Exporting 3D VW Model for SketchUp?

[girwin]

I've been trying numerous approaches to export a 3D model from Vectorworks for import into SketchUp with mixed results. The best results have come with an .fbx export from Vectorworks, and import into SketchUp with proprietary SU extensions, however the results are mixed at best. The geometry comes into SU as very complex nested layers of groups and components, and exploding them results, ultimately, in faceted geometry where there might be a simple wall plane, for example. Depending on the SU extension, the model comes in more or less cleanly, and some of them show up without line work, for some reason. I've attached screenshots of the various .fbx imports, both in "Default Style" and "HiddenLine." Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[zoomer]

Doesn't SU offer a DWG Import ?

 

(VW will still not export Materials to DWG though)

[girwin]

Yes, the DWG import is the one on the far right. Glazing doesn't come through as translucent (each surface needs to be changed individually) and numerous other errors in the geometry. I suspect it's an issue on the VW export side.

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by girwin

[zoomer]

Maybe.

There are some unfortunate issues with certain geometries and

of course the lack of Materials and such.

Really a pity as VW can import all DWG features nearly lossless !

 

I think FBX Import and SKP Export would be a great improvement for VW.

[girwin]

I have tried nearly every option for importing a VW model into SketchUp, and recently found software that does a good job. 'Transmutr' is a standalone application (not a plugin for SU.) See below for a comparison of various VW export/SU import approaches. Many of them fail to include the line work, so I've shown the results in both SU 'Default Style' and 'Hidden Line' to illustrate. I feel like Transmutr is the way to go, at least at present.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by girwin

[Cristiano Alves]

After two years is there a better way to export 3D models from Vectorworks to Sketchup?
 

In the tutorials I see on YouTube, they suggest exporting to 3DS.

However, when I import the 3DS model into Sketchup, an error popup appears.

I also tried Transmuter, and the file is quite heavy, but on the third try, I managed to open the file.

[BartHays]

We have been doing a little bit of work with firm that uses SU,

 

For maintaining appearances we have found the OBJ works best.

Do not choose double-sided faces, it will balloon the file size.

 

The shaders and textures come over well enough but the naming gets lost in the translation. 

I wonder if SU has any plans for USDz?

 

Bart

 

[Cristiano Alves]

I try the export in 3DS and import it into Transmutr.
Works fine until today. I tried to export a model, and some parts are not appearing.

The "solid 1" is ok, but the "solid 2" not.
The difference is the "solid 2" has a texture while the other does have.

But if I look the edges all the solids are on the project.

 

 

From what I see, the "parts" that do not appear, in the OIP, are identified as "Extrude." The issue is that another solid also identified as an extrude, appears in SketchUp.

 

I try to convert the solid 2 to a Polygon, and the solid disappears on Vectorworks.





After that, I try exporting in OBJ:
And in this case, just appear the Solid 2 😅

 

 

But if I look the edges all the solids are on the project

 

What is the problem and what is the solution for this?
You have a VWX file on file attached files

Solid Export SketchUp.vwx

Edited February 27 by Cristiano Alves

[BartHays]

Check you textures,

Texture mapping doesn't translate well, transmutr might be making that worse

Solid 2 has a texture with Transparancy, try without any textures and see if that helps.

in SU you might have to remap the texture to get it to the right scale.

 

Bart

[Cristiano Alves]

On 2/27/2024 at 3:03 AM, BartHays said:

Check you textures,

Texture mapping doesn't translate well, transmutr might be making that worse

Solid 2 has a texture with Transparancy, try without any textures and see if that helps.

in SU you might have to remap the texture to get it to the right scale.

 

Bart

I solved the problem with FBX, but is strange anything.

For example, what is the difference between materials or textures (on Vectorworks)?
 

[Pat Stanford]

Materials are basically a data standard that can be used to identify the properties of bulk site materials like Concrete, Stucco, Wood, Metal, etc. By defining an object in VW to use a Material it is a relatively easy way to have uniform bulk properties that can be used for things like energy calculations.

 

Materials can also have textures assigned to them so you have a uniform graphical appearance of items that use that material.

 

Texture are a purely graphical feature that allows you to put a "sophisticated" image onto an object that in addition to having a color can have an image, transparency, bump map, etc. to more accurately reflect what the object would look like in a real world setting.

 

If you extrude a rectangle and set it to have a Texture of concrete, you will get an object that looks like concrete. But if you assign a concrete material to the object you can also calculate the mass, thermal impact, sound isolation, etc.

 

As of VW2024, most of the VW PIOs (doors, windows, etc.) do not use Materials, but rather have their engineering properties defined for the complete object rather than trying to calculated them from all the various Jams, sashes, leaves, frames, etc. that make up a door or window.  In commercially available doors/windows, that energy/mass/sound/insulation properties is pretty readily available from the manufacturer.

[Tom W.]

3 hours ago, Pat Stanford said:

As of VW2024, most of the VW PIOs (doors, windows, etc.) do not use Materials

 

In VW2024 Doors + Windows can now use Materials, although I think your wider point about how you would use the Material data in these objects (as opposed to 'bulk site materials') still stands.