.skm file conversion

[mike1963]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I can't find any other posts.

I want to use textures that I downloaded from the sketchup warehouse.

How do I convert them to .skm files to create a new library of materials to use on future projects.

thanks

[TIG]

Open the Materials Browser / Editor...
Create a new material [click the '+' button].
Give it a logical name.
This is to use one of your specific texture files.
Tick the 'use texture' box and navigate to the texture-file [jpg, png etc].
Add that image-file as the material's 'texture'.
Adjust the size of that texture as you desire [break the 'chain' symbol if you don't want 'proportional' resizing - aka 'distortion'].
Adjust the material's 'color' [as used when no textures are being displayed].
Adjust its 'opacity' [aka transparency!].

If you want a texture to 'tile' nicely - that is, to repeat across a larger face without noticeable patterns showing up where one part ends and the next one starts - you must either get a 'tile-able' image in the first place, or make it into one - there are several tutorials around on how to do this with Photoshop/Gimp etc...

If you have a material in the model that you would like to 'export' individually, select its icon in the model-pane of the Materials Browser, right-click context-menu and 'Save As' to put it [as a SKM file] into a folder within the Materials folder [either an existing folder or one you create] - then it'll become available in all other models - just like the standard materials shipped with Sketchup.

When you have a collection of materials in the model that you would like to 'export' en mass then click the right-facing arrow on the side of the Browser and the pop-out menu includes 'Save collection as...' - this saves all materials in the model into a specified folder [you can make a new folder as you do this if desired]... Again the SKM materials in that folder become available to all models thereafter...