The Create Component dialog box


The Create Component dialog box is displayed when you attempt to create a component using the Make Component menu item.



The Name field can contain the name of the component definition. All component definitions must have a name.


The Description field can contain a description of the component.


Glue to

The Glue to drop-down list is used to identify the faces where your component can be placed when initially placed from the Components browser. For example, a standard door might only be glued to faces in the vertical (blue) plane. A grey gluing plane guide will appear when a specific gluing plane is selected. This plane represents exactly where the component will orient to a face and cut into a face. The following image shows a window component during component creation. Notice that the gluing plane (the grey plane) is parallel to the red/green plane and bottom of the window). This window component was also set to glue to vertical surfaces.

The following image shows what occurs when the previously mentioned window component is placed, from the Components browser, against a vertical surface. Notice that the window meets the vertical face at the window's bottom because it was created with a gluing plane that is parallel to the bottom of the window.

Usually you want windows and doors to have a gluing plane that is parallel to the front or back of the window or door (not the bottom). You might need to reorient the component's axes at creation, using the 'Set Plane' button, to properly set the gluing or cutting plane.

Set component axis

The component axis defines how the component inserts and aligns to other geometry or to the camera. The component axis also defines the cutting plane by the orientation of the red/green plane. The Set component axis button is used to specify a different origin for the component and to modify the orientation of the component when it is placed.

Cut opening

The Cut opening option allows the component to create openings in the face onto which it is placed. For example, a door or window component might be set to cut an opening in any wall where instances of the component are placed.

Note: There must be edges along the cutting plane of the component to cut a hole in a face.

Always face camera

The Always face camera option allows the component to take on billboard behavior by drawing the component as a 2D form. This option increases performance by eliminating the need to render the component as a 3D model.

Note: Components with the 'Always face camera' option enabled cannot have gluing behavior.

Shadows face sun

This option is only available when the 'Always face camera' option is enabled. The shadows face sun option causes the shadow to be cast from the component's current position as though the component were facing the sun. The shadow shape does not change as the component rotates to face the camera. This option works best with components that have short bases (such as trees). This option does not work well with components that have wide bases (such as people in mid stride).

Note: Ensure the component's axis is positioned at the bottom center of the component for best results.

Uncheck this option to cause the shadow to be cast from the component's current position. The size of the shadow changes based on view point.

Replace selection with component

The Replace selection with component option causes the currently selected entities to be turned into a component instance. Uncheck this option to create a component definition in the Components browser without creating a component instance from selection set.