Posted byScenery Architect7 yrs agó
To dramatically reduce the amount of geometry in your models, change the number of sides in your circles and arcs before you extrude them into 3D shapes. It’s easy: 1) Create a circle or an arc using the appropriate tool. 2) Before doing anything else, type “6s” and hit Enter. It's all about how many faces the STL has. When I import a complex STL into SketchUp I will sometimes run it through a free program called MeshLab to reduce the number of polygons. MeshLab has a function called quadratic edge collapse decimation that will reduce the number of faces by a factor that you specify.
Hi, I am a latest graduate student of WVU surroundings architecture system. I currently create large-scale sketchup versions for an structures firm. The versions referenced by this post can become seen on my blog page @ http://larchitizer.bIogspot.com/2011/01/context-models.html I put on't treatment about traffic, there is no ad-sense. I simply wish to talk about my knowledge, and didn'testosterone levels would like to repost all my images tó imgur.
A subject not covered in any texts I could discover. The most input I could actually discover on this subject has been 'use the sandbox device' hahaha. So I thought I would posting my methods for how to attain these large models.
basemappingFirst, you will begin with your CADD data files. You will need a 3d basemap first. If you possess a basemap, verify the properties of one of the shape. If under elevation, it provides a value, after that the document should end up being in 3d. Most professional files will come in 3d from surveyors. if your CADD document is not in 3d, you will require to separately choose them and include the level data by hand in whatever preferred contour time period you need.The following action will be to isolate your relevant layers. This will consist of your streets, shape, and buildings. Isolate these levels (layiso), then move them to the part (I usually shift them 10,000 foot to the right simply to be certain, and its an simple number to keep in mind.) Today that your separated layers are divided from the concealed layers, unisolate the levels (layuniso), and delete all the wrong information that you didn't move to the part. Now just move your stored layers back again in location.
The last step in preparing your basemap fór sketchup will be to eliminate the contours from inside the streets. The method that shape are drawn on highways and sidewalks will not translate properly into your design, and if remaining unaltered from á basemap, will generally produce alot of ridiculous peaks and valleys and generally look like junk when sandboxed. This stage will help prevent that from taking place. So simply cut all curves inside all the streets and roads.
Optional stageNow that you possess trimmed all the curves out of the highways, you are usually remaining with large island destinations of shape (the plots of land of land in your model). To support in firm in sketchup, you can generate new levels (one for every island of shape you possess) and location every 'island' of curves onto a split coating.
addingYou will need a edition of Sketchup that enables you to import.dwg documents. This is certainly any pre edition 7, 7 with optional installer, or skétchup 8 pro. If you put on't have got 8 pro, make sure you backsave the cadd file to a 2007 document version. I generally end up naming data files something like basémap2007.dwg and basemap2010.dwg
sandboxingToday all your.dwg curve layers are in skétchup, in 3d. If you do the optional action, you can open the layers windowpane and sandbox the island destinations coating by level. If you missed that, attempt to select all the curves one island at a time, and sandbox them. the finish result should end up being a buch of suspended faces of surfaces, unconnected by the highways.
Aftér you sandboxed, thé fresh face created is instantly made a fresh group. So choose everything in the model, after that deselect the fresh organizations of faces you created. The just thing remaining chosen should be the older contour outlines you simply sandboxed. Delete them (or conceal). I've seen people leave them in, and it appears like junk, IMO.
roadsTo develop the highways, we will obtain the data from the sandboxed ground you simply created. Triple, quadruple, or however many clicks it will take for you to open a terrain face, select the entire matter (with hidden geometry turned off in the options), after that deselect the encounter. This should keep you with just the edges around this landscape selected. Control-c thém ór Edit-gt;Duplicate. Close up the group.
In open model space, select Edit-gt;Substance in Location. This will fall the lines you simply copied back in location, aside from the team, where they can end up being select by themselves. Once you finish an isle, conceal the face. Perform this for all the island destinations of surfaces you have, putting all the copied lines in open room where they can all be selected at the exact same time. As soon as you possess all the boundry lines from the destinations separated from their groupings, choose all of thém, and sandbox. Thé result will be a wonderful smooth street linking all your islands of surfaces, to make one huge overall design.
To trim up the extra faces around the street, convert on Hidden Geometry, and proceed to town with the eraser or simply move a windows and remove.
treesIf you are usually fortunate enough to have got a surveyor that pads all his woods icons, you are in good fortune. If all you possess will be a treeline, you can just hang the treeline over the surfaces and make use of it as a information to type 2d trees. I suggest a group of 3 trees assembled, that you can rapidly duplicate and proceed.
Fór those with clogged tree signs, just import the data into your model, and it should line up with the various other file if you didn't proceed anything. Of course, you could just leave the trees and shrubs in your 1st.dwg you imported, and just change the coating off while yóu sandbóx.
As soon as you possess the trees and shrubs covered up, goto thé 3d wharehouse and find your shrub. I suggest the pretty fundamental roundish 2d tree. If you possess alot of trees, 3d trees and shrubs can create older comps stress out. Once downloaded, place the bottom of the forest on the forest symbol in the model over the centermark. Duplicate the woods and remove it. Now open up the group for the tree symbol. If wbIocked in cádd, it will become a component once in sketchup. Now just Edit-gt;Paste in Location. A tree will appear in the center of your mark, and will furthermore appear anywhere that sapling symbol will be in your model. You can now remove the ranges for the tree symbol.Increase. Instant Woodland. :M
StructuresIf your contours were in 3d, possibilities are usually your developing footprints will become too. Usually the footprints are elevated to the roofline. Therefore pull a range to create a face for the building, and extrude dówn through the ground until all four sides proceed through the face and the building isn't floating. No need to trim the feet. You're done, shift along. You can color the houses, remove the outlines off unimportant ones to shift focus, or whatever you need to do. If you have 100s-1000s of buildings, verify out the plugin 'make faces' from smustárd. You will require the 'progressbar' plugin from them simply because nicely for it to function. Both are usually free and function excellent.
SidewalksSó how can wé generate true sidewalks with actual terrain? Conveniently! If you possess the cadd data, make sure the sidewalks are usually encased, because you will require to make faces with them. Once they are shut off, transfer to sketchup and hang onto your terrain. Right now, you will require another plugin 'Articulation Drive/Pull.' Once that can be installed, just select the pavement face on the surfaces that you obtained from draping it. Joint/pull up 6' or whatever reduce elevation you desire.Boom. Extruded pavement in 3d surfacesTaxes routesAdditionally, you can drape your parcel coating onto your landscape for the purposes of color coordinating property to end up being acquired, marketed, etc. You can notice how I kind of do so on my page in the 1st photo. I just did it true quick for the purpose of demonstrating here. Exact same matter with the homes.
I invest 10 hrs shirts on each one. The more cadwork in the starting, the more time it will get.