Hello, I think this function isn't in SU yet but would be very useful. I'm a student Architecture and I'm always drawing my plans in Autocad. This time I have a plan for 6 floors where every floor is a little bit different. I tried to import the.dwg (attached in next post) in SU, and that worked out fine.

This plugin allows you to export your Sketchup model as a DXF or STL files readable by most CAM and 3. D printer software. The code for this plugin is opensource - and hosted on github. Installation instructions using the RBZ format - Sketchup 2. Make & version 8. Sketchup introduced an easier way to install plugins. Download the RBZ version of. Sep 25, 2008 plugins,search under make face 1.4.this more robust than create face. Google SketchUp Help. How to create a surface from a collection of lines Re.

The problem is that I want to extrude my plan to a 3D model but it takes a LOT of time to draw over all those lines. Is there a way to do this easier.

You should take a look at the.skp file. I filled in some faces and extruded some to show you what I'm trying to do.

Is there a way to do this thing in Autocad and then export the.dwg with faces to Sketchup, this could also be a solution. Thanks Gary R 09:12. Helior, I use this method often.and yes it can be somewhat time consuming, especially when you have files that have multiple floors and each floor changes.

I do wish that Sketch Up would build in some function that would automatically surface closed areas upon import. I would build things such as your stair,s independantly from the rest of the model or simply turn it into a component or group quickly before your model gets too complex. Once things start getting complex, you need to be able to get to entities easily.

The cross section tools allow us to get inside the model easier than ever. But I prefer to model it outside of the floor plan and then insert it later. If that makes sense. Another thing I have done is to model exterior/perimeter walls separately from interior walls. This just helps to be able to either turn the interior walls off when just rendering exterior shots. Faster regens. For me personally, I prefer that every group be a separate component on a separate file.

Then I can insert (or not) only what I need for certain images. These suggestions are only for complex models. Simple models, this does not apply. I have looked at your plans and with the columns/walls, etc that you show it appears that you will be modeling quite a bit. One final suggestion to consider. You may not like this but it MAY save you some headache in the long run.

When you import DWG files, its IMPORTANT that you make as many object polylines as possible, ahead of time. This makes sure that things are co-planar (flat). From your model, you seem in good shape so far.

BUT THEN.you might consider putting all floor plans on their own layer AND grouping them floor by floor. Then, redraw them using the rectangle too or the pencil tool. Yes this takes LONGER.but, if any of your lines are not flat/coplanar and you simply push pull them.at some point one of these walls is not going to close or become skinned.

It will drive you crazy trying to figure it out! If you are a skilled SU user (power user I call it).then I dont think this is necessary. Because you know the downfalls of non-coplanar lines and the headaches they bring. Every line I traced in your model sucsessfully closed the corresponding area. SO thats a great sign of a clean DWG file and good cad work. Pivot Stickfigure Animator Pc.

The only other thing I can say is that when I use ACAD drawings as a base to start.many times I end up grouping things and changing layers because my prefence of layer names and etc is a little different in the 3D world verus the 2d world. Something to consider. If I have confused you more than helped, I apologize.

I just have been at this point many times in the past. Automatic surface fill is on my wish list! Kevin Helior 03:00. Hi Kevin, Thanks for replying on my message. I will use the layering method, but I still have the problem of so many lines I have to redraw, that it still takes a lot of time. I was trying to make faces in autocad by using the REGION function.

Problem is that you first have to make boundaries of all 'future' faces. So this also takes too much time. Let's hope for a function that detects boundaries and make faces of them in the next update. For now I'm just going to redraw all those lines:(( I will post my model when I'm done.

Feel free to post more suggestions:) Thanks Jim Holman 11:30. I had the same problem, and I found the only way I could get extrudable wall outlines from Autocad to SketchUp was to make them all closed polylines in Autocad, first, then import to SketchUp.

The thing is, though, you lose your door and window openings in the extrusion process, and have to cut them out again in SketchUp. Reading the posts here, though, I've discovered the easier way is to import your Autocad elevations, extrude to the correct wall thickness, rotate until upright, group them together, then push out the window and door openings. Once you've done this to create a model of the building shell, then you can import the floor plan, extrude it up and match it up with the shell - OR, you can use interior elevations in the same way the exterior walls were created.