{"id":439,"date":"2018-10-01T07:58:39","date_gmt":"2018-10-01T06:58:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/?p=439"},"modified":"2023-09-07T15:53:45","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T14:53:45","slug":"sketchup-import","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/sketchup-import\/","title":{"rendered":"Blender &#038; SketchUp Import"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a08e77f7ac99\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a08e77f7ac99\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/sketchup-import\/#summary\" >Summary<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/sketchup-import\/#sketchup-export\" >SketchUp export<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/sketchup-import\/#blender-import\" >Blender Import<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: black; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 25px; height: 0; overflow:hidden; max-width:100%\"><center><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Y8Rdetz4IgM\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/div>\n<blockquote style=\"background-color: #fc0; color: #000;\"><p><b>Important<\/b>: whilst <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketchup.com\/download\/all\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SketchUp Make<\/a> is still available it is no longer actively supported or developed by Trimble. Users are instead directed to <a href=\"https:\/\/app.sketchup.com\/app?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SketchUp Free<\/a>, an online browser-based &#8216;app&#8217; that has much the same functionality minus import\/export capabilities (disabled), it cannot be used to export content out for use in Blender.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-free-browser-model.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-free-browser-model.jpg\" style=\"width:98.5%; height:auto;\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>SketchUp Free is a browser based version of SketchUp Make with heavily limited export\/import capabilities so cannot be used in conjunction with Blender 2.8+.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>TL:DR summary of the export\/import process explained below;<br \/>\n(<b>1<\/b>) Export SketchUp scene\/selection to Collada DAE or KMZ.<br \/>\n<i>(<b>1a<\/b>) if KMZ, extract DAE file and misc. contents.<\/i><br \/>\n(<b>2<\/b>) Import DAE file into Blender using Collada import.<br \/>\n(<b>3<\/b>) Tidy up mesh.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>For extensive information and instruction on exporting and importing SketchUp meshes into Blender generally refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/tutorials\/blender\/sketchup-import.php\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Import SketchUp models into Blender<\/a>, the process is the same with minor differences.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"sketchup-export\"><\/span>SketchUp export<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before exporting from any version of SketchUp ensure all meshes are set up as required, separated or grouped as needed, with materials and\/or textures assigned. Once done, when exporting, if the <b>Collada DAE<\/b> format is not available <b>KMZ<\/b> can be used as an alternative (<i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/tutorials\/blender\/sketchup-import.php#renaming\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">see instructions on unpacking these here<\/a><\/i>). Set or select any options e.g. whether the mesh should be triangulated or not (useful for game-ready models), and then export. This produces a <b>*.dae<\/b> file (or <b>*.kmz<\/b>) and asset folder containing textures used by the model.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: exporting to DAE\/KMZ provides few options that help mitigate mesh complexity in Blender so some clean-up work will always tend to be necessary.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-make-export-options.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-make-export-options.jpg\" alt=\"Limited export from SketchUp Make (obsolete)\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-free-export-locked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-free-export-locked.jpg\" alt=\"Entirely locked export from SketchUp Free\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Limited options from (obsolete) SketchUp Make (top) and entirely locked export from SketchUp Free (bottom).<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-export.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-export.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Export SketchUp meshes to Collada DAE or KMZ (additional options available for Shop and Pro)\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto;\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Once a model is prepped in SketchUp, export to DAE or KMZ (additional export options available with Shop and Pro).<\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"blender-import\"><\/span>Blender Import<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To import the Collada DAE file, in Blender, from the <b>File<\/b> menu select <b>Import<\/b> then <b>Collada (Default) (.dae)<\/b> &#8211; <i><b>File \u00bb Import \u00bb Collada (Default) (.dae)<\/b><\/i>. In the File Browser Browse select the *.dae file to be imported and in <b>Import Properties<\/b> (settings) to the right (<span class=\"shortcutkey\">N<\/span> if not visible) set any import or mesh options then click the <b>Import COLLADA<\/b> button. If successful the imported SketchUp model will appear in the 3D View positioned as it was in SketchUp.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><i><b>Important<\/b>: although Materials and texture references are imported into Blender, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/material-basics\/\">current Material and texture display system used by newer versions of Blender<\/a> means additional work may be necessary so UV mapped and assigned images appear in the 3D View.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-import-options.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-import-options.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"SketchUp DAE import options for Blender\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto;\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Depending on the format exported from SketchUp various import options are available for Blender, for example DAE, which provides a number of basic options to bring mesh and material data in for use.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-import.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/sketchup\/sketchup-import.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"SketchUp model after import into Blender\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto;\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>SketchUp model after import into Blender &#8211; meshes may appear untextured even though Material data is imported.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,237,479,230],"tags":[227,226,79,345,262,103,75,261,363,355,156],"class_list":["post-439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blender","category-misc3d","category-sketchup","category-tutorials","tag-collada","tag-dae","tag-import","tag-import-export","tag-kmz","tag-materials","tag-mesh-export","tag-sketchup","tag-sketchup-free","tag-sketchup-make","tag-textures"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5203,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439\/revisions\/5203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}