Has any of you sent .skp files to a client?
-
Hi, I was wondering if any of you has ever sent a SketchUp file to a client instead of just flat .JPG images...
What problems did you encounter?
Did you recommend your client to download Google SketchUp or the SketchUp viewer? Why?
Did your client figure out how to use any of them? Did he make comments using the text tool? Did he change colors?
Don't you fear that your client will run away with the 3D design and hire a low-paid draftsman to do the rest?
Would you recommend sending .skp files to a client? -
We do simple animations along with a power point, or printed package so that the presentation is well managed, and the client doesn't try to make changes by himself. Has little to do with getting the design stolen. That could happen even if you didn't give them the .skp.
-
I do it if I think the client has good enough computer skills. I would recommend the viewer except for the fact that it offers no access to layers. I set the models up so that the client can turn off the roof layer and the upper storeys (if there are any).
Some clients really like it. I send them a page showing how to zoom, orbit, pan and how to turn layers on and off. Mostly I don't encourage editing of the model. I have tried it with one or two clients, but mostly it's too hard for people...especially when it comes to groups and components. One client did quite a good job of rearranging the furniture. Even changing colours is not so easy for a beginner, again if groups are involved.
Yeah, I will keep doing it if the situation is right. Some people get a real kick out of being able to navigate through their model. And it gives them a great opportunity to quietly visualize changes they might want to make.
-
There have been long dicusions (and feature requests) to make uneditable file formats or formats that only the viewer can "read" and otherwise cannot be edited. This is especially a "hot" topic since there is the free version of SU with which anyone can go on and work on a model (if you are concerned with it being "stolen").
Some people wouzld explode everything to make it at leat hard to re-use the model but there's no real way unless you export it into 3D PDF or Hypercosm or any other app where a client can view (or even comment) it interactively.
-
If a 3D file format is needed, I would guess 3D PDF would be the best, especially if you are dealing with corporate or government/municipal clients. Most people have a recent Acrobat viewer installed, and again, most are at the mercy of their IT departments that usually do not look benevolently at file formats that require installation of software on their precious computers. The SU Viewer used to work even from a CD or memory stick, but the latest version has to be installed. The viewer also has practically the same hardware requirements as the full application, and is prone to the same OpenGL-related issues.
Anssi
-
I had an architect ask me to do some side work for him awhile back and had good luck w/ sending skp files. He was a bit older and not very computer savy but has been able to at least open up the model and orbit and zoom around w/ the tools. I'm not worried about him taking the model elsewhere because he wouldn't be able to do it himself. I guess if he had an employee that could do the work he could "steal" it but then he probably just would have had that person do it initially (I'm not designing anything mind you, just taking his CAD drawings into SU).
It was actually quite aways into the project before I even met him. I emailed him the link to the google download site and he followed the instructions. One thing I do to help him out is to create scenes that don't affect the camera but will do things like turn shadows on (and another to turn them off). And I'll put in a few different camera angles in case he gets trapped in a wall or gets stuck while zooming/orbiting.
Maybe 3d PDF's have been improved but I had bad luck w/ them. The geometry was ok but no materials as I recall.
I'll also typically send him a few jpg.s because his computer is really old and my model got pretty big. That way even if his computer wasn't able to handle the model he still had something to look at.
-Brodie
-
Yeah, adding scenes to client SU files is good too. And maybe showing them how to switch shadows on and off, and move the sun around
-
And how about sending .kmz files to your client?
I bet Google Earth has a lot more users than SketchUp.
Advertisement