Importing Sketchup models into InfraWorks

[JohnDutz]

We are working on modeling a large project in InfraWorks 360, and are having problems importing textured models from Sketchup 2013 Pro.  Although the 3D model imports, the textures will not.

We can get the textures into AutoCAD using the SKP import add-in for 2014, but the textures are gone when we import into InfraWorks.  We've tried round-tripping the model through NavisWorks, 3DS Max, and Revit as well.  None of these other programs import the textures, either.  I suspect there is a step that we're missing in the process, like copying texture files to a support directory, but I can't seem to figure it out.

Does anyone have some ideas?

Thanks.

[ToddRogers-WPM · Accepted solution]

You must cut and paste the model file into the folder with the materials.  For example if you are using collada (.dae) files, you would cut the model.dae file and paste it in the images folder.

[JohnDutz]

I marked this as a solution, since it works, but there is a bit more to the problem.  When exporting the models from Sketchup, certain textures are not copied to the output folder.  Any ideas why, or where I can go to find the originals?  Are the stock materials copyrighted, or can not be exported for another reason?

I searched the Sketchup install directory for the JPG files that were used in the model, and couldn't find them.  I also searched My Documents, since that's where texture images are kept, according to the File Locations tab in the System Preferences dialog in Sketchup.

[ToddRogers-WPM]

Was this a model downloaded from 3D Warehouse?

[JohnDutz]

No it wasn't.  It was one that we made.

[ToddRogers-WPM]

Ahhh.  I see.  I don't have much experience with Sketchup.  The only thing I use it for is to export out .skp files to .dae files.  However, I do make sure that I have everything "ungrouped" or "exploded" before I export it out of Sketchup.  When the Sketchup objects are "grouped" it tends to not work very well.

[JohnDutz]

In Sketchup, materials are stored in .SKM file, which is just a renamed .ZIP file.  I had to copy the .SKM files, rename them to .ZIP, unzip them, then copy the texture file to the model output folder and rename the texture file.  The texture files from Sketchup end with an _1, but the materials applied when exporting the model do not.  Once I copied all of the texture files into the output folder, the model can be imported into InfraWorks with the textures.

[miketaylor-bimmanager]

We've been exporting the SketchUp files out as a 3ds file. It exports with all the textures (separately but in the same directory) and comes in just fine into InfraWorks.  [Once it's inside Infraworks you can ditch the 3ds file and the textures.]

This has been the easiest method for us so we don't lengthen our workflow any longer than it needs to be! 

[miketaylor-bimmanager]

Wow... I tested exporting the SketchUp file to a DAE file.

It works seamlessly!  This is easier than 3ds (due to a scale issue we were having).

Thank you so much for your suggestion.

[sean.rrcc]

If anyone else is looking for another option, one would be to export as a .kmz file from Sketchup. Unzip the .kmz file (I use 7-Zip) to the local project folder. Then, in Infraworks create a catalog (folder) under 3D Models/Buildings/'New Catalog' in your Style Palette and create a new building style using the .dae file that is extracted from the .kmz file in that folder. This way if you need to use that building style multiple times it is available for repeated use and for any other project that you may need it for. More importantly, I have found that this method places materials on the buildings all the time without fail, yet.

[manopadsk]

Thank you sean.rrcc. It works for me. Exporting to KMZ and then unzip.