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

[Gert_van_Maren]

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

[JasonBranigan]

Hi,
I was just wondering if there is a way of doing this from sketchup 8 to ArcGis 9.3?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

[JakubSisak]

In this case you can import the sketchup model itself. By design, it will not be georeferenced.

[JasonBranigan]

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?

[JakubSisak]

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?

The general consensus is that it is NOT possible with the Sketchup 6 Plug-in and version 9.3.1 and older although i remember doing it myself; resizing and moving the model manually to a set of control points.  (I built my model by exporting footprints and simple features from ArcGIS using the plugin along with the control points than once the model was completed i used the control points as a guide to manually geo-reference.  If i remember correctly, snapping was not working so it was  mostly an eyeballing exercise)

In the current version 10 you can export multipatch features (TIN and Polygon features only) and it will be referenced in Sketchup. You can explode it and repair it (it will look horrid at first with faces all flipped, etc.) edit it and import it back into ArcGIS and it will still be correctly referenced.  Unfortunately, you cannot export any point, or line features into sketchup. Technically, you could export these to KML but a KML created in ArcGIS does not import into Sketchup.  AutoCAD files do but spatial reference will be lost.  Again, for linear and point features control points (these must be polygons converted to multipatch features) and then polyline and point features can be exported to an AutoCAD format, imported into Sketchup and resized using the center point of the control points.

It's just better to export surfaces to sketchup and build everything there, unless it�??s just 3D symbology like buildings and such. You will also end up with a much better looking model but this is only good for visualization.

[DianaMcCarthy]

Hi - I am using ArcGIS 10 and SketchUp 7 and having the same georeferencing problem that Jason Branigan mentions.

I've created my polygons in ArcGIS and used the new recommended workflow for ArcGIS v10 to create multipatches and export them to Collada format.  However, when I import the new Collada file into SketchUp, all the georeferencing is gone, so I cannot insert it into my existing SketchUp models in its proper location.

Hopefully someone has a workaround for this or a tip.  Thank you!

[Karl-JohanSellberg]

Hi,
I was just wondering if there is a way of doing this from sketchup 8 to ArcGis 9.3?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

My experience is that you may need to save as sketchup ver 6 in order to be able to import at all. You need to place a point and then change the symbol to 3d, choosing your file.

[Karl-JohanSellberg]

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

When doing this, the textures of my model only become partly visible, or not at all. Why does this happen?

[GeorgZotti]

When doing this, the textures of my model only become partly visible, or not at all. Why does this happen?

Maybe your faces are oriented outside-in? Check in Sketchup: View->Face Style->Monochrome. If you have blue, not white, faces, invert those.

HTH, G.