you are exporting it as an animation and not presenting it live...

Yes, that is exactly the problem. If it was my goal to create a movie, this workaround would be perfect. But I would like to give the possability to hover around and explore it. I will see, if I can let it the way you suggested.

Kurt

Hi

I have got a model with some szenes. Each szene shows a scaled part of the last one (factor 10-3). When I come to the last szene, the geometry is no more correctly shown. It seems to be sliced. Can I change some settings that this does not occur?

Kurt

MB8 LU-5 wie viel ist viel.skp