SU and Revit Rant

[DanSHP]

...another day another bloody sketchup file! @!"@:!?@!$:['

[glorybound]

I just had someone reach out to me with a SketchUp model and I cringed.

[OPEN_RANGE]

I'm working with a max file produced by others that is more messed up or at least as bad as any sketchup model I've ever had to deal with. sometimes it's the operator not the equipment. sometimes it's both. sometimes your the windshield...sometimes your the bug. hope it works out for you

[DanSHP]

I'm working with a max file produced by others that is more messed up or at least as bad as any sketchup model I've ever had to deal with. sometimes it's the operator not the equipment. sometimes it's both. sometimes your the windshield...sometimes your the bug. hope it works out for you

A bad max file is at least native to max!

For instance, I've just received an update to a large skyscraper model. Upon import into max, the geometry is split into individual objects, so if you can imagine a large skyscraper, every glass pane and window frame is separated (=thousands of objects). It helps they are in layers, but given the amount of objects involved it makes the scene very sluggish. In order for me to actually work with the model I have to turn all layers off and then one by one, turn on a layer, convert the objects within that layer to edit poly, and then attach the objects together. Rinse and repeat for each layer. The UI speeds up as you go along as the object count reduces, but then there's the issue of linked geometry (via the sketchup component hierarchy) to deal with, AND just general bad imported geometry over a massive 3d model.

It varies from model to model, our architects use Sketchup components (instanced groups basically) to construct the model on a floor by floor basis, but every sketchup file seems to come through differently, it seems no matter the sketchup modeling procedure I've pushed down the years nothing seems to work! I've also tried sketchup .dwg and .Fbx imports which bring through similar problems.

Anyhoot I'm here whinging when I should just be getting on with it! Taally hoe!!!

[trick]

I have a simple rule for people handing over SketchUp models: In SketchUp choose view>face style>monochrome and the whole model should be white (no visible blue faces!). This way 90% of all models are useable, supposing all the right materials are applied to the front faces.

[glorybound]

I usually get the SU model from the developer, who got it from the architect, so I get what they have. I don't have the convenience of asking for things to be exported a certain way and I don't do enough SU to MAX work to warrant a pro copy of SU. For me, it is the normals and double faces that cause the problems. I use a script to separate all the elements, which allows me to flip normals and delete double faces, but it takes forever.

[piotrus3333]

here it is mostly SU or Revit nowadays. it takes up to a day of work to update max file with new model (mostly residential blocks). definitely no discounts but work gets indeed done faster.
my main trick with SU is to avoid 3dsmax importer and export from SU as single mesh. with Revit there is a chance it will be relatively neat. I always try linking the file first (collapsing it after that - trying to keep the link never paid off) and than 2 exports with different settings. Its good if you are able to open the file first and delete what is not needed.