convert archicad 10 model to sketchup?

[Anonymous]

i need to convert a archicad 10 3d model into sketchup format, because a model i have done needs to be viewed by a council planning department who have only got "sketchup". they are not prepared to purchase or install archicad.

they will not register our planning application until they have the model in sketchup format.

[TomWaltz]

I think you would have to export to .3DS then import the 3DS into Stetchup yourself.

I don't know how good it would be.

[Anonymous]

depending on the time of your presentation if time allows download a trial version of 10 to a supported laptop and I believe you can open the file you will not be able to save; this is a suggestion in regards to keep all 3-d visualization of elements as in Archicad - I believe its worth a try... Any seniors want to confirm that this might work?

[TomWaltz]

It would only work if you are the one doing the presenting and they do not want to keep a copy of your file for later review.

I get the impression that this is meant to be a submission where they will look at it when they get around to it, not the architect presenting it himself.

[Aaron Bourgoin]

What about the Google Earth angle? Would that work?

[Anonymous]

on the other hand in this case, being you dont have archicad - would it not be possible for who ever developed the model in AC could also print hard copies for you. In addition some printing shops should be able to provide service for your file.

[TomWaltz]

DavidCSinohui wrote:
on the other hand in this case, being you dont have archicad - would it not be possible for who ever developed the model in AC could also print hard copies for you. In addition some printing shops should be able to provide service for your file.

I think you're missing the point: It sounds like they are requiring electronic submission of a 3D model, (unfairly) required to be in Sketchup format. A print does not help.

[Anonymous]

Your Council could download a free Demo version of Archicad to view the file. They just couldn't change or re-save anything.

[Anonymous]

TomWaltz wrote:
I think you would have to export to .3DS then import the 3DS into Stetchup yourself.....

I have just been through the exercise of trying to send a model to a client in a form that they can explore.

Google SketchUp has the advantage of being readliy available, simple to use, and free, so in the absence of a dedicated ArchiCAD 3D model viewer this seed a good option.

Tom's idea of exporting as 3D Studio and importing to Google SketchUp does work. However with the particular project the file was too slow to navigate, and the surface texture mapping didn't work. It also took SketchUp about 15 minutes to process the import file (I thought it had crashed!).

A small sample project worked fine.

Also you ned to be careful about unit for export and import, I think you need to save with units as metres/1000 millimetres and then click options when importing the 3DS units in SketchUp to choose Model Units and to merge coplanar faces (however this option was not entirely successful on my larger project).

In principle then it works, but to work successfully and reliably I think you need to have a very simple model.

May be a direct export to SketchUp from ArchiCAD would be the best option, or a 3D export file that inculded an OpenGL viewer.

[Anonymous]

just to clarify, we have a licensed version of Archicad 11 here, which i built the model in.

the council want a disk submitted with this model on, in sketchup format, for them to browse at their leisure. otherwise they will recommend our planning application for refusal, because they think our proposed building has an impact on a view from a local park towards an old cathedral.

i will see if they will accept it in .3DS format.