Extruding AutoCAD drawings for Google Earth

Al Hart

Here is a request we received from a SketchUp user:

(Does anyone else have any suggestions?)

We use Autocad dwgs and import them into sketchup to extrude them into 3D objects.

We then export them into google earth.

Does Render plus offer any benefits, additional features to the above process?

I don't think we have anything to offer for the process you describe.

Our editing application, RpTools, is mostly of value if you want to place, move, or edit Components.

If the standard SketchUp routines work OK for you for extruding 2D drawings into 3D, then we don't have much to offer.

However, if you find that you wish there was a capability you do not have let us know and we will consider adding it to RpTools.

One example would be to extrude a shape from a closed polygon of lines, by identifying a point in the polygon and a height, and having the routine turn the lines into a SketchUp face, and then extrude it into a solid all in a single step.

Let us know if you think of any ideas...

museummaker

A couple of ideas, a fully extruded autocad drawing is likely to have a lot more detail than GE will support or needs. Also, the buildings are mostly photo textured-- which means ones made with SU materials don't look photo realistic in comparison.

Something he may want to consider is modeling it as stated, then rendering it, then extract the baked textures and apply them to a low poly form suitable for GE.

It may seem redundant but in the end you may end up with a more photorealisitc building.

It all depends on what the end goal needs to be.

JGA

If you give your lines a thickness in ACAD, they will be imformed with a height in SKUP