*.skp file conversion utility?

Does anyone know of a way to convert *.skp files into a format that is compatible with Flexsim.

Google's 3D warehouse is a large library of 3D objects that would add to FlexSim's capabilities if the *.skp files could be imported into a Flexsim model.

I don't have SketchUp Pro and don't want to buy it.
AC3D does not seem to be able to view *.skp files.

A free program or utility would be ideal.

I haven't a solution but Google offers a C++ SDK.

With the C++ SDK, you can import and export SketchUp’s popular .SKP file format inside your own 3D software.

more information:
http://groups.google.com/group/googl...hup-developers

Maybe there's a way to use *.skp files in flexsim with this C++ SDK?!

Hello Sven,

There is a plugin for Sketchup that can export a model to .dxf format. (The plugin is attached). This plugin has to be saved in the Sketchup Plugin folder. The .dxf file can be imported into AC3D and then exported as .wrl or .3DS.

I have tried some models and I could export one directly to .wrl with a good result. The others could be exported as .3ds and then used in Flexsim.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

Esther

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions.

Unfortunately, AC3D is not a free program. So I'm still looking for a solution on how to get Google Warehouse 3D objects into Flexsim. Plus, using two different programs (that are not free) and a plugin to enable FlexSim to use a specific file type leads much room for improvement.

There is a competing Simulation program that does it better. I'd like to see future FlexSim versions include similar features.

The competitor has an icon in their software that takes you to Google's 3D warehouse, where you can select any 3D object and it automatically puts the 3D shape into your simulation.
There is even a secondary feature that allows you to say where you want flowitems to appear; when you are importing an operator/transporter shape. That way you can graphically pin-point the location of where and how the object transports items without code.

Many of the files in Google Warehouse 3D are collada files (.dae), which is a standard file format rather than a proprietary format like .skp. If you use the advanced search, you can narrow your search to only show shapes with the collada format.

There are many of applications that can convert collada files into other formats. I tested it with Blender (free), and it imports collada shapes and exports to vrml 1.0 (.wrl) and works with Flexsim. You have to adjust the shape factors of the shape in Flexsim because most of the files are really large, but it works.

I agree that Flexsim could use some more flexibility in allowing more 3d shape formats such as skp to give easy access to this database of free 3d shapes. Other than Google Warehouse, most 3d shape websites use .wrl and .3ds as the standard file formats.

Do you know of any good & free 3D shape websites that work well with Flexsim?

Type "free 3d models" into a search engine. You will get lots of hits and most of the models that you can download will come in .3ds format that works well with Flexsim.

This site also has links to 60+ websites that offer free 3d shapes. http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/60-exce...odel-websites/

Hello Sven

Here below the link to download an AC3D pluggin for sketchup.

If you've bought a Flexsim license, you should be able to buy a 70$ program as AC3D which is highly compatible with Flexsim - 7 years of use! no change scheduled.

http://www.flexsim.com/community/for...light=sketchup

Enjoy!

Just to make things clear, from version 5 onwards Flexsim can handle *.skp files by itself, so there is no need to transform your files. Just take them from the google 3D warehouse and use them in your models.

I am not sure if anybody else has a hard time to import .skp file like me. I created a very simple shape in SchetchUp 8 (just one cuboid). I opened Flexsim 5.1 and tried to import it into a Visual Tool. But the shape is not displayed in Flexsim. However some other downloaded model from Google Warehouse works fine. I think I might miss something here. Is there any guideline for creating shapes in Google SchetchUp to use in Flexsim? I attached the simple shape that I created if you want to test. Thanks.

Your cuboid imported fine for me Alan, and takes on the Flexsim color too.

I test Alan 3D shape ， also can not display.

Thank you Jason and Linwei. I just tried again and I cannot see the shape in Flexsim. Here is the test model that I created.

Hi Alan,

With me it works fine, they show up and they take the color of the flexsim object.

Have you tried changing to compatibility mode? (although I expect you to have a good graphics card ;-))

Steven

Hi Alan,

I can also confirm that your model shows the Sketchup shape and even changes the colour according to the one set im the General tab. Maybe its a bit far fetched but can your problem be related to the Sketchup.dll error that comes up on some machines during the installation procedure?
See this thread for more information:
http://www.flexsim.com/community/for...light=sketchup

Something else I noticed is that not all skp shapes accept Flexsim's colour but I haven't found a rule of thumb what to do to show Flexsim's colour in skp shapes. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Hi,

Thank you all guys, especially for the hint from Stephan. I reinstalled SketchUp 8, and repair Flexsim installation. Now the .skp file imported correctly. The problem is solved! I attached two screen shots captured before and after the problem was solved.

However, the following points may be useful for people may have the similar problem.

1. Only some .skp is not shown. Some can be shown correctly as seen in the attached pictures.
2. Before I installed Flexsim 5.1, I had SketchUp 8 already installed on my computer. So I did not do the repair although I know that option is available. Besides, I tested some downloaded SketchUp models so I thought the Flexsim installation is ok in terms of the compatibility with SketchUp, until recently I noticed that Flexsim cannot display a simple SketchUp shape that I created. So the suggestion would be for now, do the repair of Flexsim installation any how to prevent any compatibility issue with SketchUp.
3. Right after I re-installed SketchUp, I tested the model but found the problem was still there. So I think the real solution lies in the repair of Flexsim installation. Maybe Flexsim Tech Support (Phil?) can look there to see how it solved the issues?

Anyway, thank you guys for the help! As before, it is always fun to play with Flexsim.

My guess is that you had the required dependencies to register the Sketchup dll when you originally installed Flexsim, but somewhere along the lines, it got unregistered I guess (I don't exactly understand how this works). Maybe it happened with system restore or something. Then it was no longer working until you repaired the Flexsim installation (which re-registers the dll). I think the reinstallation of Sketchup 8 was probably superfluous to solving the problem.

I find it strange that some models worked and others didn't. It seems to me that it would be an all-or-nothing situation. I can't imagine why some would work and others would not if the problem was related to whether the dll was registered or not.

Hello Phil,

Is it possible to re-register the sketchup reader dll without reinstalling Flexsim?

Esther

Hello Phil and others,

What seems to be happening for me is that I had Sketchup 7 installed before I installed the latest version of Flexsim. I installed Sketchup 8 after I installed Flexsim. I seem to be able to use downloaded models that are created in Sketchup 6 or 7, but no models that are created in Sketchup 8 and also no models that I created or modified with Sketchup 8. Can anybody confirm this?

Esther

Originally Posted by Esther Bennett

Is it possible to re-register the sketchup reader dll without reinstalling Flexsim?

Run the Command Prompt as an Administrator.
Navigate to the Flexsim5\program directory.
Execute the following command: regsvr32 SketchUpReader.dll

That will register the dll without using the installer.