Google Sketchup to 3D Canvas

[osonegro]

I have read tutorials, and tried many things in an attempt to get my model of the train shed from Sketchup to Railworks via 3D Crafter but nothing seems to work. I am able to get simpler models through this route, i.e. the windows by themselves or the doors by themselves, I even took off the whole roof and tried to get just the walls, doors and windows to work and that didn't work either. I import the model, apply textures, merge all the meshes, apply textures to any hidden surfaces that I didn't get in the beginning, export it to railworks, create the blueprint, but when I try to see it using the asset editor, its not there.

I have been at this now for a couple of weeks and I think I am calling it quits. I have no idea how people are doing this. I think you have to build the model either in 3ds Max or in 3D Crafter. I'm not sure I have the patience to go through the learning curve for either program and then find out that does not work either. Perhaps my idea of doing a prototypical route of the Shasta Division was wishful thinking.

[jpetersjr]

Have you put a default texture from 3D Crafter onto every part in sketchup that will be seen. You have to do this to help hold the faces in when exporting.

Have you right clicked and then made all objects in sketchup into one group. You have to do this and make the object a component to make sure everything appears where it should be. This works most of the time.

Have you downloaded the freeware Blender and exported from sketchup as a (dae, Collada File)
After you export the file as a dae what you do is import into Blender and then export from there as a 3DS file. Then you simply import it into 3D Crafter Pro.

I've noticed that this is one of the easiest ways to import from sketchup.

If you still have problems after this write me and we'll try to figure it out.

[osonegro]

Have you put a default texture from 3D Crafter onto every part in sketchup that will be seen. You have to do this to help hold the faces in when exporting.

Have you right clicked and then made all objects in sketchup into one group. You have to do this and make the object a component to make sure everything appears where it should be. This works most of the time.

Have you downloaded the freeware Blender and exported from sketchup as a (dae, Collada File)
After you export the file as a dae what you do is import into Blender and then export from there as a 3DS file. Then you simply import it into 3D Crafter Pro.

I've noticed that this is one of the easiest ways to import from sketchup.

If you still have problems after this write me and we'll try to figure it out.

Yes to all except exporting to Blender. I have sketchup pro and exported to a .obj file and then imported into 3D Crafter. I was following one of the tutorials. I also tried to export to a 3DS file but did not get good results. I am currently getting some help from PapaXpress so we will see what happens I am making the model and textures available to him. Be happy to do the same with you if you can help or want to. At least to tell me what I'm doing wrong.

[osonegro]

...............Have you right clicked and then made all objects in sketchup into one group. You have to do this and make the object a component to make sure everything appears where it should be. This works most of the time..........

If you do this doesn't this make it hard to apply different textures to different parts of the model??

[jpetersjr]

Not at all, you will have to texture it again in 3D Crafter anyways. This just holds the faces so your model doesn't export over with faces missing.

This doesn't effect texturing in 3D Crafter, this just helps so that your pieces export over in the correct place and most of the time when they import into Crafter they won't be separated from the model.

[StampedePass]

Will this work to export to Blender as well?

For you guys using Blender, this is worth a look.

http://home.exetel.com.au/randomsoftwar ... al_09.html

And I will add this as well..

[CARex]

Trust me... I'm no 3DC Guru. If anything… still a novice after a year (don't get a lot of free time).

Michael turned me on to this free 'SU-2-3DC exporter' (ObjExporter.rb). It is simple, EZ and quietly works replete with textures.

Simply place the .rb into your SU Plugins folder. Start SU (with model of interest), click on FILE, scroll about 2/3rd way down the list, click on 'OBJexporter'... at the bottom of the SU screen several comments will speed by. Too fast to read.

At the end of the comments (about 15 seconds) check your 'Desktop' (or wherever). There should be three new files. (name).obj, (name).textures and (name).mtl.

Open 3DC. Select FILE/Import/Wavefront(obj)... select your (name).obj. At the new 3DC import Options window... check the
'Invert YZ' option. Check the 'Swap' option.

Your model is now in 3DC complete with textures.

The .rb file can be found here...
http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/author_details.php?id=94

Scroll down to OBJ Exporter, select it and download at next screen.

[davedingler]

Of course, there is a easier way, one I discovered.

First you will have to export from sketchup in the Collada form (DAE)

And then you import it into Blender. You then select File and export your model as a 3DS file. Make sure you delete the little man and the automatic cube genergated by Blender.

You can then simply import it into 3D Canvas.

This is so far the easiest way I know of.

P.S, this is how I get a building from Google Sketchup and then into 3D Canvas/Crafter.



Sincerely jpetersjr

Hey John,
I'm new to 3D Modeling and am using the latest versions of SketchUp, Blender and 3DCrafter.

Using your methods above, I have been able to move a copy of my building to Blender from Sketchup, but getting a copy (3DS) to load into 3DC has been a problem. I get a message box that says that the model has not been imported and to report it to the maker of 3DC. Any suggestions?

Dave
Nevermind. I found my answer.

[jpetersjr]

I no longer model with Sketchup, I use only 3d crafter pro.

If I hadn't dropped Sketchup I wouldn't have made it to the level of 3d developement I do now. I find that sketchup really wasn't much use to me, since I really didn't need it in the start.

I built these in only 3d crafter, no sketchup needed.



...Cheers...


Big J