Hi jster

I've been pretty busy so I haven't been able to update my components following Howard's very helpful input; hopefully sometime soon!

I initially tried to create a component that would cut the two wall planes in one go but as far as I can tell this is just not possible. Which is why I created the 'Front' and 'Back' door components; not ideal but better, I think, than forming an opening and placing a simple door component.

I had to orientate both the 'Front' and 'Back' components around the same 'lengthwise' start point so that, once placed, so long as you change the size of the opening on both components the opening stays aligned. The specific sizes were to suit 'standard' British door sizes but I can see this won't suit everyone so I'm planning a suite of components from very simple openings (with variable input) to more complex specific 'real world' door sizes and types. Not sure when I'll get around to uploading all these - soon I hope!

Hope this helps, S.

Hi tday
I've had a look at your example and I'm still slightly puzzled. There are 4 individual dynamic components but no single component combining them - am I missing something? Also I can only see lines no faces - and I can't find anything hidden - are you hoping the individual components will combine to create a face? The individual component lines can't combine to make a face (even if they connect) as each component works just like a Group and is kept separate from the others.
If I've understood the problem correctly and you want to see a complete face, with an outline, then individual faces will need to be present in each of the individual sub-components with the lines where the components meet hidden. Using the shape you have this won't work with triangles because you would be hiding edges that you want to be visible. The solution is to create your shape using only rectangles (with faces) hiding only the lines where two rectangles meet.
I may have misunderstood but I hope this is of some help, S

Can you please post an example - as I'm finding it difficult to follow what is going wrong with the Component from your description.

After playing about a bit with DC's I've managed to update my door componentDoorway03x.skpso it's a bit more flexible (still metric I'm afraid). You can now click on the frame to change its appearance and I've tidied up the facing detail to hide the part edges. Imperial version next!

Hi - I had a quick look at your component. It doesn't seem to be a whole table; when I download it I get a top and 4 legs and only the top is dynamic. It may not have uploaded correctly. To upload dynamic components right click on the component and select 'share component' - this should work and it will allow you to upload updates later.
Regards, S

No-one else stepped in so I've done a bit more research and there is a problem with the coding in fizgig's DC. To quote the 'Assembling a Dynamic Component' example from this site; "When you want to reference an attribute value quotation marks are not needed. If you are telling an attribute to do something they are needed". The quotes are noticeably missing around 'swing_angle' in fizgig's component... adding them in fixes the problem of creating a rogue attribute. It doesn't however fix the referencing issues, but these can be corrected by moving the 'onClick ANIMATE' command to the BODY part of the component.

Jason - The file is available in fizgig's 'Anyone know why changing "RotZ" to 45...' thread.
I would agree that this is a Sketchup bug; I was able to duplicate the problem in a new file using new Components. If a negative value is used in the OnClick 'Animate' or 'Set' functions a new Attribute is created when the negative value is reached; the Attribute is given the name of the -value; it can be deleted but not edited.
I'm new to DCs but I checked the advice on usage in the 'Dynamic Components Function Examples' and I don't think there is an problem with fizgig's usage.
Regards, S

Oops! V7 version of model attached!

test2_av7.skp

There must be syntax issues - that I don't fully understand; perhaps a more experienced DC creator could comment? It would appear you can't have negative values or nested links (with this arrangement of variables)... However hopefully the attached solves your problem!

test2_a.skp

The axis on this component are reversed; the blue axis is downwards (-180). Double click on the component to see the start point and axis orientation. In other words the X axis rotation is -180 (you can show this by displaying the RotX and RotY attributes (Pro version of Sketchup only). For some reason (not sure why - maybe someone from Google could explain?) when you change any rotation in a Component the other two rotations are set to 0 so when you change the Z axis rotation to 45 the guy is 'flipped' to 0 rotation on the X axis.

You can sort this by reversing the original axis direction of the component using the axis tool or by rotating the Component by 180deg (round the X axis). If you want two rotations in a Component; say RotX and RotZ you will need to 'nest' the Component and rotate the nested elements separately... see my comments on the 'DC "jumping" when moved/rotated' thread.
S

Updated model attached. You may need to play with the Portrait/Landscape orientation.

Sharp 235 Dynamic_A.skp

If you enter a value (without an = sign), in the Component Attributes dialogue, just before you Save the Component it will be 'remembered' when the component is placed and will remain visible until changed by the user; is this what you mean?

Many thanks, Jason and Jaxcoffee, for your responses.

I've been careful how I download/insert components and a number of DC authors mention your point, Jason, in the component descriptions.

I'm just puzzled that door components like this; http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=7bab89bf893fd435de650492e45fb14f&prevstart=0 are put forward as examples by 'Google' - the downloaded scale is weird, the handle position is very high and doesn't relocate to the edge when the door width is reduced (the handle can actually end up on the same side as the hinge on a narrow door), but worst of all the door opens into the door frame! Surely this is a component in urgent need of an update and not a good example for anyone?

Jaxcoffee - It seemed a bit too big a step to learn Ruby and then try writing a Ruby Script for a simple door, but I take your point that Ruby is much more flexible... maybe that's where I need to go; especially as getting good quality info about creating DCs is proving tricky.

Best regards, S

I don't know if this would help but the following Input uses a single attribute to set the value taken from Input_val; if less than Min then Min is used, if more than Max then Max is used, otherwise the Input_val is used - not ideal but it might help reduce your code a bit:

=IF(Input_val<Min_val,1,0)*Min_val+IF(Input_val>Max_val,1,0)Max_val+Input_valIF(Input_val>=Min_val,1,0)*IF(Input_val<=Max_val,1,0)

Regards, S

Howard - Brilliant, thanks! This is just what I need. It's frustrating that I didn't find your models in my initial searches - but clearly I should have posted on this forum sooner!!!

Your stairs look fantastic - I'll certainly have a look at those in more detail.

Many thanks, S

Your problem (fortunately easily solved) is that Sketchup can't deal with multiple rotations in the x,y and z planes for components; I'm not sure why but the other rotations are always set to 0 when a change is made.

To fix this simply create a new top level component with your solar panel inside it (draw a line,box,whatever, select it and the panel component and 'Make Component'; you will then need to ask your questions in the new component rather than in 'Sharp 235' and have the values in 'Sharp 235'; C_Tilt_Angle for example come from the new top level component.

I hope this helps. S

I've just started, having a go, at creating some dynamic components. I've been looking for examples of 'good' libraries or even individual components to learn from... is it just me or is there a dearth of good component examples out there?

My search for examples started because I was looking for a simple 'dynamic' door which I could insert into a wall and adjust its size. I wanted the door to cut the wall but I wasn't looking for anything fancy; just to place the door, adjust the width and height and have an opening be created in the wall... I couldn't even find a component that would insert a simple frame and cut an opening... all the dynamic door components seem to concentrate on swinging leafs and not much else!

Unfortunately many of the components I have downloaded (as examples) have serious bugs a couple even caused Sketchup to crash; although this may also be a Sketchup issue? Some components initially seem fine but would always jump to the origin, others just don't do what it says on the tin, they distort when scaled and many are frankly very basic examples. There are however one or two very nice dynamic models which I found very useful - just not enough!

There seems no easy way to search for actual dynamic components as opposed to regular components which have 'dynamic' as a key word. In addition manufacturers libraries of hundreds of very similar components (kitchen cupboards for example) clutter the search for useful examples. It would be good if there was a way to omit particular groups or creators from a search. As an aside I don't understand why there are hundreds of very similar 'dynamic' kitchen cabinets surely the whole point of dynamic components is that a single component can cover multiple types and sizes?

The advice on this forum for 'good DC characteristics' seems very manufacturer centric - how about some straightforward advice on good practice for non corporate component creators; on assigning variable names, building nested geometries, managing/defining start points and sub-component orientation etc. This information may be out there somewhere but it's not easy to find?

Anyway... I've created a fairly simple dynamic door called 'Door Multi' (search under BaxStudio), also attached.
It needs to be placed directly, from the component library, on a wall face but it cuts an opening and is adjustable. It can be handed using the scale tool. Combined with 'Door Back' it will form an opening in a double skin wall. Apologies to anyone using feet and inches - this first version is metric only.

As this is my first attempt at any type of component creation or upload I'm sure the model needs lots of adjustment - I have particular concerns about variable/component naming and although it seems straightforward, to me, to use I know there will almost certainly be issues for others. Also it was created on the PC version of Sketchup 8 so I don't know if it will work properly on a Mac. Any positive criticism/feedback would be gratefully received. And links to 'good' examples of Dynamic Components would be greatly appreciated!

Many Thanks, S

Door Multi & Door Back

We're having a similar problem. I've just installed 2 new fonts (.OTF) but although they are available in other software, like Word, Sketchup doesn't display them in the 3D Text dialogue. Is there any way to fix this?