tag properties

A newbie question for me dealing with layers.

I draw everything on layer 0, for example an architectural shell of a building. I then group it all together to isolate the geometry. I place that group on layer "arch. shell." Here is where I am getting lost.

For some reason I explode the group, the architectural shell group which was on layer "arch. shell." Once I explode my group, it changes all my lines and planes from layer 0, which it was originally drawn on and converts it to "arch. shell." Previously in SU the group would explode, not altering any property settings to the geometry inside the group.

Can anyone explain WHY this is happening? What is the purpose of this method verses the old method? And, if there is a way to prevent it from doing this.

thanks!

Michelle

It sounds to me like you have created a group on layer "arch shell" that is full of geometry that is still on layer0.

Therefore, when the group goes away, so does everything that was on layer "arch shell".

You can confirm this by going into Group Edit and right-clicking any entity to check its layer.

Todd

Thanks Todd, but I don't believe that is answering my question. Yes, you are correct, I have created a group and placed that group on "arch shell" that is full of geometry that is still on layer0.

You would think that when I exploded the group, all would show would be my layer 0. But, as you know, after you explode a group or a component all the geometry within that group /component becomes selected/ highlighted in blue. At this point, my layer manager or entity info should be highlighting Layer 0. But, instead, it is showing that all the selected/ highlighted items in blue are reading the layer the group was previously on.. 'arch shell".

still confused,

Michelle

Michelle,

I confirm your observation. When a group made up of primitive geometry is exploded, the primitive geometry appears to take the place of the group on whatever layer it was on when it was exploded (let's say Layer 1), even though the primitive geometry was originally on Layer 0 and was never deliberately moved to Layer 1.

But now this is peculiar: if you take the first group along with a couple of copies and make a group out of all of them, and then move the resulting second-order group to Layer 2, and if you then explode that group, the inner groups will still be on Layer 1, and the primitive elements will still be on Layer 0.

I can't explain any of this. Perhaps our Google friends will do so.

-Gully

Wait,

Being able to move the whole contents of a layer just like that does come in handy, sometimes. If you want to avoid this 'problem', simply don't use layer 0 for your entities.

Here's a recent thread that explains how to use layers:

http://groups.google.com/group/Sketchup-Pro/browse_thread/thread/

It doesn't mean of course, this is the only way to deal with layers.

Start off in exacly the opposite way, which is to always create layers for specific elements, and you'll never encounter the problem you described.

Take a look at this.

layers.skp

Here's the link once again...

http://groups.google.com/group/Sketchup-Pro/browse_thread/thread/ee8efbdd314be5f2?hl=en#