Tim,

Hope that converted file is of some use to you.

Cheers,

Wayne Ashey
mr_ashley@little-something.com
http://www.little-something.com

Thanks for your patience, subscriptions will be back open this evening.

Cheers,
Wayne Ashley
mr_ashley@little-something.com

Thanks to all those currently giving the software a spin. For a small few of you, there appears to be a bug in the Topo conversion. I'm working on a fix and testing over the weekend - so if anyone else would like to trial the software, I suggest holding off until Monday/Tuesday.

As for the bug...
as Donald Rumsfeld once said

"...there are things we know we know. We also know there are known
unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we know we
don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't
know we don't know." - At the moment it is a known unknown, but I'll keep you informed.

Or better yet, to quote from "Airplane"

"...looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue!" (it was something like that anyway)

Wayne Ashley
mr_ashley@little-something.com

Well yes, there's definitely scope for developers to play around with here. In the new year I'm going to tackle getting external building data into the model, alongside some of the more typical features trees/lighting etc.

But such ideas throw up fresh problems; at the moment it does a dull job, in a fast and uncomplicated manner.

...but you know, I'm just waffling now!

Back on topic:
Besides little-something.com, cloud.rb and Tig's LISP script, how have other people been getting their topo and raw data into Sketchup?

Jon,

It should work fine with the OS data, do you have an example to give it a spin with?

If not, I can send you a couple of different file types over and you can try it for yourself.

Just drop me a line direct to mr_ashley@little-something.com and I'll give you a login.

Cheers,

Wayne Ashley

Tig that's great, you should publish it, I don't see these free options as spoilers.

I assume your script requires access to AutoCAD to work (please correct me if I'm wrong). My software runs online (OS independent) and as such doesn't require AutoCAD to perform the conversions. Personally, I work using Vectorworks (MAC), but the files I receive from our surveyors are .dxf.

Cheers,

Wayne

Ah I see, yes a great free solution.

Rather than receiving the raw data from the field, we are supplied with completed drawings from our surveyors; but yes, if you are gathering the data yourself or better yet, able to simply request the raw data from your provider; I too would suggest using Didier' Cloud.rb

Wayne

Gaieus,

Thanks for the "heads up" there, my understanding is that the Cloud.rb works with 3D points defined in .dxf files. My converter also works with "traditional" topographic 2D surveys, where the points are referenced by text entries.

Please feel free to correct me if I've misunderstood the functionality.

Cheers,

Wayne

This may be of value to some of you...

I worked for several years as a drawing technician, for a little architects practice in Derbyshire, UK.

It was decided that we wanted to introduce 3D models into our project workflow, but we found the cost of outsourcing these prohibitive for our size of developments.

Subsequently, I taught myself Sketchup and we brought the model work in-house. In doing so, I found that I would regularly lose half or a full days work manually converting the 2D topo data supplied by our Surveyors, into 3D space.

As a software developer of ten years experience, I decided to remedy this problem. The results are now available online through my website.

Follow the link below to our current newsletter, where you may read the views of one early adopter. We are currently running a free trial. Enjoy.

Wayne Ashley
mr_ashley@little-something.com

(www.little-something.com)