Render plugin which will display Labels and dimensions

rob.mccarthy · 8 Jan 2013, 20:49

Hi All,

I am, unsuccessfully, searching for a render plugin for which will display Sketchup's Labels / Dimensions. Preferably, the plugin should support projected textures and cost less than "Layout".

Thanks much,
Rob

cotty · 8 Jan 2013, 20:56

It is possible to combine a rendered image with a line export (dimensions, text, ...) from SketchUp, is this an alternative?

rob.mccarthy · 8 Jan 2013, 21:58

This is an action which will be repeated a few times / hour. I would prefer to produce the output in one go without resorting to additional editing.

In the past I have used an external image editor to overlay a transparency, but I found this too process intensive.

Dave R · 8 Jan 2013, 23:15

Have you even tried any of the rendering plugins that are available?

rob.mccarthy · 9 Jan 2013, 15:37

I have tried several rendering engines/Plugins:
Podium
IDX Renditioner
Vray
Maxwell
Twilight
Lightup - but not

The best I've found (process wise) has been IDX Renditioner - which allows me to export a line drawing of dimensions and then use that as a foreground image in the render. Unfortunately the output doesn't look much better than going straight from sketchup.

Thanks,
Rob

Dave R · 9 Jan 2013, 17:30

Well, you can use any renderer and export a line image with the dimensions or just the dimensions with no lines to combine with the rendered image. It isn't difficult to do at all and takes almost no time.

rob.mccarthy · 9 Jan 2013, 19:18

Dave, are you saying that there is not a single rendering plugin which supports this very simple procedure? I am working in a fast paced industry with a high turn-over rate. If it takes the average designer an additional 2-3 minutes per render (best case), we're talking an additional 40 - 60 hours / year per employee. This adds up quickly.

If there is not a single rendering engine / plugin combination which supports this feature it may have to be designed in house. However, I was hoping to find an all in one solution. If you don't know of one, that's fine, but I'm not presently looking for a round about process.

Thanks,
Rob

Dave R · 9 Jan 2013, 19:29

I'm not saying there isn't one. I haven't looked at all the rendering applications out there and I make no claim whatsoever at being an expert on renderers. You've said you've already looked at the renderers that work as plugins in Sketchup and had no luck. You'll probably have to start investigating the high end renderers now. You insinuated in your first post that you don't want to pay anything or at least you aren't willing to pay much to get this capability. What would it cost you to have an application created to do that? I bet it would cost more than LayOut which you initially stated was the price threshold. As far as I can see you either pay with your money or you pay with your time.

Most folks who are creating renders from their SketchUp models seem to be doing some post process work, too. Adding an overlay with the dimensions wouldn't add much time to that process.

jolran · 9 Jan 2013, 19:48

The problem here for developpers is that there arent many methods available for dimensions through the Sketchup API.

The solution might be to develop your own dimension plugin. That creates very thin(narrow, what you call it) faces. THAT!, the renderer will pickup.
Try it manually to see if it works, then maybe someone will try building it...

Dave R · 9 Jan 2013, 19:54

Good point, Joel. Since renderers only render faces and there aren't any faces in dimensions at all, there'd be nothing to render. I should have included that in my earlier post although I thought that part was obvious.

rob.mccarthy · 9 Jan 2013, 19:58

Yeah, I'd think it would be a popular feature to request - converting dimensions / labels to a format a rendering agent can handle - like alpha transparencies.

jeff hammond · 9 Jan 2013, 22:25

@jolran said:

The solution might be to develop your own dimension plugin. That creates very thin(narrow, what you call it) faces. THAT!, the renderer will pickup.

or something that converts the dimensions to an image? (which will also show up in a render)
the attached .skp, and the dimensions, should be able to be rendered with no further processing..
(albiet, the dimensions at this point are no longer editable)

dimspng.skp

Dave R · 9 Jan 2013, 22:40

Jeff, you got it. Dimensions that show up in a rendered image. Of you had to make the dimensions, export an image of the dimensions, import that image into SketchUp, size it correctly and move it into the right or move the model.

jeff hammond · 9 Jan 2013, 23:18

@dave r said:

Jeff, you got it. Dimensions that show up in a rendered image. Of you had to make the dimensions, export an image of the dimensions, import that image into SketchUp, size it correctly and move it into the right or move the model.

right.. that's the exact steps i did
i was wondering though, if those steps can be automated? or if the dimensions could be converted to an image somehow within sketchup?

[eDit]-- hmm.. well, actually.. i don't really care for that type of automation as i barely ever need to do this but i'm just throwing some random ideas out there that may lead to a solution for Rob..

if i'm rendering with dimensions, i like giving them a little drop shadow.. and i don't think that would be possible without combining afterwards..

jolran · 10 Jan 2013, 08:29

Looks nice Jeff!

@unknownuser said:

i was wondering though, if those steps can be automated?

This is the reason I mentioned faces and not using pictures.
I think it would be easier to create faces in code, and then
assign materials to them.

As I said there is not much one can do in code with the current dimensions.
So converting SU dimensions might be a no go.
I would rather have a plugin create their own dimensions from scratch.
Quite doable When static.

But do see some problems when the dimension would have to update.

I imagine thats what Driving dimension does..
Their code is scrambled...