Google 3D Warehouse – Storage of SketchUp Components

Google 3D Warehouse is the one stop solution of all the SketchUp users to download, upload or view the SketchUp models with ease. While you can let your creativity soar when using Google SketchUp, creating your own 3-Dimentional models and collections, it is not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. 3D Warehouse is the huge library of models and collections of known geographical locations, original buildings, objects and people that can be used with Google SketchUp.

It’s a user-driven community, which means people can upload their creations for general use or showcase purposes. It also means that it’s likely you’ll be able to find the model you’re seeking. By giving Google SketchUp Warehouse access directly from within SketchUp, Google has made it a simple matter to share 3D designs with other users.

Google 3D Warehouse is a website dedicated to the display and storage of models that were created using Google SketchUp 3D design software. The website features an easy-to-navigate interface that lets users view new and popular models that have been uploaded by the user community so that others might integrate their work into scenes of their own. Users can get to know other SketchUp modellers, learn about modelling competitions, and find models either separately or as part of a larger collection with ease. The best features of the Google Warehouse aren't located on the website, however; Google has integrated their 3D Warehouse into SketchUp itself, making the process of uploading or downloading content as easy as possible for those who wish to share their own designs.

Download Models Into Google SketchUp:

• Start Google SketchUp and click on the ‘Get Models’ button. It’s located in the Getting Started toolbar and looks like an open cardboard box with an arrow shooting out of it. 3D Warehouse will appear in a pop-up window.

• Then start browse through the model libraries or enter specific search terms to find the type of model you’re seeking. Click the ‘Download Model’ link when you’ve found a model that will work with your project. You can choose to either load the model directly into your SketchUp project or to save the model to your hard drive for later use.

• Choose "Yes" to make your own placement for the model in your Google SketchUp. If you get a dialog asking you whether you want to place the model yourself this typically happens if the model you've chosen if you're using a terrain image from Google Earth and the model you downloaded was uploaded with a specific Google Earth location. If you select "No" then the model will be placed at the correct terrain location, whether or not it's close to your project's location.

• Place imported models using the "Move" tool. The object will move around your Google SketchUp screen until you click to place it.

Upload Models to 3D Warehouse

• Save and name the model you've created in Google SketchUp. Since you'll be sharing the file with the community, make sure to name it something intuitive. If you name the White House "that place at 1600" users are less likely to find it in a search.

• Go to File, then to "3D Warehouse", then to "Share model." When the 3D Warehouse page appears, sign in using your Google account information.

• Enter a title and brief description for your model. You can also add extra information to make the model more accessible to other users. For example, you can add tags for categorization purposes or the URL or logo of your website.

• Click "Upload to 3D Warehouse."

Blog: How to Create Virtual Model in SketchUp

In every sphere of life you may have to create a virtual model of any design. For a student, a virtual model can be useful for his or her school project. If you want to make a house of your own then a virtual model is important to see the floor plan and get a better understanding. For a designer, interior decorator or an architect always seek the help of the virtual model for the success of their profession. Though there are various tools for 3D designing. SketchUp is known as the most user friendly and easy to access 3D drawing tool from the house of the Google.

Making a free virtual model lays the foundation for creating entire scenes and environments, which you then use for games or simulations. With some simple tools you can easily draw a model in SketchUp. You can rotate and view the details of the model from all sides. SketchUp gives flexibility and freedom to make change in the model. You can add suitable color material and texture in the model according to your choice. In the following part there is a short guideline on how to make models on SketchUp.

Make a Model with Sketchup:

1. Open SketchUp, which is the easiest free CAD program to learn. SketchUp can create only simple animations for evaluating a model. In contrast, Blender and Art of Illusion can animate walking characters. Also, SketchUp lacks a full rendering engine; models you render with it don't look as realistic but there are some plug ins to fill up the void. You'll make a model house with SketchUp.

2. Click the top toolbar's square icon to enter the mode for drawing squares. A square forms the base of the model house.

3. Drag a square on the ground plane, then press "P" to run the "Push/Pull" tool.

4. Click the square and drag upward to turn the square into a box.

5. Press "Control-C," then "Control-V" to make a copy of the box, which will form the roof.

6. Click the second box's top face, then press "S" to run the scale tool. Drag any two opposing edges of the box's top face until they touch each other. This forms the wedge shape of the roof.

7. Press "M" to run the "Move" tool, then drag the roof atop the house to complete the house model.

Sketchup Ruby

Ruby is an interpreted scripting language that SketchUp can understand via its SketchUp Ruby application programming interface (API). It was first introduced in SketchUp Version 4 with the intention to quick and easy object-oriented programming.
With ruby script sketchup users can use to write plugins (scripts) for Google SketchUp and develop extra functionality by creating dozens of new tools & component generators for SketchUp beyond its built-in abilities in the Ruby programming language.
Ruby scripts can be any thing from short snippets of code to more elaborate tool development.

Benefits of Ruby
· Produce custom advanced drawing tools which boost up the modeling speed and provide assistance to create complex objects with a few clicks.
· Make 3d models that go ahead of geometry. The sketchup user can get the opportunity to add text or numeric attributes to any part of a SketchUp model and then produces reports.
· The task of the SketchUp becomes automated with the API. It will be very helpful in the case of repetitive modeling requirements as a script can save time and money to a great extent.
· Google produce free Ruby Scrambler, the sketchup users are able to protect their IP and sell thier plugins to this extensive user base.
Resources for learning Ruby
"Programming Ruby" online at
http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/ProgrammingRuby
"The "Ruby user's guide" online at
http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/UsersGuide/rg/
"Introduction to Ruby" online at
http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/Tutorial/
"Learn to Program - A Tutorial for the Future Programmer" on line at http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/
Bezier Splines in SketchUp Using Ruby Scripts at http://www.aecbytes.com/tipsandtricks/2009/issue42-sketchup.html

Sketchup Ruby interference

Ruby Extensions
The Sketchup extension is similar to other ruby script. It is known as ‘.rb’ and is applied at the end of a file name. The sketchup users have to create few extra code calls to make it easier to manage all of their rubies. To make use of plug-ins and other Ruby tools written by Google - like Sandbox and Dynamic Components - extensions must be enabled by clicking a checkbox under the SketchUp Preferences > Extensions menu.
SketchUp Ruby API
The SketchUp Ruby API (Application Programmer's Interface) is a way that Ruby programmers can extend the capabilities of SketchUp to meet their needs. Create custom drawing tools, like a tool for creating windows.
This API documentation includes sample code for each SketchUp Ruby method. There is one sample code file, also known as test file, for each SketchUp Ruby class file. All of the sample code is accessible in a .zip file on the SketchUp Web site (www.sketchup.com) under the Downloads tab. Unzip the test files in the Plugins folder within the SketchUp installation directory. These files end in the word “Tests,” such as “EdgeTests”.
You should check each test file using a text editor. You may also accomplish the tests to make out how each API works within SketchUp.
The Ruby API presents a binding to the TET C API. The API functionalities are included in a single Ruby module called as ‘Rbtet’. This module will have to be imported at the start of the test code require “Rbtet”
The SketchUp Ruby API contains a series of SketchUp-specific Ruby modules known as classes in the object-oriented programming (OOP) world, and corresponding commands known as methods in the OOP world. These modules are utilized for formulating macros and controlling geometry in SketchUp. Classes are considered to be a mechanism for grouping related SketchUp ruby commands.
Advantages with Ruby API
Attach attributes to drawing elements such as cost, supplier, etc.
Read attributes to generate reports, cut lists, or bills of material.
Automate common tasks like generating scenes from a set of rotations.
Animate stuff, from drawing elements to camera position.
Make games inside SketchUp by combining these activities.
Ruby Plugin
In the SketchUp world, "plugins" are identical to ruby scripts. Scripts belong to text files with a .rb (ruby) or .rbs (scrambled ruby) extension that includes Ruby programming code.
WebDialog Class
The Ruby WebDialog class supports DHTML webdialogs created with JavaScript. As for instance webdialogs can be formed from Ruby code to exhibit a web site or to recognize user input and utilize the results in your Ruby code.
Ruby Observer Mechanism
If any changes occur in the object of SketchUp application or model, it can be notified to Ruby script with the help of Ruby Observer Mechanism. For instance, an observer class can be created that "listens" to when SketchUp leaves and then makes some action.
Make a Ruby class of an exact observer type, like AppObserver, prevail the desired methods, such as onQuit, and put in an example of the observer to the related objects in your Ruby script (applying the addobserver method for that object). Refer to individual observer edges for additional information.
Ruby Script
Some complex scripts, like this version of BezierSpline, contain instructions inside its folder. For this purpose, the instructions are obtainable through a submenu entry exists in SketchUp. Other scripts may arise in the form of an easy, informational text file or no special document.
While updating a script one should eliminate the older version to keep away from loading errors and inconsistencies. But if you wish to maintain copies of the older versions in the Plugins directory, then the file extensions must be renamed.
In order to learn ruby script :-
Ruby Tutorial - Hello World
Ruby Tutorial - Accessing Entities

Posted by
Rajib Dey
Business Development
Sketchup4architect

Catch Santa this Christmas with SketchUp

Every year Santa Clause comes in the sledge pulling by the reindeer with the elf and distributes gift among the children of all over the world. But we always get surprise about his magical journey. We always want to know how he visits so many children in just one night. Every child’s mind is full with the curiosity that would he eat the cookies or how he manages to store all the gifts in the sledge. All of these questions keep the Santa Clause a mystery for years.

Not only the child but also the elder people want to know where Santa is at the very moment. North American Aerospace Defense Command or NOARD with the help of SketchUp and advance GPS system tracks Santa.

From 2 a.m EST of 24^th December they start to track Santa. For more information visit www.noardsanta.org. You can visit his journey around the world and see the jolly man delivering gifts to the children of all over the world. We will just love to see the unmistakable red suit all over the day.

This is not the first time. NOARD started to track Santa since 1955. Google as announced in their official website that they partnered with NOARD in this mission. Embracing the spirit of the season, NORAD used its satellite and radar capabilities to offer callers sleigh-location updates, and has tracked Santa’s whereabouts on Christmas Eve ever since. Then in 2004, Google started tracking Santa on Google Earth as a 20% project, which in 2007 grew into a partnership with NORAD, adding the mapping technology of Google Maps and Google Earth to the NORAD experience. This time SketchUp come along in this venture to give it a more realistic view.

• See Santa on a Google Map: On your home computer or laptop, visit www.noradsanta.org and choose your preferred language. You’ll see a large Google Map on the page displaying Santa’s current location and his next stop. Click the video icons to watch “Santa Cam” videos, and click the gift icons to learn more about each city.

• Watch Santa fly with the Google Earth Plug-in: From www.noradsanta.org, click on the link Track Santa in Google Earth. You'll see Santa steering his sleigh right on the webpage. If you don't have the Google Earth plug-in, you can get ready by downloading it ahead of time.

• Follow Santa on your phone: Track Santa from your mobile phone by opening Google Maps for mobile and searching for [Santa]. Or, visit m.noradsanta.org on your phone’s browser.

• Subscribe to his YouTube channel: Santa’s home on YouTube is at http://www.youtube.com/noradtrackssanta. That’s where you can find videos from his journey throughout the night.

• Get real-time information about Santa’s location: Use Google’s Realtime Search to get updates from social networks, news and micro-blogs like Twitter at @noradsanta, and keep up with news about his journey on this Facebook page.

Sketchup ur Space – an one of a kind magazine on SketchUp

SketchUp ur Space is a unique flash magazine though you can have the pdf version also. Since September, 2010 this magazine have come out with lots of informative feature articles, blog, review, tips and tricks article and many more things. The image quality of the SketchUp models is also good. Here you can have a through discussion on the SketchUp and its plug ins. It helps you to keep yourself updated on various SketchUp related issues.

Since its first edition, you can get lot of useful information on SketchUp. In the first issue of Sketchup ur Space, they welcome all in the 3D world and introduced to the SketchUp. After the introduction we came to know various features and benefits of SketchUp in the second issue. Now days SketchUp is almost incomplete without its plug ins. Plug ins have become the integral part of SketchUp now. It not only enhances the functionality of the SketchUp but also gives the users freedom to spread the wings of their creativity. That’s why in the November issue of SketchUp ur Space, there is a details description of various SketchUp plug ins.

This SketchUp magazine already has become quite well known in the SketchUp community. Different SketchUp artist of all over the world are providing write ups on SketchUp in this magazine. We find promotional write ups on various plug ins by the plug in developers here. Sketchup ur Space proves to be very useful for the SketchUp users. In the cover story of every edition there are discussions on the main theme of the issue. There is a section where we find the valuable write ups by eminent SketchUp users like Albert Hart, Eike Theile, Justin Anderson, Kendall Wayland and many more. Apart from the blog from the editor herself, there are the extracts of various blog posting by SketchUp blogger Dennis Fukai and Jim Leggitt on the Sketchup ur Space. The Tips and Tricks articles are also of great assist to the new SketchUp users for providing guidance. In the Review section, you find reviews of plug ins which help you in time of taking purchasing decision.

In the December edition they come out with a Christmas Special issue. In this edition the theme of Sketchup ur Space is render plugins. Render plug ins are the most important and popular plug ins in SketchUp. There is also a new section called Press Room, where you will get to know new releases of various plug ins and SketchUp products. Hope that you will love to read this issue. If you want the regular issues free of cost then just subscribe it by clicking here.

Google Announces The winner of Ponoko Challenge and Geo Super Modeler

In this season of Christmas SketchUp transform itself to Santa Clause… rather 3D Santa. It brings happiness to the faces of Ed Lewis and Huang Chung-Tang (a.k.a Tang). They are the new winner in two different competitions arranged by Google SketchUp.

Ed Lewis is the winner of Google SketchUp and Ponoko 3D printing competition and Tang is the new Supermodeler for the November month.

Ed Lewis, aka Fungus Amungus, who created an all-around fantastic Instructable for using Google SketchUp with Ponoko 3D printing to win the Google + Ponoko Challenge. The prize package of this competition includes worth $1,500 and includes a Google SketchUp Pro license, a 12 month subscription to Ponoko Prime, plus a $537 Ponoko digital making voucher.

In the Instructable, Lewis walks you through 7 easy steps to go from a simple cube in SketchUp to a 3D printed, level-3 Menger sponge.

In an interview after winning the competition Lewis said about SketchUp; “I like that I can quickly jump in and get a 3D rendering of an idea out in a few minutes. For getting an idea across to someone, it often takes less time to make a model than it does to describe it verbally. You can quickly move on to the stage where you’re trying out several different variations, which is great because that’s the fun stuff. I’ve tried a couple of other 3D programs and they’re pretty amazing, but for my purposes SketchUp is my goto program. Having a free version means I can share ideas with anyone else in the world. I can push a project as far as I want to, put up the file, and then see someone else take it even further. That’s awesome.”

In another competition announced in November for awarding supermodeler status to the world’s best geo modelers Huang Chung-Tang came out as the winner of the process. With 140 top-notch models currently in Google Earth’s 3D Buildings layer, he’s certainly deserving of the honor. After the announcement, Tang was interviewed by Google. From the interview we came to know that though he had a dream to become an architect, he specialized in Interior and Space design. SketchUp gives him the opportunity to fulfill his dream. With the help of it he started building geo models for Google Earth.

According to Tang, “My first model passed through Google’s review process and appeared in Google Earth’s 3D Buildings layer in 2008. The feeling of excitement when I see my models in Google Earth remains today. Maybe this is the Google Earth and SketchUp charm. I think all modelers share this kind of feeling.” When he was asked about his goal he said, “It’s my hope that more people in Taiwan will participate in geo-modeling. We could create a community where we work collaboratively to build geo-models of Taiwan to appear on Google Earth. My goal is have more buildings of Taiwan to be seen by everyone around the world. In the last few years Peter has taught me a lot about modeling, and helped me produce better models using SketchUp. I think this is what they mean by a ‘global village’.”

Process of Easy Creation of Stunning Laser-cut 3D forms!

Creating a 3D model in SketchUp is a great as well as easy enough than any other complicated 3D designing tool. Everyday more and more plug ins are launched to lower the barrier to people creating their own great designs in SketchUp. It allows you to build models from a simple scratch or you have the freedom to download your required model from the 3D Warehouse. But a 3D model is not enough for this cutting edge technology age. You can have a laser cut 3D models with the help of a wonderful plug in named SliceModeler.

Sliceform modeling is a technique which lies happily on the borders between art and mathematics. The models are made from intersecting sets of parallel panels made of paper, cardboard, wood, Plexiglas or MDF which slot together to generate interesting 3-dimensional surfaces or objects.

Slicemodeler allows you to take a 3D model form and slice it up into interlocking pieces through a series of simple steps. You enter the distance apart that you want the sections, the material thickness, choose which axes the slices are on, and the software calculates the intersections. Once you have all the slices, in this time the SVG outline plugin comes in. Select the sections you want (that have been conveniently laid out by Slicemodeler) and hit Export to SVG file.

Now you have a file (or files) you can open in Inkscape or Illustrator to arrange for laser cutting. The SVG export plugin also lets you label the different parts so you can keep track of things.

If you're new to SketchUp and have familiarity with other modeling programs, no problem - simply model your designs in your preferred program and then import them into SketchUp. You can then take advantage of the various plugins, including those mentioned here.

The process goes something like this:

• Create the form in SketchUp (If you are using a different modelling program, you'll then need to export a .3ds file and import it into SketchUp )
• Run SliceModeler (see above)
• Export SVG files from SketchUp
• Open in Illustrator (or similar), label and laser cutting

It sounds like a lot of steps but it is actually a simple process compared to imagining how these pieces interlock and drawing the sections in 2D in Illustrator and free 3d models.

Previously, this style of form creation has been possible with premium 3D modeling software like Rhino, but the great thing about SketchUp and its plugins is that they are free 3d models.

This significantly lowers the barriers that stop people making things. And the plugins are either free or for a small donation which is totally worth it to support the great independent software creators that add huge value to these bigger software packages.

Instant Roof – a wonderful aid to SketchUp

Though drawing a house in SketchUp is not at all a tedious work, but some times it becomes easier than ever getting help from other software. Instant Roof is something like that which helps you to end the 3D modeling in SketchUp faster. This cool plug in is easy to use in every sphere from installation to execution.

Instant Roof is a wonderful creation of SketchUp Ruby Script by Chuck Vali of Vali Architect. With the help of the Instant Roof, you can create various types of Roof for your models of the house instantly. When you use it, you’ll be able to easily create hips, sheds, trellises, and gables wherever you need them.

With the help of this software, drawing roof is not the only easy task – the installation, learning as well as execution all are easy enough. You just have pop one file in to your plug in folder and you set to use this plug in. The software comes with the wonderful easy to understand pdf file from where you can easily understand all the tips and tricks of Instant Roof. Along with that, a bunch of useful videos are there in their website which helps you to be a master in this tool instantly. The website help section is also very useful.

The most important attribute of the Instant Roof is the quick productivity. For a organized plug in menu, you don’t need to memorize the names of each and every small button and can do your drawing without any hassle. The input method for telling the script where to put gables and sheds couldn't be simpler.

The main attributes of the Instant Roof are:
• Create a complex roof in seconds - just select faces and edges; then run Instant Roof.
• Hip, gable, shed, dutch-gable, mansard, plantation, gambrel, open-trellis, combined, more...
• Eave types: boxed-in, exposed, soffited
• Hips and rafters with customizable ends
• Fascia, fascia-trim, ridge and hip tiles, shingles, or sheet-metal
• Complete mission tile or standing-seam roof
• Use default roof styles - or create your own
• Export and Import user defined roof styles
• Choose any unit type supported by Sketchup: Metric- angles for slope or Feet/ inches - ratio for slope
• Upgrade to Pro version for more roof slopes (The free version will only create the following roof slopes: 1/8:12 (0.6 degrees) ; 2:12 (9.5 degrees) ; 6:12 (26.6 degrees) ; 16:12 (53 degrees) or 24:12 (63 degrees).


In the Instant Roof there are a number of different roof styles that are really just preset combinations of different parameters you can play around with. That means the possibilities are endless! You can modify the preset roofs to create eaves, fascia, rafters, and slopes. Every feature is completely adjustable. In addition to that, you will also be able to select a few different roof details like shingles, standing seams, sheet metal, and tile.

There are two versions of Instant Roof; the free version and the Pro avaiulable. The Pro version gives you a bit more when it comes to roof slopes and other features, but if you’re not doing serious work, you can have a lot of fun with the free version. The Pro version will run you about $39.

Google Earth gets its complete look by SketchUp

Google Earth is the digital atlas from the house of Google. We know that we can have the geo modeling on Google Earth of various cities. And when we talk about 3D modeling of Google, the name of SketchUp must be included. With the help of SketchUp, geo modeling of many cities can be done and uploaded in Google Earth. Till date there are almost 109 cities in the Google Earth and the number is still counting. There are models of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oslo, Norway, The Hague, The Netherlands, San Antonio, Texas, Tucson, Arizona, Norfolk, Virginia, Salt Lake City, Utah and many more cities. The latest addition to this list is Paris, the city of love.

http://www.sketchup4architect.com/ may have brought out the designer side in everyone with models ranging from the very simple to the very intricate. But it is Google Earth where these models are vividly brought to life. Now using these two tools, the average internet user doesn’t even need to leave their house in order to travel around the world – or even make money.

The buildings of any city seem to be all the rage and whole towns and cities are starting to appear on Google Earth as 3D SketchUp buildings. Soon we’ll have every street corner and alleyway meticulously reproduced in 3D virtual reality. This is starting to become a boom industry as businesspeople are starting to see the financial incentives. Not only is there a thriving industry in making the models for other people but professionals such as real estate agents and architects can also harness the power of SketchUp and Google Earth to build 3D models of properties to show to prospective clients. Why look at a patch of empty ground and imagine what will be there eventually when you can make an interactive 3D model instead?


Another advantage of this collaboration of Google Earth and SketchUp is for the travelers. They can check out the targeted destination on Google Earth. Even they can map the route on Google Earth to see how far away the airport is from the hotel. Prospective house buyers can also check out the area they are contemplating moving to if they happen to live far away. But the best advantage of all is that you can re-live memories. After coming back from holiday, you can go to Google Earth and see the sights again and pretend you’re still there.

So SketchUp and Google Earth make the perfect pair. SketchUp provides the tools to make the models and Earth brings them to life.

SketchUp, an Innovative Tool for Home Designing

SketchUp is the place where creativity mingles with fun, where simplicity wins over complex procedures, where hand paint effect adds with photo realistic rendering. Now you don’t need to be a professional designer or architect to draw a model in 3D. SketchUp makes all your necessities of designing possible without any hassle.

With the help of SketchUp you can draw the complex floor plan of your house in a simple way. With the three axes you can easily draw the lines with the pencil tool. There are many tools like Arc tool, Freehand Tool, Rectangle tool, Circle Tool and Polygon Tool to give you the flexibility to draw as you like. Then the Push or Pull tool helps you to make the design in to 3D. You can add colors, texture material according to your choice from the Paint Bucket Tool. You can do any modification with the help of the Eraser Tool. The Move Tool, Rotate Tool, Scale Tool Follow Me Tool and Offset tool will help you to modify the existing geometry of the image.

You can experience the model of you house will look at different times of day and night. Landscape of your house can be added in SketchUp. From the 3D Warehouse you can add different types of components like tree, shrubs, indoor plants, car, building, people and many more things. All these things will help you to give a real time feel on your 3D designing. It will help to have you a better understanding of the floor plan of your dream home. SketchUp also allows you to have last minute change in an inexpensive way and see the model in ‘what if’ condition.

SketchUp is also a great option for redesign your existing home. You can change the color of your rooms and rearrange the furniture to give a new look. You can also add new furniture or components like show pieces, table lamp, sofa, electronic gadgets or indoor plants. You can also change the carpet of your room. Furniture is also created with it. You can make 3D designing of various new furniture unlashing your creativity. You can find help in www.sketchup4architect.com which is a wonderful website providing tutorials, components and many other important requirements for 3D designing.

Posted By
Debarati Nath
Content Writer
Sketchup4architect

Driving Dimensions plug-in 1.4 for Google sketchup

Ledas just launched the revised version 1.4 of the Driving Dimensions plug-in for SketchUp.

This new plugin is fully compatible with the free 8 and the Pro 8. The plugin is also tested with the 32-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7, and on Mac OS X 10.6.

The Commercial licenses of Driving Dimensions v1.4 is priced for US$145 (EUR 145 in Europe). The users who have purchased the licenses during last year can upgrade to v1.4 free of charge.

Free test drives of the Driving Dimension plug-in is available www.DrivingDimensions.com/SketchUp.

The free version is not allowed for commercial utilization and limits users to 10 driving dimensions per model.

The code of the Driving Dimensions plug-in has been modified to get the most out of several important changes made to SketchUp V8. Now the inferred dimensions mechanism of Driving Dimensions performs accurately in both the new and previous versions of SketchUp.

Now the sketchup users can easily add parametric to the SketchUp V8 licenses.

Driving Dimensions is a plug-in for SketchUp that facilitates to create parametric changes of any 3D model. The users can modify any dimension (length, distance, radius, angle) in your SketchUp model in just one click.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
Business Development
Sketchup4architect

Keyframe animation plugin for sketchup

It is an animation plug-in for Google SketchUp and compatible with 7, 8 or Free or Pro.
This Plugin works inside SketchUp and creates keyframe animation in SketchUp.The animation can even be exported as an AVI or MOV video file.

The users can easily add, delete, rename and reorder keyframes. Groups and components are animated between keyframes by translation or rotation. The camera moves between keyframes by the usual SketchUp interpolation.

For installation move the file, rp_keyframe_animation.rbs, to your SketchUp Plugins folder and then Restart SketchUp.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
Business Development
Sketchup4architect

Pointools launched a new plug-in for sketchup users

Pointools has offered a new Plug-in for Google SketchUp. This plug-in is ideal for all SketchUp and SketchUp Pro users as the plug-in helps to keep the visual quality and correctness of point cloud models in SketchUp.

The plug-in will show the numerous points on screen by reading the Pointools POD model file format easily and thus enhance the modeling productivity.

The users also use this plug-in as a support for Google’s geo-location services to maintain StreetView textures and aerial imagery alongside point clouds.

By applying this plug-in the sketchup users can reuse the same point cloud models inside sketchup and simplify the scan-to-model workflows. The plug-in also assists to generate 3D city models from mobile scan data.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
Promotion & Development
Sketchup4architect

Combination of Alibre Design Expert and "Moment of Inspiration TM (MoI)" Software

Aliber Inc presents Moment of Inspiration TM (MoI) in Alibre Design Expert. Michael Gibson creates this concept creation and surfacing design tool that will help designers to create product and concept design easy and fast.

With the help of it’s additional tool the designers get the optimal design with the aspects of ergonomics and visual richness.

The combination is very much helpful for 3D CAD programs like Solidworks, Inventor, and Pro/E, allowing their native CAD models to be conveyed into Blender, SketchUp, Maya and any other rendering or game development platform which supports OBJ files. It will also support SketchUp output (SKP).

Posted by
Rajib Dey
Business Development & Promotion
Sketchup4Architect

Sketchup4architect is a storehouse of Sketchup services

Sketchup4architect outsource Sketchup services to the offshore companies for several years. They have emerged out as the leader of Sketchup services in the world wide web. Finest quality of Sketchup services since 2006 keep all the customers full satisfied.

Sketchup is a wonderful tool for 3D designing. It is much faster and accurate than any other 3D designing tools available in the market. This magic tool from the house of Google helps the architects, designer, educators, game designer, film designer, graphic are designer, interior designer. Any general people can use this user friendly designing tool. This is success used by the school students for their project. Even the people with autism disorder can make beautiful model with the help of Sketchup. 3 dimensional model of any object like building, people, tree, car or any thing can be created promptly. Photo realistic rendering is also done with Sketchup to get a more real time look of the design. One can add texture, experience first person view via ‘walk through’, rotate the structure and can see it from every angle to get a better understanding.

Sketchup 4 Architect is doing an excellent job in providing the Sketchup service to the Architect Firm, Landscape Architect, Interior Designer, Graphic Designer, Real Estate Agency, Engineering Company, Game Industry, Film Industry, Woodworking Industry, Mechanical Industry and many other sectors. They are providing Sketchup services like: 3D Modeling, Architectural design, 3D Construction design, Interior design, Landscape Architecture, Film & Stage visualizing, GIS sketching, Mechanical Design, BIM Modeling with Google SketchUp and SketchUp for furniture design. Apart from these services you will find there lots of pre designed components like building, library, car, people, tree, door, windows, furniture and many more things by the Sketchup artist of the firm. Sketchup4architect is a treasure trove of the Sketchup plugins. One can download various Plug ins like SketchUcation Extensions Index, Lightup for Sketchup, Ies ve Sketchup Plugin, Turbosketch Studio, Indigo Renderer, Hypershot, Twilight Render, Shaderlight Plugin for SketchUp, 3D Paint Brush for Google Sketchup, Arc Gis, Podium, Vray, SU2KT, Artlantis for Sketchup, Edrawings Publisher, Google Sketchup Web Exporter Beta, Hypercosm Teleporter for Sketchup, Idx Renditioner, Urban Developer, 3skeng, Waybe, SketchyPhysics, Ifc2skp, Irender for Sketchup, Nxt render for Sketchup, Rps 3d pdf Exporter, RPS Productivity Tools, Render Plus System, Rp Tools, Space Design, Renderplus NPR Tools and many other.

The November issue of Sketchup ur Space has released

Kolkata, India, November 23, 2010: The third issue of Sketchup ur Space has been launched by Global Associates. This flap book continues its duty of providing valuable information about the wonderful 3D designing tool. You can experience the flash version here: http://sketchup4architect.com/media/2010/nov/ and download the PDF at: http://www.sketchup4architect.com/media/2010/nov/sketchup-ur-space-nov10.pdf.

With the simplicity and clearness of the explanation, Sketchup ur Space is trying to ‘experience everyone the power and fun’ of 3D designing which is the basic intention of this wonderful designing tool. The main theme of the third edition of SketchUp ur Space is the plug ins. Plug ins, the program to enhance the functionality of SketchUp are the most talk about matter of this 3D world. Here you can find a general introduction of plug ins with all its variety and functioning. There are lots of guest article by Albert hart, the president of Render Plus and Justin Anderson of Waybe Team. A blog on how Sketchup is helpful in making movie is quite interesting and informative. A blog of renowned SketchUp artist Jim Leggitt adds value to this flash magazine.

In sketchup ur Space, you not only find the information about Sketchup plug in but the tips to install it in step by step. A detailed list various Sketchup plug ins and their functioning definitely help not only the newbie Sketchup artist but also the experience one. A top up article enriches the magazine by providing useful information about the Sketch-A-Space competition. Experiencing this winderfulmagazine on Sketchup, it can be said that it is a one of a kind venture of sketchup4architect.com.

For more details please visit: http://www.sketchup4architect.com/magazine.htm

Sketchup - A unique tool for medical drawing

Sketchup can be used in medical drawing for success. The 3 dimensional drawings of organs and machine make the understanding more clearly to the doctors. That’s why the medical industry tends to use Sketchup more day by day. Using Sketchup, makes the complex organ drawing simpler and fun filled.

How does Sketchup4architect help in medical drawing?

Sketchup4architect helps the medical industry by making drawing of medical machinery like ultra sound, Electro cardio gram (E.C.G) and many other things. It also helps in creating model of hospitals, operation theatre (O.T), doctor’s chamber etc. You can also make customized design of hospital facility or bed for any particular disease. Many other equipments like wheel chair, crutch which have to customize for some times can be designed by Sketchup easily.

Our experience and talented team explain the complex working of medical equipment to interns, medical staff, trainees, sales person or nay end users through the animated illustration made by Sketchup. This process is effective to understand the features of the equipment. With the help of this process a lots of expenditure, time and effort can be saved easily. The clear, detailed 3D drawings of organ by Sketchup helps the medical students to get a clear and real time experience about human body.

Posted by
Debarati Nath
for www.sketchup4architect.com

Newly launched DoubleCAD XT Pro v3 for sketchup users

IMSI/Design just launched DoubleCAD XT Pro v3, a professional 2.5D CAD application that enhance 2D graphics performance up to 60x faster. The software is based on the same Ruby programming language as Google SketchUp and the users can customize scripts With its embedded Ruby application programming interface (API) to computerize tasks and work more competently to suit the requirements.

The software can directly open a Google™ SketchUp™ .SKP file preserving all geometry, colors (except materials), layers and layer properties, groups, components, views, and even scenes with layer visibility.

It is compatible with several formats like DWG, DXF, COLLADA (.DAE), and .3ds. The users can explode the walls and stairs before saving, then import the file into SketchUp.

Select everything in model and make it a block; then Save As COLLADA with the setup option to Save Blocks so that blocks and architectural objects are imported as a separate SketchUp component.

DoubleCAD XT Pro v3 is a paid software and price is $695. Upgrades For more information or to upgrade online, please visit www.DoubleCAD.com or call IMSI/Design at 1.800.833.8082 (+1.415.483.8000).

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

RhinoDirect beta 0.4 is released

LEDAS Ltd. just launched the public release of RhinoDirect beta 0.4, a plug-in module for Rhinoceros 3D modeling software.

With this new release the Rhinoceros users will be able to modify and edit any solid or surface 3D geometric shapes with planar, cylindrical, or arbitrary spherical faces parametrically by means of geometric constraints and driving dimensions. The users can also visualize distance and radius driving dimensions in the drawing area to modify the values of corresponding parameters effortlessly.

The new release is ideal for parametric alteration of many typical mechanical parts.

RhinoDirect 0.4 is compatible with Rhinoceros 4.0 SR5B (and higher), and can be run on 32-bit Windows XP, Vista, and 7.

The Rhino users can download this beta version freely at www.DrivingDimensions.com/labs.php The users can also get detailed on-line help, step-by-step tutorials, video tutorials, and a set of sample examples to start with.

Posted By
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

100 Media Monitoring Tools for PR

You can find hundreds of media monitoring tools online. Please visit the link given below to get the collection of 100 such sources alongwith software, applications and service providers.
http://www.pamil-visions.net/100-media-monitoring-tools/218947/?goback=.gde_115439_member_31640005

Posted By
Rajib Dey
for SKETCHUP4ARCHITECT

Sketchup plugin Slice Modeler

The SLICER (slicer.rb) is a Plugin from TIG. This plugin can create slices from your sketchup model along 2 axes to build a real life model. As for example one can turn a piece of digital terrain into a physical model with the help of this plugin.

One can enter separate parameters for each axis for the slices to be generated. The sketchup users can easily reproduce curved surfaces of a model. The users can also specify the spacing to be used, the proper thickness of the slices and the direction to cut.

This plugin can be applied for rapid prototyping, creating molds for casting, forming parts for casting, creating models of ships, creating the base for a complicated terrain.

To utilize the plugin, choose a Group or Component, go to Plugins --> Slicer and then use the dialog box to organize how the slices should be created

Downloadable link
http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/plugin_details.php?id=395

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for sketchup4architect.com

Sketchup plugin : Polygon reducer or Face number reduction/

The POLYGON REDUCER (polyreduce.rb) plugin is easily compatible with SketchUp and facilitates the sketchup users to trim down the number of faces in a sketchup model. The sketchup users can make their rendering faster by accelerating their working time.

This plugin is specially used at the time of importing any high poly models into sketchup models. The users can also apply this plugin to make some surfaces light and simple of an object.

In order to apply this plugin, just select the faces of an object and right click and choose "Polyreduce" from the context menu. Then select the percentage of reduction and apply.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for sketchup4architect

Release of SU Podium V2

A new version of SU Podium V2 is launched - Beta .50 Trial for Windows or Mac. This V2 Beta version had expired on September 15, 2010. The full version will be released soon.

SU Podium V2 is a plugin for Google SketchUp 7 and 8, Pro or Free. SU Podium V2 is a 32 bit application

It is available for to registered users. The sketchup users can create photo-realistic rendering of their Google SketchUp models and make supreme quality images with the help of high quality raytracing and global illumination. Sketchup users can also avail higher quality images without adding reflection or other properties.

Mac & Window’s commercial version will cost $198, Student/ Teacher Mac/Windows version will cost $95 and Education Lab Licenses version will cost $795

Downloadable link
http://www.suplugins.com/free-evaluation.php

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for sketchup4architect

Make Fur plugin for Sketchup

Renowned ruby developer tak2hata launched a new free plugin called “Make Fur” (fur_en_v1_2.rb) for sketchup. Alternatively it can be called Grass (fur) Generator for Sketchup.

The plugin is useful for exterior modeling and can allow sketchup users to easily create a lot of fur, blades of grass, leaves and general greenery to their model faces at predetermined heights thickness density. While selecting a face ensure that the face is oriented upwards so the fur comes into views on the correct side of the face.

The sketchup users can easily put hairs on peoples head with this plugin.

For installation download the fur_en.rb and fur_lang_en.txt files from the link (http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=28092
)and drop them in your plugins folder.

After the installation process is completed the users can access in two ways :-

Choose a face or a set of faces, Right click and select fur_1.2!. There will be two alternatives a web dialog and an input dialog box. Both of them works very similarly

Choose Plugins > fur_en > fur_en(WebDialog) from SketchUp’s menu bar to bring up the Fur Maker control panel. Then make a selection and activate Fur Maker, adjust the settings, and click Make Fur.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

miGenius - A new sketchup plugin for photo realistic rendering

A new sketchup plugin known as miGenius will be available soon. This plugin contains the CUDA GPU and mental images ‘game changing’ iray rendering engine. The plugin can connect a normal SketchUp scene flawlessly to a Reality Server Session formed on a remote CUDA GPU server or GPU Cloud System.

The special features of this plugin facilitate sketchup users to share the physically rendered scenes from inside sketchup with others by simply emailing a link automatically provided.

These images are also visible on any client devices like iphone, ipad, android, pc or mac. In this case the users don’t have to make modification or browser setting changes.

This plug in comes up with collaboration and sharing application that facilitates the SketchUp user to simply shift the view to any part of the scene and press the 'snapshot' button for quickly producing a new image for everybody in the session and sequentially all can utilize their touch screens to sketch highlights or feedback points that will be instantly duplicated on everyone's screen for real-time discussion.

You can view live presentation here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOl5mAKkYmM

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

V-ray is now available in combined package

V-Ray will be available now in a special Three in one bundle package that includes V-Ray for 3ds Max, V-Ray RT for 3ds Max and Pdplayer. The users can avail this package till November 1, 2010.

This combined package offer you a complete rendering solution with which the users will get images with supreme quality and in quickest possible time. The users will also get the ability to work together with virtual environment and apply changes on the fly.

V-Ray RT pursues the user’s actions at the same time as working on the scene and produces a photorealistic preview automatically. It facilitates the users to develop and accelerate the artist’s work in the Texturing and Lightening stage.

This combined package also brings professional image sequence player and viewer Pdplayer useful for the 3D, CG and VFX industry.

Posted By
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

Make your rendering smooth with IRender nXt

IRender is a new Ray Trace rendering package, based on AccuRender nXt, which is fully integrated into SketchUp. IRender nXt is a photo-realistic rendering add-on for Google SketchUp.

The SketchUp model that you see on your screen is what will be rendered - with the same view, colors, materials, etc. You can render at the SketchUp image size, or at any other image size desired.

IRender nXt runs inside of SketchUp and uses SketchUp’s geometry, material, textures and sun-poisiton to produce a photo-realistic image. In addition, you can add other rendering features - such as reflection, glow, plants and trees to make spectacular images.

The final, rendered image can be saved as a JPEG or PNG file. You can also use IRender nXt to produce high quality animations.

lownloadable link
http://www.sketchup4architect.com/sketchup-plugins/irender-for-sketchup.htm

Posted by
Ram Asis Shaw
for www.sketchup4architect.com

4D or 5D animation of building process with OnTime5D plugin

This is free plugin for sketchup that reproduce the construction procedure with 4D construction simulation. This plugin connect sketchup 3D models with construction scheduling and generate a 4D or 5D animation of the building process. The plugin can also animate construction cost throughout the building process.

The project managers are able to produce building schedules. The plugin supports 3 types of connections: FS (Finish-Start), SS (Start-Start) and FF (Finish-Finish) with an option to lag to each connection.

OnTime5D plugin is compatible with the newly released Sketchup 8

video tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_XpB2e-ZDw&feature=player_embedded

Posted by Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

i.materialise Sketchup 3D Plugin

The i.materialize company, renowned name in 3D printing service, just launched i.materialise Sketchup 3D Plugin. The plug-in can only be used with Windows version only. This plugin provides an easy way to transfer 3D sketchup models to object printing process. The users can customize, scale and order a 3D print and in color conserving all textures immediately from software program’s interface.

The plugin is very much useful for architect to create scaled or actual architectural models(scale models of a new house or redecorated interior models) and review their designs.

The i.materialise SketchUp plugin is freely downloadable. The monochrome or full colorized printed models are priced at €300/$350 and sized at 150 mm by 230 mm by 140 mm high (about 6 x 9 x 5.5 inches high)

Downloadable link
http://i.materialise.com/Tool/CreateYourArchitecturalModel

Posted By
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

Review of sketchup4architect.com

Intro:
Sketchup4architect.com is a web site outsourcing services regarding the 3D software of Google named Sketchup. In this web site, there are various Sketchup models, articles, magazine, software, news, components and list of the services.

Form:
When it comes to look, sketchup4architect.com really appears good. The title tag displaying on the top of the website, helps the visitor to know what web site they are viewing. With the opening of the web site, you can see a slide show of various Sketchup models of kitchen, library, dining set and modern way home. In the top menu, you will get About Us, Advertising and FAQs. In the About Us page, one can know about the organization. In the FAQs section, there are some frequently asked question about Sketchup and 3D modeling. On the right side, there are buttons for media kit, magazine, software and product. Clicking on the magazine button, you can access the monthly magazine ‘Sketchup ur Space’. If you want to read the magazine, a new window will be open containing the flash ezine.

On the main menu, there are page title and the sub title like Home, Download, Services, Models, Articles, Contact, Video, Blog, Jobs, Help and News. You can download 3D components like furniture, car, plans, landscape architect and many more; plugins like Photorealistic Rendering, Building Performance Analysis, Viewer Capability, Productivity Enhancement, workflow Enhancement and Google Sketchup Pro 8. the Service button includes 3D Modeling, Architectural design, 3D Construction design, Interior design, Landscape Architecture, Film & Stage visualizing, GIS sketching, Mechanical Design, BIM Modeling with Google SketchUp and SketchUp for furniture design. The Model button shows you a gallery of various Sketchup models of their in-house production. The Article button exports you to the land of galore of articles. If you have any queries about the product and service of sketchup4architect.com, then you can go to the Contact page where you can get the phone number and e-mail id.

There are many useful videos which will definitely help the Sketchup artist in the Video gallery. The Blog will take you to the in house blog on Sketchup. The Job and Help desk serve their purpose successfully. The News button shows you all the updated news on Sketchup.

There is a section for SketchUp Components 3D Warehouse where you can find various Sketchup models of furniture, cars, plants, architecture, plants, door, people, windows, kitchen, garden, stairs and many more things. On the almost every web page there are links for Sketchup components, Sketchup Plugins, Sketchup Podium, Sketchup Models etc.

Function:
Overall the usability of the web site is good. The color of sketchup4architect.com is soothing for the eyes. The design of the site is quite impressive for the visitors. You can easily read the well written content in clear font. All the links work properly for users’ convenience. When browsers visit the site first time, he can easily understand the purpose of the web site. The loading time of 5.14 seconds is good enough for a site containing a good number of images and videos. This frequently updated web site gets a good search engine ranking. The navigation, active hyperlink, well contained FAQs and site map help the visitor to browse the site. That’s why, you can say that the web site is successfully satisfied the purpose of the web master.

Conclusion: In a nut shell, you can say that Sketchup4architect.com is a wonderful web site give perfect service and assistance to the architects all over the world. So we can say that it is doing justice with its name.

Reviewed by
DEBARATI NATH
Content Writer

IRender nXt Version 3.0

The most updated and advanced version of IRender plug-in namely IRender nXt Version 3.0 has been launched with newly added features like Plant and Materials libraries and an improved Material Wizard.

Posted by
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com

VRAY FOR SKETCHUP 1.48.91

Latest version of VRAY FOR SKETCHUP 1.48.91 has been released. The users can install it on windows 7 and it is well compatible with both sketchup pro.7 & sketchup pro.8. The sketchup users will be able to visualize their models with the supreme quality and realism.

Downloadable link
http://software.asgvis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=182&Itemid=480

Posted by
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com

Put your banner ads at www.sketchup4architect.com

www.sketchup4architect.com is getting very goood visits with 73,000 pageview/per month.

The hits are increasing by 20% per month.

We are offering advertising at www.sketchup4architect.com

At present we are offering 3 types of ad units for advertising.

Leaderboard (728x90)

Wide Skyscraper (160x600)

BOX (300x250)

For more : http://www.sketchup4architect.com/advertising.htm

Thank you

Sketchup Sandbox

Sand box refers to a collection of tool palettes for modeling terrains and other organic shapes. The sketchup users can utilize these tools to produce and control large surfaces (TINs - A surface consist of triangles derived from irregularly spaced points) with imported topographical data or contour sections.

The sand box tools contain Sandbox From Scratch Tool (to generate a flat triangulated TIN to be shaped into other forms applying other sandbox tools), Sandbox From Contours Tool (to produce a TIN from contour lines), Smoove Tool (to form an accessible TIN with the help of vertical movement of a selection of points, edges, or faces and their immediately adjacent geometry.), Stamp Tool (to create ideas in a TIN through pushing a copy of the base of geometry), Drape Tool(to project edges, such as a road to be defined on a flat surface and then adhered onto a rough terrain.), Flip Edge Tool (to physically fine-tune the triangulation for any pair of adjacent triangles in a TIN)

To enable the Sandbox tools, utilize the Extension Manager:
Open the "Window" menu (for Mac user choose "SketchUp" menu), and then click "Preferences."
In the left pane, click "Extensions."
In the right pane, click "Sandbox Tools."

Posted by Rajib Dey

for www.sketchup4architect.com

MUDBOX 2011

It is a brush-based 3D digital sculpting and texture painting application software.
The software is ideal for digital sculptors, modelers and texture artists to produce & render complex details with in-built basic sculpt templates. The software also controls digital surfaces in an organic manner.

Mudbox 2011 comes with some new and advanced features like Vector Displacement, Posing Toolkits, New Paint brushes & tools, new Render options, Texture baking etc.

The users can exchange data and transfer models & scenes information from Mudbox 2011 to other 3D applications like 3DS Max 2011, Maya 2011. The users can also exchange multi layer PSD with Adobe Photoshop software.

It is paid software for $129.95.

System requirements :-
Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor
Microsoft® Windows® XP with Service Pack 3; Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 (Service Pack 2 recommended); or Windows 7
1GB of RAM

Posted by RAJIB DEY
for http://www.sketchup4architect.com/

Luxology introduces MODO KITS

Luxology recently launched modo kits with which the modo users will get the ability to quickly combine Preset objects, materials, and environments with their own personal projects.

New Modo kits contain HDRE Moofe Kit, HDRE Urban Kit, HDRE Landscape Kit, Studio Lighting &Illumination Kit, Product Design Presets and Splash Kit.

The modo kits generate image-based lighting. The Modo users can provide subtle and realistic lighting to their models. The users can easily place models into urban settings for realistic rendering.

More

Posted by Rajib Dey

for http://www.sketchup4architect.com/

Solve your queries for Sketchup 8 with Google sketchup Team

Google just released Sketchup 8, the most updated version of sketchup 3D modeling software. But with this new release Google has to face several questions regarding the updates. In order to handle the situation Google has arranged an online communicating module alongwith Google SketchUp Questions and Ideas moderator series.

The sketchup users can submit questions, exchange ideas regarding the new release and intend participating with the communicating.

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

Posted by
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

Enhance your rendering capabilities with RENDER(IN)

SB2 launched Render(IN), a rendering plug-in compatible with Sketchup free and Pro version. This real time, fully incorporated, radiosity engine creates a high definition and real time rendering with no size limitation.

The plug-in generates a photo-realistic project environment by providing artificial light sources(point lights, spotlights), 3D sky, four types of clouds, addition textures settings with specular reflection, shininess, and auto-bump for materials.

The sketchup users can use this plug-in keeping the sketchup settings intact with geometry, camera, sun, colors, textures, etc.

During the beta phase, Render[in] can be downloaded freely
Downloadable link
http://www.renderin.com/member-area

Posted By
Rajib Dey
for www.sketchup4architect.com

Google released Sketchup 8

Google just launched a new updated version of it's most intuitive 3D modeling software, Sketchup 8. The new version contains some new improvements with powerful features and applications suitable for design, engineering professionals, Google Earth modelers, graphics professionals, amateur and professional 3D artists.

The software is available in five different languages like English, French, Spanish, Italian or German.

Though SketchUp 8 is a free version but there is also a professional version SketchUp Pro 8 that will cost $495 or as a $95 upgrade if the user has a pro version already in possession.

The professional version comes with a new set of Solid addition and subtraction tools for advanced users that will facilitate engineering professionals to execute modeling operations like Union, Intersect, Subtract, Trim, and Split to generate new 3D forms along with multiple geometric shapes.

The Pro version also contains a companion tool for executing angular dimensions in LayOut 3 and transfering 3D models into scalable 2D drafting presentations . Now the user can export and import LayOut 3 drawins to DWG/DXF formats.

Now Google Maps built right into the software to integrate model geo-location with Google Maps.
SketchUp 8 and SketchUp 8 Pro are available for for Mac OS X and Windows.

Street View Imagery added to Building Maker

Google recently create some vital updates for Building Maker. From now one can add street view photos to texture the sides of your buildings model. With this new feature the buildings will look much better in a higher resolution and with more realism. One is also able to use imagery directly from Street View on Google Maps!
Besides the new updates, Building Maker is now available in six new cities:• Edinburgh, United Kingdom• Florence, Italy• Vienna, Austria• Pittsburgh, PA, United States• Santa Cruz, CA, United States• Riverside, CA, United States.

MORE.............

eDrawings professional for Autodesk Inventor v8.0

Geometric Limited launched the release of eDrawings Professional, the first email facilitated collaboration tool set to simplify the sharing and explanation of 2D & 3D product design data, for Autodesk Inventor version 8.0 with support for Autodesk Inventor 2011.
This is a plug-in for Autodesk Inventor which lets users to publish Autodesk Inventor files in read only view and ultra compact (upto 95% compression) eDrawings files for visualization, collaboration and design review.
The plug-in is also compatible with Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA V5, NX, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge, Google SketchUp including STEP/IGES/STL and DWG/DXF files

for downloading free 15 day trial

Rajib Dey
sketchup4architect sketchup download sketchup library

SimLab SketchUp Import Plug-in for 3ds Max 1.0

With this plug-in the sketchup users can avail various high quality free sketchup models from 3D warehouse and apply them with 3DS Max to give an artistic touch to the 3D scene. Besides the plug-in has the ability to allocate advanced materials, geometry and textures to 3D studio alongwith 3DS objects.
The plug-in can also generate advanced high quality rendering for sketchup models in 3D studio environment.
SimLab SketchUp Import Plugin is compatible with windows vista and windows XP operating system and it supports Autodesk 3D Studio Mac 2009 and 2010.
For non commercial applicatioin the plug-in is free but in order to apply for commercial purpose the user should possess a licence from SimLab Soft. The users can purchase a single license alongwith two activation codes to run the plug-in on your Desktop and NoteBook

Sketchup4architect Going To Launch E-Magazine on Sketchup

Kolkata, India, August 24, 2010 – Sketchup4architect.com proudly announces launching of an online magazine ‘Sketch up ur Space’, exclusively deals with the Google Sketchup on 6th September. This hi-tech E-magazine will surely create a wave among the Sketchup fans of all over the world by providing them necessary helps and sharing the knowledge on it.
A magazine is a store house of all kind of information. It will definitely become a piazza for the peer group for communicating. Sketchup4architect.com is a renowned web site exclusively deals with various fields of Sketchup and always keeps exploring its different new sides for betterment. Over 2 years of experience in this 3D designing field, Sketchup4architect.com lends its hand to the newbie designers and the expert of Sketchup by launching ‘Sketch up ur Space’.
On this magazine, there are articles, blog, video tutorial, tips and tricks and many more things on Sketchup. This informative magazine will have a stylish look in flash version. Sketchup4architect.com is very careful while choosing the proper and authentic information. Anyone looking for a career on 3D design will definitely get help from it. The experts on Sketchup from worldwide also share their knowledge and experience on ‘Sketch up ur Space’. With a committed and dedicated group of writers and editor, Sketchup4architect.com is ready to launch the first edition of this exclusive magazine.
For further information, Sketchup4architect.com may be contacted online www. Sketchup4architect.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact
Global Associates,
P-100, Block A, Lake Town
Kolkata, India
Zip – 700 089
Telephone – 866-493-4944
E-mail: enquiry@sketchup4architect.com
Website: www.sketchup4architect.com

eDrawings plugin for Google SketchUp

With eDrawings the sketchup users will be in a position to share & review their models in read-only self executable format(.exe) that includes the viewer and the design data in a Web browser not including any other supporting software.
eDrawings disable measurement and STL export in addition to password protection. This features will facilitate the sketchup users to make control over their design information.
eDrawings for sketchup is compatible with Google SketchUp 5.0 (Free/Professional), Google SketchUp 6.0 (Free/Professional), Google SketchUp 7.0 (Free/Professional). It supports the platform for Windows® Vista & XP/2000.
eDrawings files can also be saved as HTML files for sharing on your websites and intranets.
You can also convert your eDrawings models to HTML format that can be kept on a Web server. Use Internet Explorer to see the models in the browser
To share a model, the plug-in should be downloaded and installed first. The model owner should also have to choose whether to convert the SketchUp model to a stand-alone executable (.exe) file, or to HTML format for sharing on a web server.

downloadable link

BIM and Sketchup – Compliment to each other

SketchUp has a parametric platform and can be used as a standalone BIM/ CAD tool on projects. After completing 2D shop drawing, it can be transformed into 3D using sketchup
To optimize the construction sequencing 3D sketchup model can be merged with Oracle Primavera P6 to produce true 4D schedule.
As for example you can visually illustrate the concrete wall pour schedule to the sub-contractors with the following procedure:-
At first import your shop drawing into Google SketchUp and then create a model from it. Then import the sketchup model to Oracle Primavera P6 schedule into Synchro. Now both the schedule and model will be merged to generate a 4th dimensional schedule.
Today an open source document like sketchup comes up with the ability to model, illustrate and animate the construction process as quickly as possible. The software also can create visualization of construction material with rendering effect.
One can also form a massing model in sketchup and transform them into building elements with the help of building maker capability in Revit Building.
The sketchup has a great 3D modeling interface with which it can allocate characteristics to objects in the design process. This feature will facilitate construction professionals to characterize zones and assign thermal characteristics to elements in their models.
Energy feedback during conceptual designThe IES VE SketchUp plug-in generates sustainable design information that includes location, building and room type, construction types and HVAC systems to their SketchUp model. These sketchup models can be imported directly the IES analysis tool, without having to re-build any geometry.

SketchUp 5 Architecture Library 1.0

Sketchup Architecture library contains a huge collection of 3D architectural accessories models which include sofas, windows and doors, laptops, illumination accessories and many more.
By applying this component one can produce and modify 3D models right from the conceptual design stage.
This library is free and can be downloaded from Google Sketchup’s web site. Once the download is completed the user will receive an executable (.exe) file to run on your computer. After that you will be followed by a wizard to complete the installation process. On completion of the installation process the user has to add the Components dialog box of the Google Sketchup. In order to perform this just click the “Details” arrow and choose “Open or Create a library” option on the pop-up menu. A dialog box will guide you to browse through the disk. Proceed with the Components folder on the Program files -> Google -> Google Sketchup 6 path, and select Architecture.

V-ray for Sketchup

Chaos Group created this powerful rendering plug-in. The plug-in is easily compatible with sketchup. The sketchup users can have the ability to visualize their models and incorporate the task of rendering within their current workflows with highest quality and realism. This leads to production of photo realistic and high quality images.

V-ray contains a robust set of global illumination(GI) and ray-tracing features with V-Ray Sun, V-Ray Sky, and Sampling levels which aid the users to set up lighting smoothly for the complete scene. The software also contains additional features like shaders, camera effects and changing of frame buffer.

Besides, this software comes up with three different image sampling methods known as full-scene antialiasing, progressive path tracing and support for additional render elements (diffuse, reflection, GI, etc).

The software also provides advanced color (tone) mapping controls extensible with custom image samplers all the way through the V-Ray SDK.

There are so many versions for V-ray:-

V-Ray for SketchUp 6 1.0

V-Ray for SketchUp 1.4

V-Ray for SketchUp Academic 1.4

V-Ray for SketchUp 7 1.0

Rajib Dey

Sketchup4architect sketchup download sketchup library

CADspan plugin for Sketchup

With the help of CADspan plugin the sketchup users are able to generate solid, 3D printable geometry(STL files) from SketchUp model to perform a virtual 'shrink-wrap' . Files can be forwarded directly to the web application through the plugin.
The STL file is considered to be a single solid object available for 3D printing.
Cadspan Pro will make use of exported drawings from Sketchup, Revit, ArchiCAD, Rhino, 3dStudioMax, Bentley and others to produce files that will print on numerous 3D printing machines.
There is also a CADspan's 3D print thickness calculator that will figure out the proper amount of adjustment needed to make a model perfect for 3D printing.

An exclusive collection of sketchup blogs

There are lots of blogs on Sketchup and you will get some of the most interesting stuff regarding components, plug-ins, news, article, tips and tricks etc.

Here are the detailed lists:-
Sketchup 8 Blog
Jim's SketchUp [Plugins] Blog
Google SketchUp Sage
Ronen Bekerman
Sketchup Artists
Render Plus Blog
Google Sketchup Blog
SketchThis.NET
Sketchup Library
Sketchup Download

Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect

Book Shelf Rendering

Please click the following link to download
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8416d546ae52b4ca76620eaffe5a0a79&ct=hprm

Rajib Dey
sketchup4architect sketchup download sketchup library

Sketchup Mechanical Layout

Google Sketchup Pro comes with a separate program known as LayOut that empowers you to “layout” your designs into presentable documents with unlimited flexibility and revisions.

With LayOut one can Import 2D views of drawings, CAD plans, photos, aerial imagery and other information. Then with the help of modeling tools in SketchUp Pro transform your ideas into 3D and make professional design documents, dimensioned drawings, process graphics, engineering details and presentations from your 3D models.

With LayOut you will be in a position to add text, dimensions and 2D elements to your 3D models for showing interactive presentations. Revise your model in SketchUp Pro and the alterations will automatically be updated in LayOut.

LayOut provides the added advantage to have the ability for using some title block templates to create documents (permit and construction drawings, presentation documents and full-screen digital presentations) easily for construction purpose.

LayOut facilitates you to create documents with many pages containing photographs, title blocks, notes and more. Paper and digital presentations are also possible from SketchUp models.

Layout also reduce the amount of time for composing and updating 2-D presentations as it can embed models in 2D projects rather exporting them as images.

Layout also allows for easy scaling, dividing and aligning of components.

Rajib Dey
SKETCHUP4ARCHITECT SKETCHUP LIBRARY SKETCHUP DOWNLOAD

Google Earth Enterprise 4.0

Google team has released Google Earth Enterprise 4.0 (GEE 4.0) with some new features convenient for the enterprise environment. With this new release all geospatial data will be exposed publicly with GEE.


GEE 4.0 introduces a new feature that facilitates authenticated end users to download the required data from the cloud as well as all imagery, terrain, vectors, KMLs and search -- and supply the data locally from their own laptops or other storage devices by means of a native, cross-platform, light-weight Portable Earth System.

GEE lets you create 2D Google Maps or 3D Google Earth globes with the accessible GIS system to add value to the stored data. GEE creates a network for terabytes of imagery and terrain data, vector layers with to your POI, road data and live data streams.

GEE comes with mobile client for Android devices to connect to the enterprise data set based on the regular Google Earth app obtainable in the Android Marketplace to provide direct connections to the customers’ globes for getting a view of their organization's 3D globe.

GEE provides mobile based access to Google Earth data in situations where an internet connection is unavailable to users. The users will be in a position to

GEE also support new Earth 5.2, with its features, like elevation profiles, native MGRS support, client-side data regionation, and new embedded web-browser.

Rajib Dey
sketchup4architect sketchup library sketchup download

Sketchup and Manga Studio

Manga Studio an intuitive 2D application for comic and manga creation for professional comic and manga artists.

With the cutting edge drawing and coloring tools of this software aspiring comic, intermediate and hobby artists get the ability to create their own high quality manga and comic art with filters and special effects.

This software is very helpful for those who regularly work with the books or a chapter of a book as it comes with a rich library of Vector balloons easily editable and resizable. Each Balloon includes a text, and balloon tails that can be extended from it and makes editing more simple. You can also add dialog with these built-in word balloons.

Manga Studio contains over over 550 built-in 3D Objects, One can import these 3D objects and position, rotate and adjust them on your page quickly. By applying the 3DLT rendering function one can Convert them to line and tone data and set them as backgrounds and props for their drawings. One can create a background with the help of sketchup and import the file as a 3D material.

Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect sketchupdownload sketchuplibrary

Vue 8 Frontier - Perfect Intro to the World of 3D

E-on Software has launched upgraded version of Vue software called Vue 8 Frontier. The software is ideal for landscape creation with beautiful, natural 3D landscapes.

The software can run as a plug-in for any of the most important 3D suites like Sketchup, Maya and Lightwave3D.

The software contains features like 3D sculpting terrain editor, zones and brush effects; Spectral 3 clouds; display enhancements and separate displacement channel etc.

With a few mouse clicks the users can create & render more realistic scenic nature and poser character alongwith fractal-generated terrains, water planes, trees, clouds and soft skies.

The application of Vue is mostly found in the architecture, animation/special effects, broadcast and advertising industries. Many leading companies (Weta Digital, ILM, Disney), hollywood studios, blockbuster movies and CG productions are using Vue to generate matte paintings, landscape visualizations and many other high-end computer graphics. The software with it’s unique 3D capabilities provides the environmental realism to a great extent.


Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect

Sketchup with energy modeling

Sketch is a great tool for architects and engineers to figure out the energy performance of a building early in the design stage.

Sketchup contains IES VE plug-ins(VE-Ware, VE-Toolkits VE-Gaia and VE-Pro) which facilitates sustainable & energy-efficient building design by analyzing a building’s energy performance, carbon dioxide emissions, daylighting, air flow, solar analysis etc. It can be used on new builds, refurbishment projects and in-use evaluation to answer key sustainable design questions.

With the help of sketchup architects and designers perform energy modeling and create concept models into their design process as early as possible.
The sketchup plug-ins helps designers and architects to categorize window size, room type, orientation, building location, and materials to take the multi-disciplinary decision making of an integrated design process.

The plug-ins also facilitate design iterations in the areas of energy, carbon, water, climate impact, solar and daylight analysis early in the design phase that leads to a low-cost, high quality solution for sustainable building.

Download SketchUp and installed the IES SketchUp Plug-In. After that build a new SketchUp model or start with one of IES’s models. You have to define the building’s location and function including its HVAC system, envelope, and the distribution of specific spaces all through the structure. The plug-in will then calculate its energy performance in contrast to an average U.S. building and to 2030 Challenge targets for that building type.


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Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect