Trimble SketchUp Reader/Writer

The Trimble SketchUp Reader and Writer allows FME to read and write the Trimble™ SketchUp™ format.

The SketchUp format is the native format used by Trimble's SketchUp Pro and SketchUp Viewer 3D modeling packages. SketchUp Version 2015 or earlier is supported.

Note: The Trimble SketchUp Reader/Writer does not yet support SketchUp text, dimensions, lighting, or camera.

Overview

A SketchUp file consists of an .skp file that contains all components and entities used inside a SketchUp model.

The SketchUp file format supports 3D, polygonal, textured, and shaded models that contain faces, edges, component definitions, and component instances. Faces get their color and texture from materials that are referenced by the face. A SketchUp model is given a location on the earth by Google Earth, or by the modeler in SketchUp’s Model Info.

Reader Overview

The SketchUp Reader produces FME features for geometry data in an .skp file. The SketchUp Reader extracts all the geometry in an .skp file for further processing.

A simple SketchUp faces (a face with no holes) will be translated as an FMEFace. A complex SketchUp face (a face with holes) will be translated as an FMEDonut wrapped inside an FMEFace.

A SketchUp Edge is translated into an FMELine segment.

Writer Overview

The SketchUp Writer creates and writes features to a SketchUp (.skp) file.

Tips for Writing SketchUp Files

  • If there is an existing SketchUp file in the folder with the same name, it will be overwritten.
  • Feature type fanout can be used to write different SketchUp files to the same dataset folder.
  • If the SketchUp file cannot be written, the translation fails.
  • Note that invalid geometry can cause the translation to fail. Using the GeometryValidator transformer may help in such cases.
  • Non-planar surfaces can be repaired using the GeometryValidator transformer. Alternatively, SketchUp can attempt to repair these surfaces when opening the output SketchUp file.
  • Using the Merge Coplanar Faces parameter with non-planar surfaces may produce undesired results. Using the GeometryValidator transformer may help in such cases.
  • Non-triangular faces and meshes can cause issues when writing textures, as Sketchup materials are optimized for mapping to a triangular face. Using the Triangulator transformer may help in these cases.