Newbie question - help on isolating a component
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OK, I am sure this is a very stupid and obvious question.... I am not sure I can explain this well, so bear with me....
I have been working through some tutorials on sketchup. I have a top and a bottom. I draw a post to connect the top and bottom. No problem. I do this by drawing a square, flush to the bottom, and then bumping that square into 3d and dragging it to the top where it intersects.
Then I want to select just that post so I can copy it, and put it at each of the corners. I double click on the post, but not only does the post get selected but so does the bottom. I notice when I zoom in that the post is melded with the base - there is no 'line' to indicate that the bottom of the post is separate from the bottom.
What I need to do is assure that the post I draw is separate from the bottom so I can select just the post and then copy it with the move tool. In other words, at the intersection of the bottom of the post and top of the 'bottom' I need to assure the elements are separate.
I have tried to create components of each. I have also tried to draw lines in. I know you can erase a line to 'meld' 2 pieces but can't seem to do the reverse to separate them.
Can anyone help?
Thank you!
Eric the Newbie
PS What is the easiest way to select an object and have it return to the origin?
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Eric, you need to use components. Not turn things into components when they are already stuck to the top or bottom but from the beginning. Draw a square in empty space (to the correct size), double click on it and make it a component. Now use the Move tool (grab it at a corner) and position it to your bottom or anything. Now again, use the move tool but now press the ctlr key to copy this component into each corner. Finally double click on any of these components and start push-pulling using the top as inference. Notice that all the other, three instances are "repeating" the push-pull operation. At the end, click aside, out of the component to close it.
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Another suggestion would be to delete the post you've got and clean up any unneeded lines. Then make components of the top and bottom. Next redraw the square and extrude it to make the post. The post will then be isolated from the rest of the model.
Get in the habit of making the thing you're working on into a component prior to moving on to the next part. If you do that every time, you'll never have the problem of things sticking together when you don't want them to.
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Thank you so much for your help! I don't know why I couldn't figure that out. I knew about making components but never thought about the order. Now that I know it seems so obvious.
Much appreciated!
Eric
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