Google SketchUp: The Missing Manual

Using Dynamic Components

When you were browsing around in the Components window, you may have noticed lots of components. One of the great things about SketchUp components is that you don't have to create them all yourself. Need a sofa, a Doric column, or a 1972 Ferrari? You can find just about anything under the sun using the Components window's Search box (Figure 5-29). SketchUp searches Google's 3D Warehouse, which is filled with components developed by artists like you and shared under the terms listed at www.google.com/intl/en/sketchup/3dwh/tos.html.

With SketchUp 7, you can use dynamic components, which are smarter and even more useful than ordinary components. Continuing with your quest to fence in the dog and the kids, suppose you don't have time to model your own fence? Instead turn to the Components window and type fence in the Search box. SketchUp does a quick search in the 3D Warehouse and displays some likely candidates in the Components window. A couple of the fences have the Dynamic Component icon in the thumbnail's lower-right corner, as shown in Figure 5-30. Click the component, and you may see some additional details in the description box.

Figure 5-29. Need a component for your model? Just type a word or two in the Search box and SketchUp hunts it down.

Figure 5-30. You ...