Importing a Sketchup model to Blender
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I have been trying to import my Sketchup models(obj-files) to Blender to make an animation with moving objects. Some files import ok but others don't. The biggest file that I have been able to import to Blender has been around 5MB obj-file. Does anybody have any experience in importing Sketchup models to Blender. I am using Sketchup Pro. What is the best file format to export? Should I perepare my Sketchup files somehow (delete scenes, explode components/groups, delete materials)?
I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question. Anyway, feel free to move this somewhere else.
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i havent done a lot of exporting/importing with SU, but in my limited experience .3ds is generally a good format for keeping all your geometry intact. Im not sure how well (if at all) it handles groups and components though.
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I recall getting the best result for geometry going to Blender using OBJ...I was really enthused about the node-based renderer, although I've been sidetracked by other software since. Also, you might want to explode your components first in SU...sometimes only one instance will appear in Blender, or instances that have been scaled/rotated in SU may revert in Blender to their original scale/rotation.
The other issues is a limitation (in terms of Blender "units") on the effective size of the model. If your model seems partially invisible or hopelessly "clipped" in Blender, you may find it impossible to manipulate without going back to SU, scaling everything down to a tenth (or smaller) its original size in whatever unit system you were using, and re-exporting.
I can't recall if OBJ always held texturing mapping once it go to Blender. I know that in older versions of Blender that 3DS did (if you kept your textures, in JPG form, in the same directory as the 3DS geometry model), but import failure rate is seemingly much higher with the newer versions of Blender (2.4x) using 3DS than OBJ.
Tonight I'll try some tests.
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Thanks for the tips! I have tried different formats with simple model and so far I have been able to import 3ds- and obj-formats quite ok. It seems that 3ds are at least the doubble the size when I export them from Sketchup. Now the biggest obj-file that I have been able to import to Blender has been around 10 MB. With bigger files I always get memory problems. Have you also tried to import Collada-format? In Blenderartist Forum some people have had some success with Collada.
Anyway, at least I know that I can import part of my models, so maybe it is time to start learning Blender too. Anyway, I have feeling that Blender will never replace Sketchup in my workflow but for simple animations it could be something.
If you still run some import test please share the results.
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