Lesson 03: How to create Dynamic Components in Sketchup : Simple Shelf Example

Dynamic Component lesson with specific examples of simple wooden wall shelves, with the main feature of resizing without changing the proportion of the details, scaling correctly. This is the most basic lesson of Dynamic Components in SketchUp. It also shows how to reduce the number of anchor points (grips) for the Scale command.

Video Lesson:

Download Example Models

Dynamic-Wall-Shelf.skp

Before start:

• You need SketchUp Pro (or Studio). Authoring Dynamic Components is only available on a paid SketchUp Pro subscription — the desktop app is the place to build them.
• The web editions (free SketchUp for Web and the paid SketchUp Go) cannot create or edit Dynamic Components at all. Dynamic Components are powered by a built-in extension, and the web versions don’t run extensions — so even a Go subscription won’t let you author this shelf. Build it on desktop Pro, then anyone can simply resize the finished .skp.
• You need basic skills in SketchUp to model an ordinary wooden wall shelf.
• Make wood materials available (optional)

Lesson objectives:

• How to create a complete Dynamic Component in SketchUp.
• Create a Dynamic Component wooden shelf object with size binding.
• Learn the Size attributes (dimensions) (LenX, LenY, LenZ)
• Learn the Position attributes (X, Y, Z)
• Learn the Scale Tool attribute to reduce the number of anchor points of the Scale command.
• Set the ability to edit (User can Edit), as shown in the Dynamic Component Options.

Notes:

• Pay attention to the position of the coordinate axes of each component, because this is the basis for calculating size and position.
• Use Change Axes to set or review the position of the coordinate axes.
• You should set the Size attributes first, then the Position attributes — it’s easier that way.
• Instances of the same Component always share the same Size (LenX, LenY, LenZ); only their Position (X, Y, Z) may differ.
• You rarely need to write a formula for Position at all. When a sub-part sits at the parent’s origin its X/Y/Z is just 0, and when it sits at the far edge you can reference the parent dimension directly (e.g. Y = Parent!LenY – LenY) instead of typing a fixed number. Keeping Position relative to the parent is what makes the shelf resize without breaking — hard-coded distances are the most common reason a Dynamic Component falls apart when scaled.
• Use the Scale Tool attribute to reduce the Resize grips — e.g. setting it to “Resize along Red, Green, Blue” leaves only the directions you actually want users to drag, so they can’t accidentally distort the part.
• Check the finished behavior with both the Scale Tool and the Configure / Component Options panel (right-click → Dynamic Components → Component Options).
• If you want the same parametric idea but for users on the web or without Pro, the modern alternative is Live Components (graduated from SketchUp Labs into SketchUp in 2025 and configurable in the 3D Warehouse). Live Components offer more configuration options than Dynamic Components, but note they require an internet connection to reconfigure even when the .skp is already saved locally — so Dynamic Components remain the better choice for fully offline, self-contained models like this shelf.