SketchUp Hooks Up With Google Earth

zmarties writes "Having recently bought the company and 3d design product SketchUp, Google has now taken the next step of releasing a free personal version of the SketchUp software. Currently available for Windows XP, with a Mac version 'coming soon', the program allows for simple drag and drop design of 3d models - which amongst other uses can then be displayed in Google Earth. The pro version remains available for commercial use, with lots more features. Google are also introducing 3D Warehouse, designed as a repository for 3d models created in the program. The models can be viewed in Google Earth via a network link, so you can see geolocated models as you browse the world, rather than having to explicitly download them. Google has pre-populated the warehouse with a number of models which range from complete complex buildings, such as the Taj Mahal, through to individual design elements such as traffic lights and furniture."

Blender is Already Free

[plaidhacker]

I recently wrote a KML (Google Earth) export script for Blender.org. Blender is certainly less intuitive than SketchUp, but its undeniably more powerful, as well as open source. It supports importing and exporting a number of other industry standards, so you could use it to transform models you already have.

Blender KML Export [ynniv.com]
Blender.org [blender.org]

Cycas comparison?

[snopes]

I've used a program which runs on Linux called Cycas [cycas.de] for quite a bit of scale floor plans, but have found the interface frustrating and as a result never dig into 3D much and rendering at all.

Has anyone used both? Is SketchUp useful at all for something like a detailed floorplan, or just for big primitive, blocky structures? Is it really so unbelievably easy to use that it's worth booting into XP?

TIA-

Anyone tried Wings?

[Peepsalot]

I haven't had a chance to use SketchUp yet, but from the screenshot it looks slightly similar to Wings 3d
http://www.wings3d.com/ [wings3d.com]

I may be completely off comparing the two, but it's definitely a fun program to play with anyways. Open source and more intuitive than other alternatives such as blender IMHO.

Re:Cycas comparison?

[AdamWeeden]

Has anyone used both?

For the sake of honesty, I must say no.

Is SketchUp useful at all for something like a detailed floorplan, or just for big primitive, blocky structures?

I've used it for floorplans before and found it quite easy.

Is it really so unbelievably easy to use that it's worth booting into XP?

I think so, but, again for the sake of honesty, I admit I have little problem with XP and use it as my daily operating system.

Re:Vs. SketchUp Pro

[eMartin]

"In other words, look at Sketchup - but don't touch if you want access to your data."

Do you do 3D work?

Some of us do. These days, we mostly "access" our data with 3D software. Not text editors. *Most* 3D programs use proprietary formats to store data specific to their own features.

With that said, Sketchup offers several import and export options to other standard 3D formats, and can be extended with plugins to support more.

Re:SketchUp rendering

[bsy_at_play]

i don't think the images are all that blocky, though limiting the number of polygons make smoothly curving surfaces difficult/not as nice. http://www.bennetyee.org/bathroom/ [bennetyee.org] contains a sketchup model that i made to help communicate what we want with contractors. of the complex shapes that i had to make, the lighting fixture took the most time and the sink is the least realistic. i didn't include additional surface images and only used the ones provided (with some stretching for the glass tiles), but i think it turned out pretty well.

Re:Blender is Already Free

[slapout]

Check out Blender: Noob to Pro [wikibooks.org]. Once you get used to it, the interface makes a lot of sense.

Re:Vs. SketchUp Pro

[Anonymous Coward]

No, the PRO version has the ability to export to several standard formats. The free personal version does not.

Of course, almost anyone using it for "personal use" is going to be fine with just being able to access it in sketchup. Heck, most people using for personal use it won't have access to software that can read the other formats, which by themselves generally start at around $300 or so. The OP is complaining that people aren't giving their work out for free (as in beer or speech) to companies that are willing to fork out the money for programs that can read .dwg (AutoCAD native format; the LT [Light] version starts @ $899 IIRC), .3ds (Autodesk 3DS MAX format, don't remember the cost) and other formats that also require expensive software.

Sketchup is a toy and a tool both. As a toy, it can be used to create incredible looking models that can be shown off to friends via printing and screencapturing. This does not require coversion to other formats. As a tool, it can be wonderful for allowing a person to change a structure on the fly to match their requirements, and is (potentially) worth the money they spend on it.

Incidentally, I am a draftsman/designer by trade, and while I do think that the software is in general overpriced, the market is not exactly a monopoly anymore. If the price for software is too high, the items will simply not sell. Also, Sketchup is a great program for 3d modeling of some types of objects, but for 3d models of structures it is not the best tool for the job. The simplest and most useful software for that (that I have used) is Chief Architect, by ART Inc; Chief sells for $1295 for the cheap version (that lacks several very useful features) or $1995 for the full version.

If you want free CAD, try QCAD on Linux or IntelliCAD on Windows. But they aren't fully featured yet; apparently, nobody has been able to pay the people working on them enough to keep them working hard enough to make the program match AutoCAD.