Dynamic Components Plugin

[Andres2688]

Hello people!

I have a question regarding the dynamic components tool. Is there a plugin that helps to set constraints in an easier manner? e.g. to make a face collinear to another one and mantaint that constraint while moving one of them. I found that AutoCad has these tools under the parametric constraints panel.
The dynamic component setup is too baroque to me and feels like it's opposed to the Sketchup fluent essence.

Thanks in advance
Cheers

[Dave R]

What version of SketchUp are you actually using? Your profile says you are using the free version of Sketchup 8 which wouldn't give you the ability to set up Dynamic Components anyway.

[Andres2688]

I use different versions, depending on what pc I'm using.
Still watching videos about DC makes me wonder if there is a more fluent tool to set constraints.

[numerobis]

makes me wonder if there is a more fluent tool to set constraints.

No.
I'm waiting for a usable version of DCs for more than 10 years now... There is simply NO development (not only regarding DCs). I tried DCs years ago and for me it felt like a bad joke compared to solutions in other programs like AutoCAD or Revit, especially for simple objects that only need basic operations like stretching that can be set up in a matter of seconds even in AutoCAD.
I my opinion it's not worth to invest any time into learning DCs in it's current state.

[Andres2688]

makes me wonder if there is a more fluent tool to set constraints.

No.
I'm waiting for a usable version of DCs for more than 10 years now... There is simply NO development (not only regarding DCs). I tried DCs years ago and for me it felt like a bad joke compared to solutions in other programs like AutoCAD or Revit, especially for simple objects that only need basic operations like stretching that can be set up in a matter of seconds even in AutoCAD.
I my opinion it's not worth to invest any time into learning DCs in it's current state.

Thank you so much numerobis for your answer, I agree with you. I wish I had the skills to do any programming!
I am learning how to use DCs since what I have to do is very simple, still TOO slow !!

Hope there is some extension coming soon to solve this issue.

[shawb]

Hope there is some extension coming soon to solve this issue.

I fear you will be waiting a long time for this! Apart from making the DC Component Attribute panel a bit easier on the eye you will always have to somehow program each element of the DC to do what you want it to do. As the designer (of the DC) only you know how the parts should interact.

AutoCad and Revit were mentioned earlier in the thread. It's probably ten years since I used either of those but do recall that Revit 'Families' (equivalent of DCs) were far more difficult to build than Sketchup DCs but they used a similar syntax/language and method to provide the instructions for making them work. In AutoCad I used Dynamic Blocks which provided constraints but, again, the input required was akin to what you would use in SU DCs. I'm relying on memory to comment here and have not used the Parametric version of AutoCad, maybe there is now something better than I remember!

Rather than a plugin to directly replace the DC Attribute interface, perhaps some form of graphic based workflow would help. Something in Excel maybe? Design the DC logic on another platform before tying your DC in knots within SU!

[ken]

Not sure this will help but have you tried Profil Builder 3, Assembly Dialog?


https://profilebuilder4sketchup.com/cat ... ly/page/3/

[Dav_ID]

The only sketchup's extension i knows is that one

Video

with constrains ... but it's an old plugin

[Andres2688]

Thank everyone for your answers, all very helpful.

The only sketchup's extension i knows is that one

Video

with constrains ... but it's an old plugin

-I will take a look at that Driving Dimensions Plugin, thanks for your help Dav_ID!

Not sure this will help but have you tried Profil Builder 3, Assembly Dialog?


https://profilebuilder4sketchup.com/cat ... ly/page/3/

-That Profile builder looks promising, I haven't seen it before, thank you Ken!

Hope there is some extension coming soon to solve this issue.

I fear you will be waiting a long time for this! Apart from making the DC Component Attribute panel a bit easier on the eye you will always have to somehow program each element of the DC to do what you want it to do. As the designer (of the DC) only you know how the parts should interact.

AutoCad and Revit were mentioned earlier in the thread. It's probably ten years since I used either of those but do recall that Revit 'Families' (equivalent of DCs) were far more difficult to build than Sketchup DCs but they used a similar syntax/language and method to provide the instructions for making them work. In AutoCad I used Dynamic Blocks which provided constraints but, again, the input required was akin to what you would use in SU DCs. I'm relying on memory to comment here and have not used the Parametric version of AutoCad, maybe there is now something better than I remember!

Rather than a plugin to directly replace the DC Attribute interface, perhaps some form of graphic based workflow would help. Something in Excel maybe? Design the DC logic on another platform before tying your DC in knots within SU!

-Maybe I didn't explain well myself. The tools that I miss from AutoCAD are the ones from the Parametric tab. It allows you to pick a line and set it to be paralell to another one, or just set a rigid dimension on an object that won't change when moved. They seem to be quite intuitive to me, I used to use them a lot. When you mentioned Excel I remember binding a sheet to an AutoCAD drawing in order to change an objects dimensions, that was quite interesting too. I cannot say much about Revit families since I didn't work so much with them, I tried to make a hinge door and it took me long time, it seemed more complicated to me than Sketchup.
Thanks for your time Shawb !

Cheers