User's Guide

Virtualwind SketchUp Plugin Tools   →   Separating Geometry   →   Related Tools

Related Tools

The Make Terrain Tool and Separate Solids and Canopies Tool work closely with the Export Tools, and indirectly with the Launch Virtualwind Tool. A summary of the relationships between the separation tools and these other tools is discussed here.

Export Tools

Refer to the Export Tools section.

With the exception of Export to VWS File (All As Canopies), the Export Tools only look at the Virtualwind Plugin Layers: all geometry not on vwPlugin_Solids, _Canopies, and _Terrain is ignored. Although it is possible in principle to manually create these Layers, then manually place the geometry on these Layers, the expectation is that you'll use the Separate Solids and Canopies Tool and the Make Terrain Tool.

Also, note that the Export Tools only look at the Layer information of top-level Groups. The sub-Groups are exported according to the Layer of its highest parent. Therefore, it is possible for a sub-Group on the Solid Layer to be exported as a Canopy, if it is part of a Group on vwPlugin_Canopies. The inverse can never happen.

Launch Virtualwind Tool

Refer to the Launch Tool section.

The separation tools are indirectly related to the Launch Virtualwind, via the export process. However, the separation tools can have a large impact on what shows up in Virtualwind: if the Export Tools ignore all geometry because no separation has been performed, using the Launch Virtualwind Tool will load Virtualwind with an empty model. If this happens, make sure to hit the Separate Solids and Canopies button and try to export again.