How to put a SketchUp model on a website?

lewislovedale · 20 Apr 2011, 14:54

I've made a SketchUp model of a product which i would like to have on a website. Preferably the item would be fully orbit-able with zooming features, though i don't know if this is possible and would settle for a 360' rotation if not.

I understand this can be done using Google's own player via the 3D Warehouse, however the quality is very poor so am hoping for an alternative player or something else. My experience beyond making a model is fairly limited so detailed instructions would be appreciated if someone can help.

I'm after something a bit like these: http://www.klovera.com/360-product-rotation-examples/

Gaieus · 21 Apr 2011, 02:45

The 3D Warehouse engine uses the SU Web Exporter Plugin which can be configured to export higher resolution images as well - so the final display can be better than what you can see in the WH. This is the download link from the above site.

What you linked are examples with models rendered in an external application however so the "native" SU results will definitely be different.

lewislovedale · 21 Apr 2011, 16:23

Unfortunately i'm on a Mac so i can't use that .exe exporter. What resolution does it display to and is it possible to remove the clunky-looking interface on the SketchUp viewer?

I was after a very sleek, rendered image with a transparent background, if that's possible with a SketchUp model. I image it would require using flash? This is pretty much exactly what i'm going for: http://maemo.nokia.com/n900/360/

Thanks for the help so far.

solo · 21 Apr 2011, 16:27

I just completed two of those for Wired magazine (this months issue) for iPad.

I used Thea render and 120 renders (BSD 1min 30sec each frame)

I submitted them in images, Liam one of our members is a Mac user and he did the compilation, not sure what sofware he used however.

lewislovedale · 21 Apr 2011, 23:01

I'd thought rendering a series of images would probably be the way to get the best result aesthetically. Although my knowledge of rendering is pretty poor this would probably be a good place to start. Is there an automatic feature on most rendering software to do a batch making up a full rotation or did you do all 120 separately?

Nonetheless, it's the piecing of these images into a rotation i'd be clueless on...

Thanks again for the help so far.

tallbridgeguy · 22 Apr 2011, 01:29

I would like that 3d thingy as well. I would like to rotate around a bridge model.

Is this related?

3d flash?

Page Introuvable - erreur 404 | musée des Arts et Métiers

La page que vous recherchez n’est plus en ligne (ou ne l’a jamais été).

musée des Arts et Métiers (www.arts-et-metiers.net)

Al Hart · 22 Apr 2011, 04:14

Here's a website with a SketchUp 3D model embedded in it: Embedded Model

lewislovedale · 23 Apr 2011, 12:28

tallbridgeguy, the page you linked to is an interior model. I'm after producing an exterior model with as little necessity for plugins/downloads/complex controls as possible. Like the Nokia example one i posted earlier (http://maemo.nokia.com/n900/360/ ), which plays intuitively without asking any questions.

Basically, the model i have produced is a piece of agricultural equipment and not to generalise, i expect the majority of people who look at the website it will (hopefully) appear on will be less computer-savvy than most here, so it needs to be as simple as pie whilst looking very sexy. If that's possible.

I tried your link Al but unfortunately it just came up with this: http://img859.imageshack.us/f/screenshot20110423at115.png/ maybe incompatibility between mac and PC again. I'm also trying avoid a link but rather embedding the rotatable model or a series of renders that give that impression on the webpage.

Solo, is there any opportunity to see the iPad model you'd mentioned? It sounds like it's what i'm after and if so, i'll attempt to copy your method.

Thanks again.

tallbridgeguy · 24 Apr 2011, 23:04

I found this site. Demicron and they have a free download.

http://www.demicron.com/index.html

Anybody use it?

3D examples.

http://www.demicron.com/gallery/mediterranean/mediterranean.html
http://www.demicron.com/gallery/perceuse/perceuse.html

Al Hart · 25 Apr 2011, 02:47

Very impressive graphics and interaction.

I was looking to see if they had an interface to SketchUp. But before I got that rd I checked the price - $1,495.00 and was a bit put off.

Al

@tallbridgeguy said:

I found this site. Demicron and they have a free download.

http://www.demicron.com/index.html

Anybody use it?

3D examples.

http://www.demicron.com/gallery/mediterranean/mediterranean.html
http://www.demicron.com/gallery/perceuse/perceuse.html

Gaieus · 25 Apr 2011, 03:28

They have a free version, too, but what I do not like is that it uses Java.

lewislovedale · 27 Apr 2011, 10:44

Yeah i don't like the use of Java either, i'd also like to avoid the use of any visible interface. Again, i keep harking back to this example: http://maemo.nokia.com/n900/360/ of just a very simple, but great looking 360' rotation embedded into the webpage. I can't believe there is not a simple way to do this?

Solo mentioned rendering 100+ images around the model, which is fine, but how could they be pieced together to create a rotation like that?

Gaieus · 27 Apr 2011, 11:34

@lewislovedale said:

Solo mentioned rendering 100+ images around the model, which is fine, but how could they be pieced together to create a rotation like that?

With that exact same SU Webexporter that would otherwise use images exported straight from SU.

Alan Fraser · 27 Apr 2011, 11:57

A lot of that Nolia type stuff is done with Swift3D ...which is probably far more than you need.
There is a cheap little script here that seems to fit the bill.

tallbridgeguy · 27 Apr 2011, 12:07

Alan that looks like it might work and $10 bucks is cheap.

Has anybody here tried it?

s

Al Hart · 27 Apr 2011, 13:39

It looks like a good solution.

I'll give it a try

Al Hart · 27 Apr 2011, 15:22

Except for the difficulty trying to figure out the documentation, this does have a chance.

(www.renderplus.com)

Alan Fraser · 27 Apr 2011, 15:33

Its going the wrong way!!
Nice Al. I rather like that built-in drop shadow effect it has.
Yes, from the comments on that thread, it didn't seem to be the most comprehensively documented piece of scripting.

Al Hart · 27 Apr 2011, 15:58

@alan fraser said:

Its going the wrong way!!

I grabbed a 360-degree scene making script by wikii (creat360view.rb) , and modified it to save an image for each view. I just need to reverse the direction of the views.

The "trick" to using the SWF stuff is to modify their XML file (not try to use one with a different name), and then figure out how to put everything on a web page.

I will post more stuff when I get it all working properly.

ledisnomad · 27 Apr 2011, 16:11

I've been following this discussion because I'd consider doing something similar. However, it would be great if it didn't even require Flash, like the most recent option under consideration. Something that is server-side, like PHP, would be better. I haven't done any web scripting for quite some time, but conceptually it is straight forward. Any PHP scripters out there?