To better understand how to create and use components, I will use a bookshelf as an example in this lesson. In doing so, I will try my best to get exactly this series of elements as the end result, because there are great similarities and significant differences at the same time.
If I go back to the current project, you will see that I have the entire area of this wall available, so it will not be difficult for me to install the first segment. To that end, I’m going to run the Rotated Rectangle function and click on a point that’s right on the edge of the wall. The program will allow me to move the cursor in the direction directed to the existing element, so I only need to enter the distance that corresponds to the width of the shelf 12 units. If I press Enter after that, I will be able to define the length of this element, and it should be exactly 36 units. As soon as I complete this function, a rectangle will appear on the screen that represents the base of the future shelf, so I will take the opportunity to make a new component from it. To that end, I need to first activate the Select function, double-click to select the desired element, and open the auxiliary menu by pressing the right mouse button. After that, it won’t be difficult for me to activate the Make Component option and in the box that follows, enter the name of the new object, 12×36 Bookshelf.
Copying an element is much easier to do before you make a real 3D object out of it, so for that purpose I will immediately start the Move function and define the desired distance while holding the Control key with two clicks. After that, I only need to determine the number of new elements, and this can be done via the keyboard – by entering the parameter 5x. As soon as I press Enter, a series of new frames will appear on the screen, but it seems to me that I have gone a bit too far, so I will change their total number with 4x and complete the whole process with Enter.
Since I have successfully defined the size and position of individual segments, I have no choice but to determine their height. To that end, I will select any of the existing elements with two clicks and apply the PushPull function on it. The program will allow me to freely determine the third dimension, and I will try to make it slightly smaller than the height of the wall. As you could see for yourself, this change will automatically affect all segments because they come from the same component.