Posts made by Mr S

Hi,

Yes, I had downloaded the SketchUp FREE update instead of the PRO version.
Just downloaded and installed the correct version and everything appears to be back to normal. Thanks for your help again guys.

Regards
Mr S

---

Hi,

Just went to render a small JPEG file.
And an error dialog box came up informing me that:

"It appears that you are missing some 2D graphic exporters. Please check your SketchUp installation"

After dismissing this warning I am taken to the normal export dialog.
Looking at the file type drop down list, I can export to:

pdf
eps
bmp
jpg
tif
png
epx

I have done a fresh install of SketchUp v6.4.112 (I already had this installed)and still get this error.

Any ideas guys?

Thanks

Regards
Mr S

I think I will give my brain a rest and learn how to read and write in Sanskrit.
Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit.
Looks a lot easier to me.

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

I decided that the best solution, suggested by Gaieus, was to go back to the Data Survey company and ask them to send me data suitable for use in a 3D package. I mentioned that I may be able to use a tool that works with a simple text file.

I downloaded and installed Cloud V6 with its example.dat file.

Below I show samples of the example.dat file and the simple text file I was supplied with.
As you can see they are similar, but Cloud V6 won't process the survey file.
Error: "Only 1 data per line"
Any ideas? Any help appreciated.

Example.dat file:

-4290.989333,29509.42004,17271.801618
-4274.989333,29511.005136,17286.136452
-4289.989333,29488.014542,17264.960225
-4289.989333,29466.389034,17268.746701
-4275.989333,29491.061477,17295.038726
-4274.989333,29469.013192,17287.431288
-4273.989333,29448.496995,17278.538275
-4241.989333,29453.771813,17323.717654
-4242.989333,29494.627943,17327.292103
-4242.989333,29473.248948,17328.260914
-4226.989333,29474.834044,17342.595748
-4209.989333,29476.41914,17356.930583
-4225.989333,29430.887233,17333.782246
-4225.989333,29454.714121,17337.286444
-4239.989333,29409.851506,17322.714357
-4240.989333,29428.782607,17317.272535
-4223.989333,29412.202646,17336.406403

Site Survey.txt file:

017,NORM
001FORMAT(3D23.17)
003,ORDR,4=1,1,2,3,
080,B000, ,5= 0.0, 0.0,100007703
0.49837422321267177D+040.49869317927816728D+040.67812740300658106D+02
0.49794159350231557D+040.49846097107062114D+040.67878910415849163D+02
0.49776537255463436D+040.49836638683515694D+040.67878910415849163D+02
0.00000000000000000D+000.00000000000000000D+000.67878910415849163D+02
080,B001, ,5= 0.0, 0.0,100007703
0.49547870430138828D+040.50609582792710808D+040.65732765063426058D+02
0.49568466124033775D+040.50566385791095627D+040.65813697637536023D+02
0.49590731422961362D+040.50519860486242706D+040.66166417278662365D+02
0.00000000000000000D+000.00000000000000000D+000.66166417278662365D+02
080,B002, ,5= 0.0, 0.0,100007703
0.49512690401388672D+040.50511415069123086D+040.65929156188998277D+02
0.49550570526746833D+040.50527709423329316D+040.65901904671221885D+02
0.49558844990824973D+040.50510189197858554D+040.65944131344513437D+02
0.49520964865466813D+040.50493894843652324D+040.65971382851789116D+02
0.49512690401388672D+040.50511415069123086D+040.65929156188998277D+02
0.00000000000000000D+000.00000000000000000D+000.65929156188998277D+02
080,B003, ,5= 0.0, 0.0,100007703
0.49547896016676204D+040.50609597659579667D+04-.99900000000000000D+03
0.49605844595099497D+040.50638011225230885D+04-.99900000000000000D+03
0.49683981386075220D+040.50676027706360901D+04-.99900000000000000D+03
0.00000000000000000D+000.00000000000000000D+00-.99900000000000000D+03

Regards
Mr S

A thought has just occured to me.

Would using 3D Studio MAX help in any way?
Some of our other offices have this and I am sure I could gain access to it.
Does 3DS MAX have more powerful tools to handle this type of thing?

I was thinking that it may be possible to:

Import the .dwg file in to MAX.
Use the tools (which ones?) within 3DS MAX to create the terrain.
Simplify the mesh.
Export back to SketchUp.

Is this worth exploring or am I clutching at straws?

Thanks

Hi,

If it helps any, i have uploaded the .dwg file here:

http://www.evilshare.com/44313196-279d-102b-b213-000b6aa2a5f8

Any further ideas or info appreciated.

Thanks

Mr S

Hi,

Well, I could ask my company to purchase Simu Terra, but I have no experience of this program and would be reluctant to ask them to pay for something i don't know anything about. I'll look in to this more.

I wanted to attach the .dwg file which does have text and colours and does provide more info. When imported in to SketchUp all that info especially the text seems to be lost.
Can I upload the .dwg file where you guys can download it?

Thanks.

Hi All,

Can I pick your brains further on this subject?
I have read as much as I can here about creating terrain in SketchUp, and I have produced very basic surfaces which have served their purpose.
But I am now being asked to do this on a much more detailed level using site survey that has been supplied.
The data seems to be supplied only in 2D with different levels indicated by different colours. For instance the "general" lay of the land is in red, whilst steep embankments are in cyan. There seem to be other levels indicated too.

Can I ask you what you make of this data?
Would you ask for this data to be supplied in some other format for use in SketchUp?
How would you approach creating this terrain?

I have downloaded the "points_cloud_triangulation.rb" and "delauney2.rb ruby scripts and worked out how this works.
Is this the best way to go?

Hope you guys can point me in the right direction.
I wanted to attach the original .dwg drawing for you to see.
But it seems you can't upload that format here.
I have attached a skp file for you to view.

Thanks.
Mr S.

---

Topo.skp

@gaieus said:

Edson,

Try to export at REALLY high "pixealge" (as this is due to screen definition) and then reduce it in an aexternal image editor with filters (like AA) for this.
Alsdo you can "experiment" with the "native" AA settings of SU when exporting an image - but high definition preferrably.

I also would like to use this method to solve this problem.
But as mentioned in a previous thread (http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3948) I and many others still can't render at these high resolutions.
And as far as I can tell, Google don't seem to have a solution to this.
Grrr...

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Is there an option to select faces ignoring anything behind.
Similar to the option of "ignore backfaces" in 3D Studio MAX.
It would save an all lot of time deselecting whats not required.
A ruby script maybe?
Any help appreciated.

Regards
Mr S

Thanks,

Much appreciated.

Regards
Mr S

@gaieus said:

Yeah, James, post something so that we can have a clue.
There's Didier's ruby for instance that can make skins from construction points.

Hi Gaieus,

Can you provide a link for that ruby script?

---

BTW, Gaieus, is that your real name or just a user name?
Looking at your avatar, it would suggest you have some interest/connection with Gaius Julius Caesar?
If you have an interest in him, I would strongly recommend reading the "Emperor" series of books by Conn Iggulden. They are fictional novels based on his life using actual historical events that occurred during his lifetime.
A fantastic read.

Sorry, to digress!
Visit: http://www.conniggulden.com/?p=14

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Just tried rendering the Charlie_V test file.
The best I could get was 7000px with AA switched off.

I loaded up my original file which is a lot more complicated and was only able to get 4000px wide (also, I have shadows disabled). So, there does seem to be a number of factors at work here.
However, it seems stange that we are getting a variety of results from different people with machine specs similar to each other.
I rendered JPEG images using Vray and had no problem producing large files.
But as mentioned previously, Vray can write the image to disk rather than hold everything in RAM.

Any other thoughts?

Mr S

Hi,

Sky, Ground and anti-alias all switched off.
Still get the error. Grrr!!

Hi pmiller,

Well, this is very strange.
I have just tried rendering with anti-aliasing switched off and it made no difference.
Still getting the 'file failed to save' error.

Below are my machine specs:

Dell Precision 390
WinXP Pro SP2
Intel Core 2 6600 @ 2.40GHz
4 Gig Ram
Nvidia Quadro FX 3450/4000 SDI (Driver Version: 6.14.11.6375)

Any further ideas?

Mr S

Hi Charlie__V

Yes, I remember that thread.
But no successful conclusion was ever reached.
Google do not seem to have even recognised this as a problem.
Or they have and just aren't saying anything.
So, for the time being, large file renders are not really an option.
Fix for Version 7.0 hopefully?

Hi Guys,

I am trying to avoid any jaggies, so switching off anti-alias is not going to help.
I am actually trying to use a demo version of Vray which seems to be able to render out bigger files because it gives you the option to write the image to disk when saving.
I will end up with a totally different "look" from my SketchUp render though!
Not really much of a solution.

Mr S

Hi,

I have just had a request for a large JPEG image to be supplied suitable for use on a display stand.
An A3 image at 300dpi (or higher if possible) is required.
Using Photoshop I have calculated that the end file would be: 4961pixels x 3508pixels.
The finished file size produced would be: 49.8Mb.

But I can't get SkecthUp to render to this size!
I am using the latest Pro version and have a good machine with 4 Gig of RAM.
Surely the only limits should be what my machine is capable of producing?
But I think that I had read somewhere that SketchUp was limited to rendering 8000pixels wide. Is this correct?
Anyway, I am unable to get anywhere near this size.
When I choose the dimensions from the render dialog in SketchUp I can only choose to save a file that is a maximum of 4000 pixels wide. If I try to increase the numbers, I receive an error saying "file failed to save"
I have supplied the 4000 pixel wide image but I have been told that they need a higher resolution version.
Any ideas guys?

Thanks
Mr S

Happy New Year.

Hi,

Just got round to viewing these images.
Looking good.
Can you supply any info/guides as to the settings you used?
I really need to understand how to use this software.
Thanks

Mr S

Hi,

Yep, this could turn out to be a nice second home.
Thanks for providing this alternative.
It would be nice to get Google to stump up some cash for all your efforts!

Cheers
Mr S