Can't create holes in wall using window component

[Tonic]

Let's say - I have a long hall with a wall where I want to put 30 windows on using one window component. Whatever I've tried, it couldn't make hole in wall properly. I couldn't find tutorials concerning this problem and so I'm here.

The question is simple - how to successfully create many windows using only one self-made window component?

Sounds very basic, but, oh well ;)

[Portus]

I have the exact same issue, cutting each wall rectangule would be too tiresome.

[Chirp Chirp]

I made a tutorial on using component cutters here it also includes some examples. http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2234242&postcount=27

Now for the the trick to make them...
When you go to create a component:
* First click "Set Component Axes" align the axis with the face that will do the cutting. This can be a bit tricky just keep trying until you figure it out.
* Next set Glut to: Any
* Then make sure the Cut Opening box is checked.

After the component is created, open the local component library (click the house button in the component browser) and select the component you just made then drag it onto the face to be cut.

Things you can't do with them:
* They will not cut components or groups, it will only cut raw geometry.
* Cutters can not be grouped together with other cutters, when you do they stop cutting.
* Cutters will only cut 1 face. Use the cutter trick tutorial posted above if you want to cut through something with thickness.
* Cutters must be closed. This will not work "U" this will "O"

Let me know if you have more questions.

[Tonic]

I made a tutorial on using component cutters here it also includes some examples. http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2234242&postcount=27

Now for the the trick to make them...
When you go to create a component:
* First click "Set Component Axes" align the axis with the face that will do the cutting. This can be a bit tricky just keep trying until you figure it out.
* Next set Glut to: Any
* Then make sure the Cut Opening box is checked.

After the component is created, open the local component library (click the house button in the component browser) and select the component you just made then drag it onto the face to be cut.


Okay, I've created a block that has half of wall's thickness, made it as component with those options you said. But it doesn't cut the wall - I snap it to wall's face but I can see only component edges, not hole. What I'm possibly doing wrong?

[J Wilson]

Would it make sense for your project to make a section of wall, and then cloning it as many times as needed and then erasing the seams? I think this way you could do more window treatments rather than just cutting a hole (like the window's frame etc).

[Tonic]

Well, I don't get the idea. You mean drawing rectangle on wall, then copying it few times and erasing edges (seams?) around rectangle? Still, I can't understand as it doesn't work because they simply dissappears.

[J Wilson]

See illustration for what I was trying to describe. You create a single section of wall with the window in place. Then you use that section as many times as needed, then erase the seams so it becomes one wall rather than a series of wall sections.

The advantage of this way is the window can be more complex than just a hole in a wall. It can include any kind of other details like the frame etc.

[Tonic]

Thank you for mini-tutorial :) I must admit it's a nice workaround, espiecially for my hall. But to be honest, I find the problem with windows amusing for software geared toward architecture :)

[Chirp Chirp]

I made a step by step tutorial in hopes of making component cutters easier. I admit I recall having troubles trying to figure it out when I first started. Let me know if you are still have problems.

[Tonic]

I made a step by step tutorial in hopes of making component cutters easier. I admit I recall having troubles trying to figure it out when I first started. Let me know if you are still have problems.

That helped a lot - but I have a question. To make a hole, you need two cutters - one for one side of wall, and second for other side after copying and rotating cutter by 180 degrees? That's what I did, but I wanted to ensure.

[Chirp Chirp]

You shouldn't have to copy and rotate 180, but yes you want to put another cutter on the backside to make a hole through geometry with thickness (aka not a face/surface). If you do a copy/paste the cutter should always glue itself correctly against the wall. The trick is making sure the cutter thickness is half the thickness of your wall.

Another trick I've found helpful is to always set the cutter axis/origin to be on the bottom middle of the component. This way when swapping in new cutters of different sizes they stay aligned on both sides of the wall. If you don't do this then one cutter will shift left and on the other side it shifts right. Its hard to describe in words but I think when you play around with them some more you will start to understand the benefits of standardizing the origin to be in the middle.

Lastly, assuming you have SketchUp pro, turning a component into a dynamic components is extremely powerful. Once done, unique changes can be applied to a component instance. For example, you can change the size of a window or door while keeping the frame thickness exactly the same but without having to manage entirely new components. Being able to manage one window style with lots of different sizes is a lot easier than managing 30 component variations of the same window but in different sizes. This kind of thinking is very helpful when you start working on large projects, or with multiple people, or find yourself building the same objects over and over again across different projects.