We have been adding support for Google SketchUp and Google Earth files within Rhino 4.0.

How-to

• Importing SketchUp Files - Rhino 4.0 can Open and Import SketchUp file directly. Here are a few tips on how this can be done.
• Export SketchUp Files - You can download a plug-in to Write SketchUp files directly out of Rhino 4.0.
• 3D Warehouse - Insert models from the 3D Warehouse directly into Rhino 4.0.
• Anchor for Google Earth - Anchor and export Rhino models to the KZL format

Importing SketchUp Files

Download plugin - Updates import plugin currently shipping with Rhino 4 to open SketchUp Version 6 files.

Installation instructions

1. Copy import_SKP.rhp, SketchUpReader.dll and xerces-c_2_6.dll to your "Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins" directory.
2. Start Rhino.
3. Open a Version 6 SKP file.

Rhino 4 comes with the reader for SketchUp (.skp) file format. You will find it in the Open, Import, Insert and Worksession Manager Dialogs. By default, SketchUp models are imported as a Mesh. You can change the way the SketchUp files are imported by using the SketchUpImportOptions command before you open the SketchUp file.

In the SketchUpImportOptions the facetype option controls how the SketchUp objects will show up in Rhino. The Mesh is default. TrimmedPlane will import the SketchUp objects as Trimmed NURBS surfaces. You can choose to join all the surfaces together or not.

If you choose to import as a Mesh into Rhino, the SketchUp textures will also come into Rhino. To see the texture you must be in Rendered Viewport mode. Right-click on the Viewport names and select rendered to see the textures.

When you open a SketchUp file, the textures, which are contained in the sketchup file are expanded as seperate JPG files into the saem directory as the SketchUp file. These are the texture files that Rhino uses for displaying its model.

If you choose to import the SketchUp model as a series of Trimmed planes, the textures will not preview correctly on the Rhino objects. But, the objects will be made of NURBS surfaces.

Exporting SketchUp Files

There is a plug-in that will allow Rhino to write SketchUp (.skp) files.

Download plugin - Download the latest build (writes SketchUp Version 6 files)

Installation instructions

1. Copy export_SKP.rhp, SkpWriter.dll, xerces-c_2_6.dll and zlib.dll to your "Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins" directory.
2. Start Rhino.
3. Run LoadPlugin and press the install button. Browse to your "Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins" directory and select export_SKP.rhp.
4. Save your model as an SKP file.

Contact - Tim Hemmelman with questions about this plug-in

Using 3d Warehouse

With the Google 3d Warehouse you can search, share or download 3D models.

Download latest build of the Google 3d Warehouse plugin which runs on Rhino 4.0.

build# 12/11/06

The download includes a plugin installer. After you download the installer file follow these steps to install:

1. Double click on the Installer named: SketchUpGetModel.exe
2. Open Rhino 4.0
3. Go to Tools Pulldown > Options
4. Plug-ins
5. Click on the Install Button
6. Browse for the c:\Program Files\Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins
7. Select the SketchUpGetModel.rhp file

Instructions to use:

1. Type in the command SketchUpGetModel
2. Select a model in Google 3d Warehouse
3. Click on the Download Button to get the model in Rhino
4. The model will be saved in a directory under My Documents\My 3D Warehouse

Contact - Dale Fugier with questions about this plug-in

Placing Rhino models in Google Earth

In Rhino V4, we've added tools to the Rhino core that allow you to anchor your model to a specific location on the earth. The goal it to make sure the Rhino core has everything that's needed to support GIS, mapping, architectural,..., applications.

We constantly endeavor to make Rhino the most precise modeler available. When Rhino maps model space (3D Cartesian coordinates) to earth latitude, longitude and elevation, it takes into account the fact the earth is not round ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_radius ).

For details on placing Rhino files in Google Earth, go to this page - Rhino to Google Earth