The best book for advanced SketchUp users. There is a very good chapter about components:
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596155100
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Making Multiple Copies
1.
Copying in Linear Arrays
2.
Creating Linear Internal Arrays
3.
Building a Nonorthogonal Linear Array
4.
Copying in Circular Arrays
5.
Creating Circular Internal Arrays
Chapter 2 Following Paths with Follow Me
1.
Extruding a Follow Me Face to Cut Volume Along a Path
2.
Using Follow Me to Add Volume Along a Path
3.
Keeping Original Objects Intact During Follow Me
4.
Using Follow Me When Faces and Paths Are Not Adjacent
5.
Creating Objects in the Round
6.
Creating Spheres
7.
Using a Follow Me Path in 3D
Chapter 3 Intersection Edges: Cutting and Trimming
1.
Trimming an Object
2.
Cutting All Intersected Objects
3.
Using Groups or Components to Create Cutting Objects
4.
Intersecting with Groups and Components, Without Exploding
5.
Intersecting with Both Intact and Exploded Components
6.
Intersecting Only Selected Objects
7.
Intersecting Within a Group or Component
8.
Using Intersect to Trim Components with Themselves
Chapter 4 Advanced Intersect and Follow Me Techniques
1.
Creating Temporary Faces for Follow Me
2.
Rounding Corners
3.
Creating Lathed Shapes
4.
Roofing with a Uniform Slope
5.
Creating "Dummy" Follow Me Paths
6.
Extending Follow Me Paths
7.
Using Intersect to Create a 3D Follow Me Path
Chapter 5 Roofs: Constraints and Inferences
1.
Creating an Overhanging Roof
2.
Creating Dormers
3.
Working with Roof Intersections
4.
Creating Overhangs with Autofold
Chapter 6 Groups: Protect and Defend
1.
2.
Ungluing Faces
3.
Unsticking Edges
4.
Protecting from Edits
5.
Cutting and Slicing
6.
Two-Sided Coloring
7.
Locking a Group
Chapter 7 Components: Efficiency in Repetition
1.
Creating a Component
2.
Using the Components Window
3.
Inserting a Component
4.
Editing or Exploding a Component
5.
Renaming a Component
6.
Saving a Component in Its Own File
7.
Accessing Local Components
8.
Painting Components
9.
Repeating Objects with Different Sizes
10.
Aligning and Gluing
11.
Using Components for Symmetric Models
12.
Placing Windows in 3D Walls
13.
Reloading Components
14.
Replacing Components
15.
Working with the Outliner
Chapter 8 Painting, Materials, and Textures
1.
Finding Materials and Images
2.
Getting Images into Your Model
3.
Creating Material Collections
4.
Painting Multiple Faces
5.
Changing Material Size and Color
6.
Copying a Material
7.
Using Translucent Materials
8.
Painting Edges by Material
9.
Positioning Textures: Fixed Pins
10.
Positioning Texture on Round Faces
11.
Creating and Editing a Unique Texture
12.
Using Alpha-Transparent Images
Chapter 9 Modeling with Digital Photos
1.
Positioning Textures with Free Pins
2.
Editing a Photo
3.
Adding Faces to Patch an Image
4.
Using Images to Make Face Camera Components
5.
Using Free Pins and a Single Image to Paint a 3D Object
6.
Using Photo Match to Model a 3D Object
7.
Using Photo Match to Paint an Existing Model
Chapter 10 Modeling with Exact Dimensions
1.
Working with Lines
2.
Working with Rectangles
3.
Working with Circles and Polygons
4.
Working with Arcs
5.
Importing Graphics
6.
Using the Tape Measure for Construction Lines and Points
7.
Measuring and Marking Angles
8.
Finding the Area of Faces
9.
Creating a Grid
10.
Measuring Lengths and Resizing
11.
Resizing Models with Groups and Components
12.
Resizing Parts of Your Model
13.
Resizing a Model in Multiple Directions
Chapter 11 Presentation: Showing off Your Model
1.
Working with Layers
2.
Working with Scenes
3.
Working with Shadows
4.
Sectioning Your Model
5.
Using Layers and Scenes to Control Displayed Objects
6.
Using Layers, Scenes, and Groups for Different Design Scenarios
7.
Studying Shadow Movements
8.
Walking Through Your Model
9.
Creating Animated Sections
10.
Creating Staged Sectioning Animation
Chapter 12 Displaying Your Model
1.
Hiding and Softening Edges
2.
Changing the Style
3.
Creating a New Style
4.
Saving Styles
5.
Saving a Style As a Template
6.
Mixing Styles
7.
Adding a Watermark
8.
Creating a Sketchy Edge Style
9.
Using Styles in a Presentation
Chapter 13 3D Warehouse and Google Earth
1.
Finding Models in the 3D Warehouse
2.
Refining Your 3D Warehouse Search
3.
Uploading Models to the 3D Warehouse
4.
Creating Collections in the 3D Warehouse
5.
Controlling Model or Collection Privacy
6.
Adding Models or Collections to Your Collections
7.
Taking Credit for Your Model
8.
Manually Georeferencing Your Model
9.
Georeferencing Your Model by Using Google Earth
10.
Getting Your Models into the 3D Buildings Layer
11.
Creating a Placemark in Google Earth
12.
Relocating a Georeferenced Model
13.
Downloading Buildings That Appear in Google Earth
Chapter 14 Dynamic Components
1.
Finding Dynamic Components
2.
Interacting with Dynamic Components
3.
Investigating Dynamic Component Options
4.
Scaling Dynamic Components
5.
Modifying and Replacing Dynamic Components
6.
Sizing by the Reference Point