3D model: import Sketchup model into 3D ArcGIS

[ImranKlotz-Shiran]

I need to convert 3D model created in Sketchup/AutoCAD into ArcGIS 3D model?

Any help will be much appreciated.

Imran

[GeorgZotti]

I found a number of ways to do this but there is an issure with the model not being georeferenced. Is there any way to georeference the model within ArcGIS?

I have the same problem. I used 9.3 with SU plugin to start my model-building in SU6, 7, 8 (free; I know I cannot export to ESRI format without SU6pro). The SKPs are georeferenced with ESRI's coordinate system string and offset value in Inches from geographical coordinate grid zero, just as the ArcGIS9->SU6 plugin exported it. Now we use ArcGIS10 and I should try to re-import my finished models, because the ads say it works out-of-the-box...

In ArcScene10 I can only successfully import DAE, SKP (V6 and 😎 consistently fail. In ArcScene10 it was just the silent "failed" message, the only progress in ArcScene10SP2 is the bug-report screen, where I apparently can enter only one line of bug report in the 5-line message field.

DAEs exported from SU lack georeference. You must add a coordinate grid. If you do so by applying the original grid, the model will be placed in your grid, but close to its origin. You must tweak your model's coordinate system by adding its offset as stored in the SU model's GeoReference Attribute Dictionary (Values: ModelTranslationX/Y; those are given in inches (!), you must convert to your coordinate grid units, most likely metres) to the False Easting/False Northing values, and renaming your coordinate system to make sure you don't forget that you patched it. This seems to work, but is a bit awkward and clearly not what's expected from an average user, IMHO.

I would really like to know why and at which point the import of SU6 models (which would come with georeference) fails.

HTH, G.

[GeorgZotti]

DAEs exported from SU lack georeference. ...

After some tries, this is the way: Export DAE from SU8. In ArcCatalog10, create a new FeatureSet in your geodatabase (I call it "3D_Models"), using your original coordinate system (I guess you should use UTM if you started your modelling inside Sketchup and georeferenced it via its Google Earth link), then use the "Import 3D Files" from the Toolbox to import the file "Model.DAE" into a new Multipatch FeatureClass "Model" inside 3D_Models. Now your model is part of the FeatureSet, inheriting its coordinate frame. Typically, it now is badly located. In SU, read the value of ModelTranslationX, ModelTranslationY from the model's GeoReference AttributeDictionary. These are offsets in inches (!). Convert those values to metres, and "Edit 3D features", Select your model Multipatch feature, and "Move..." by these amounts. If all worked well, you should have a perfect match!

Now, how do I get a textured TIN plus several further raster datasets (usable as projected texture in my edited TIN) plus georeference information into Sketchup to start a new model? (Basically, its SU export macro!)

G.

[ROpgenoort]

Hello,

I have a question regarding the problems you all have in this thread. I also have problems import my SketchUP model in ArcScene10. I followed all the procedures you described in this thread and the model imports in ArcScene. Including colors and textures.
The problems I encounter are the following:
  
   A. The projection is completely wrong. This is off course because I place the model in ArcScene on a point (the center mass). From what I understand there isn't really a way to fix this right?
   B. A more import problem is that the model looks terrible. Especially the surface which are not straight are all over the place.

I added two screenshots. In de ArcScene screenshot I highlighted a few spots where something goes wrong.

SketchUp [ATTACH=CONFIG]11985[/ATTACH]  ArcScene [ATTACH=CONFIG]11986[/ATTACH]

Does anybody know what this is, and how to fix it?

Thanks in advance!

Greetings Rik (NL)
ArcInfo 10  (SP3-Build 3600) / SketchUp 8.0.11752 / Windows 7 x86

[JakubSisak]

Does anybody know what this is, and how to fix it?

@RiX012 - ArcGIS does not support complex SketchUp geometries. I can see a number of invalid intersections in your SketchUp model.  Validate all and make sure all line segments are properly connected and all faces are closed.  There are some plugins that can assist with that.  Once your model has been corrected you can try again.  As for the incorrect projection; The SketchUp workflow in the current version of ArcGIS is meant to allow you to add detail to existing models. Nothing more nothing less - enything beyond this functionality is experimentation on behalf of the user and may or may not work.  Hence, if you start by extruding the footprints of your buildings in ArcGIS and then convert those to closed multipatch features then export to collada and modify in SketchUp and lastly replace model is really the only guaranteed way that the model will be correctly replaced.  You can import existing SketchUp models without first creating then in ArcGIS but you will have to scale and position the 3D Objects manually. And of course it might not work because it's not the recommended workflow.  I've had the most success with generating closed multipatches in ArcGIS first. These HAVE TO be closed multipatches otherwise you are running the risk that once you replace your model in the last step it will not work.  I had this last step fail more often then not with complex sketchup models.

[ROpgenoort]

Thanks for your quick response jakubsisak!

I think your right. It could have something to do with the invalid intersections. You mention some plugins which can assist me, can you name some of them?

Thanks again!

[JakubSisak]

It could have something to do with the invalid intersections. You mention some plugins which can assist me, can you name some of them?

Also, remove all stray lines from your model; every object has to have a volume - if you need a supporting pillar it cannot be a single line but a cylinder that encloses a volume.   Hm, its been a while but some of the plugins i used was "Stray Lines" and "Make Faces" i am sure there are some for removing duplicate lines and validations; just search the Google SketchUp support.

[ROpgenoort]

Thanks to your advice I got it to work pretty properly. I used some cleanup tools and removed the most complex geometry. Now the Looks pretty good! Although I have to place it myself the size is good. Some minor manual labor and it works!

Now i'm gonna experiment some with visualisation and analyses so maybe i'll get back here! 😉

Thanks again!

[michellewang]

Hi Imran,

The ArcGIS SketchUp plugin is no longer supported at 10.

Here are the two main feature CREATION workflows, using 10:

(1) Starting with a SKP (or DAE/3DS/FLT) file
- Start editing in Scene or Globe (against a multipatch feature class)
- If required, create an Edit Template for the multipatch layer
- Select the multipatch template in the Create Features window
- This enables the Insert tool (for placing multipatch features)
- Click in the view where you want the 3D model to be placed
- When prompted, navigate to the source SKP file
- A new multipatch feature is created in the geodatabase (imported from the source 3D file), located at the point where you clicked
- Move / rotate / scale the new multipatch feature, as needed
- Optionally populate feature attributes, save edits

(2) Starting with a GIS feature (such as a building footprint)
- Use a feature attribute (such as bld height) to extrude the footprint into a block representation
- Use the 'Layer 3D to Feature Class' GP tool to create a multipatch feature class
- Select the multipatch feature/s you want to update, then use the 'Multipatch to COLLADA' GP tool to export them to DAE files
- Load and edit the COLLADA files in SketchUp (or some other application)
- Start Editing in Scene or Globe (against the applicable multipatch data)
- Select the feature whose geometry you want to update from the DAE
- Use the 3D Editor > Replace with Model command to switch out the existing block geometry with the more complex geometry (and optional textures) you created in the edited 3D model (COLLADA file).
- Save edits

Hope it helps!

Gert
3D Team

Hey, Gert,

I have created a multipatch feature class and used Multipatch to Collada tool to export it to DAE file. But I got a warning (001099) saying "Unable to write ID_3Doutput_1.dae due to XML failure and an error message 999999 saying "Error executing function". Any idea?
Thanks.
Learner

[larryzhang1]

Greeting, all,

Thanks for above discussions. We need those *.DAE models georeferenced for sure.


Does anyone have any practice on how effectively to georeference those DAE files in ArcGIS 10 or 10.1 (ArcGlobe or ArcScene), �??with�?? those assocciated KMZ files? Or can we spatially adjust those *.DAE models, 'with' those location-enabled footprints from geodatabase 'directly' in ArcGIS 10.1?


I am wondering why one (KMZ) has georeferenced information and another (DAE) is not. (In fact, both of those *.DAE and KMZ files are saved/ exported from same SketchUp projects (7, 😎 at same time). In other word, do we have any 'efficient' way to ensure all having georeferenced information during Exporting in SketchUp? If not, what causes (standard Collada 1.4)?

Regards,