FILE SIZE ISSUES!!! PLEASE HELP!!

JOEJOEJOE · 12 Nov 2008, 22:12

Hi,

I have created a 3d model of 7 buildings. Each building is created on a separate file. I have made a "3D Site model" also in Sketch-up on a separate file. My aim was to combine the 7 buildings onto the 3D Site model" file and then take different views for rendering.......

However,I have been importing each building into the "3D Site Model" file,

The problem is that each building file size is about 20 - 30MB! One of them is even 50MB! I have had (time consuming and crashing) problems in combining and configuring the buildings with the site together as one file.

PLEASE could you tell me the easiest and best way to do this?!?!?!

Is there a way of compressing file sizes down but not getting rid of quality?

Thanks.

pmiller · 12 Nov 2008, 22:58

Your model file sizes seem extraordinary unless your models are super-detailed. Have you purged the models? Are you using texture images that are larger than 1024 x 1024 pixels?

Jean Lemire · 13 Nov 2008, 00:37

Hi Joe, hi folks.

Have you used components for repetitive elements. This is great file size reducer.

You can minimize geometry by using less segments for circles and arcs.

You may also consider using a lighter version of your buildings for the composite view. For example, if you modeled the interior, you may remove all that geometry to keep only an outer shell.

Just ideas.

Jean (Johnny) Lemire from Richelieu, Quebec, Canada.

JOEJOEJOE · 13 Nov 2008, 10:07

@pmiller said:

Your model file sizes seem extraordinary unless your models are super-detailed. Have you purged the models? Are you using texture images that are larger than 1024 x 1024 pixels?

my models are very detailed. what is purged models?? i am not using any images on the model.

@jean lemire said:

Hi Joe, hi folks.

Have you used components for repetitive elements. This is great file size reducer.

You can minimize geometry by using less segments for circles and arcs.

You may also consider using a lighter version of your buildings for the composite view. For example, if you modeled the interior, you may remove all that geometry to keep only an outer shell.

Just ideas.

Jean (Johnny) Lemire from Richelieu, Quebec, Canada.

i havnt used many components for repetitive elemnts. how do i make them components once they are made??? is that possible?? ive hardly used cirles / curves on my model. I have not modelled the interior it is just the exterior shell.

@unknownuser said:

Just a follow-along to what has been said already......I have seen models....many models, at around the 20 meg mark that could be reduced to as little as 2 meg. So there is the possibility of quite a huge gap between what is efficient and what is visually the same yet a real monster. There is much to learn about the efficient use of SU. To this day I am still discovering methods that cut my model size and increase model management capability.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS PLEASE HELP! gt adeadline soon

Simon B · 13 Nov 2008, 10:11

Please post pictures of each model (using 2D export) and perhaps people can suggest methods of reduction.

JOEJOEJOE · 13 Nov 2008, 10:19

how do i post on this forum?

mateo soletic · 13 Nov 2008, 10:24

Reply>Upload attachment>Browse>Add the file

Gaieus · 13 Nov 2008, 10:33

Read about components here:
http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_win/Content/G-Entities/Ent-Component.htm

I made a model of my city in the 14th century with six bigger landmarks (monasteries, churches, the cathedral, episcopal palace, university) all detailed from outside and from inside (ribbed Gothic vaultings, tracery windows...), lots of "dummy houses", city wall, gates etc. and the whole model is just slightly bigger than 6 Mb (although textured).

50 Mb for a "shell" building is incredibly big even if you haven't used components in it!

Tu purge your model go to Window > Model info > Statistics (although if ou didn't use components and materials, there shouldn't be much to purge).

JOEJOEJOE · 13 Nov 2008, 13:10

Thanks for the help guys. i did purge my model and it brought my models file size down to 2.6MB from 50MB!!!!!!!!

Thnkas again...ive decided to import the site onto the buildings rather than vice versa and seem sto be working fine (for now)

will let u know if i come into any more problems on the way.

Gaieus · 13 Nov 2008, 13:12

Well, there was indeed a lot of unused stuff in it then!

Anyway, glad it worked!

James Fraser · 13 Nov 2008, 14:24

As the problem seems to have been solved, I might be permitted to go slightly OT.

Csaba, that model sounds really interesting, is it, or renderings of it, available anywhere? I saw your mausoleum model on Google Earth, but not much else (I don't know whether the other buildings are still there and in the same form and I am pretty sure there are less 14th century houses there now).

Gaieus · 14 Nov 2008, 07:48

Hi James,

There was a long thread about it a year or so ago. See here:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=46
Note that the render was made in 3D Studio and not by me but by a company; H2G2.hu (not a meaningful website because they are under construction but I shouldn't say a word either with mine )

Since these models are not current ones, they cannot get onto the 3D layer of GE.

I think I have screwed up something with that mausoleum however because it seems to be out of scale yet they included it into the final, 3D Layer soo I now finally have a blue badge!