Acad File Linking

[Geoffc]

Apologies if this has been asked before.

 

Is there any way within Sketchup that we're not seeing, or a 3rd party app to file link acad files the same way you can in Max?

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

I have been working through the issue in my spare time. I have found that if you explode everything so there are no groups or components, and then export a DWG using faces.

 

Then on link,use a layer heiarchy, and set it to weld the faces.

 

Not perfect, but I think that is where I left off at.

 

I want to develop a Ruby Script to automate this, but have not had time. I think it would be a fairly simple script. Sure, it could be more complex, but I don't have time for that.

[bytor]

Geoffc,

 

There is a ruby plugin that allows you to work with dwg files like an x-ref. It is very similar to how it works in autocad, and can be found here;

http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/en_fil_page.htm

 

I use it all the time - very easy to manage.

 

Hope this is what you were looking for!

Bytor

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

wow, i really didn't read the initial post very well.

[Bob James]

Crazy_Homeless_Guy,

 

You may have misread this one, but you've hit very close to home on my problem. I've been a SketchUp user since it first came out. Over the past two years I've created some very complex drawings of our launch and payload processing facilities. I've been using TurboSketch add-in to SketchUp for rendering. In order to upgrade the quality of renders and to add animation of individual components, we've purchased AutoCad Viz 2008.

I'm using an Intel MacPro with 16GB of memory and 1TB of hard drive space. Currently I'm running Viz under Boot Camp. No problems with any of the software.

Now to the problem:

I have been unsuccessful in importing my SketchUp files into Viz as .3ds files. That is to say, they import, but are generally unusable for re-texturing, rendering or animation.

Any suggestions would be truly appreciated.

[bytor]

Bob,

 

Sorry to jump in on this as I know you were asking Travis, But - one thing you may want to consider for rendering is Kerkythea. The current version handles large scenes very well. While Kerky is free - it is extremely powerfull, and has a strong & growing user base. The integration with Sketchup is through a exporter plugin.

 

There is a new release due out in the next week or so, which will include a mac/osx version.

 

The ui and material system take a little getting used to, but once you do - it is a very powerfull and productive renderer. It supports several different rendering methods, and there are many optimized pre-sets to help out.

Check it out @ http://www.kerkythea.net/joomla/index.php

 

Bytor

[vizwhiz]

Bob

 

(yet another side Track To This Topic, but)

 

sketchup now has a vray plug-in capability for enhanced rendering

(i actually havent used This, however here is The link info anyways)

 

google search results

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sketchup+vray

 

http://asgvis.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=138

 

http://www.vray.us/vray_for_sketchup.shtml

 

basically stated i would Think That This would allow you To render inside of SketchUp

instead of exporting 3ds To viz, and This way you could avoid The file Translation issues

 

just an Idea, hope This helps

 

btw what The hell are you launching out in Caulifornia?

professionally jealous of your computer setup That sounds sweet

 

Thanks

 

randy

[Bob James]

Dean,

Thank you for your comments. I've only taken a cursory look at Kerkythea primarily because my other, equally important, need is animation of the movement of objects (e.g., raising space launch vehicles into and out of facilities, raising a launch vehicle from horizontal to vertical, etc..

 

Randy,

I'm aware of VRay, but as in my comments to Dean, I also need to animate movement of objects.

I work for a company called Spaceport Systems International (a subdivision of ITT). We have payload processing and launch facilities at Vandenberg AFB, CA. Our launch complex is Space Launch Complex 8 (SLC-8). From that site we are capable of launch anything up to 1 million pounds of thrust. We have had five launches so far with more coming up. We also lease the payload processing facility at SLC-6 where we process satellites for NASA and Air Force launches at SLC-2 and SLC-6. My models consist of complete models (inside and out) of both of these facilities. I then model operations processes and concepts for new business.

 

I will, however, take a look at both of these in more detail (probably Kerkythea first because of the "price" )

 

Thank you both.