I’m new to Sketchup and Layout and trying to learn as best I can, it’s a bit overwhelming. My use case is a little unique from most users. I’m in the construction industry (excavation) and really only need to use sketchup to create “as-builts” (to scale) after I’ve completed a project. However, I’m also excited to use Sketchup to up-my-game and try to do some site modeling similar to how BrockWorks has done it.
Anyway, that’s my back story - but my actual question is: Can I also use Sketchup (or a Pro product like Layout, Trimble Connect, etc) to easily view construction plans given to me from someone else, while I’m in the field?
Primarily, I just need to reference plans to view distances and dimensions as I’m working on a project. Currently I use fieldwire to do this. But, I’m really tired of paying a subscription, when I only use 5% of the features. I was hoping to use Sketchup to import the plans - then put them onto Trimble Connect… and then open them using my Sketchup App on my iPhone to view and see measurements. However, if I have a set up plans with 14 pages… It think I’d have to import each page into 14 different sketchup projects?! Is there an easier way to accomplish this? (Again, hopefully using the Sketchup Pro subscription or another free option?)
I think I may be at the point, where I might just save the set of construction plans to my Notes app, and use that as my way to reference them… but I’m hoping someone else will have a better solution? Thanks in advance.
Well, you might be able to import them all into a single SketchUp file and use tags and scenes to control which “page” is visible. Depending on what you are starting with you might wind up with an unwieldy SketchUp file which may not work so well with the online SketchUp viewer.
You could use LayOut to create a plan document and then export a PDF which you can view on your phone.
I’ve done this with an Android tablet and the former SketchUp Viewer. I would use the Dimension Tool to measure distances between points at different elevations specifically so I would not have to get out a story pole or zip level. I’d take the 2D plan (in whatever format) and make 3D items for reference points/landmarks by importing and scaling the 2D plan in SketchUp. But I’d do that on the desktop before going into the field. I think the Viewer is deprecated now. But screen shots of the dimensions I needed would also work.
In what format(s) do you expect to get the plans while in the field? DWG, PNG, PDF? What are the “pages” ?
SketchUp for Web lets you import from your device or Trimble Connect. A Trimble Connect Project could have all of your plans/pages. The set up would depend on whatever the “pages” are.
The plans I receive are PDFs. So, I can technically view them on my phone - but besides using fieldwire, I don’t have a good setup / organization on my phone to view them quickly and easily. Also, while most dimensions I need are called out on the plans, there are times where a few dimensions I need are missing - and using a measuring tool to measure that area of the plan has been really handy.
On Mac you can import the PDFs you get as images, at least in the desktop version, but that won’t create actual geometry that you could use SketchUp’s Dimension tool with any accuracy. If the PDFs contain vector linework there are applications that can output .dxf files that can be imported into SketchUp, though.
My apologies - I think I’m really hoping that I could use sketchup - not just to create my as-builts, but also to organize all files from that project, and then easily view them. I know that is not the intended use of Sketchup - but I was just hoping it might work. I still don’t really understand all that Trimble Connect can do? My hope would be that it would give me a place to save and access all files for a project.
For example: If I’m doing the dirt work on a residential house project at 1234 Main Street. I was hoping I could create a project in Trimble Connect called “1234 Main Street” - and then save all associated files in that project. It would have the construction plans in a PDF format that I received. When I’m digging out for the foundation, hopefully I could pull up the PDF plans and view page 3, “foundation - main floor” and not only see all dimensions listed on this page - but allow me to measure a few that aren’t already called out on the plan. I’d also love to save the septic permit to the same project folder - so that when I’m ordering the septic tank, I could view the permit application (PDF) and see what size tank I need to order. Is any of this possible? If not, that’s ok - I’ll just stop trying to figure out how to do it, if I know it can’t be done.
The point was to make my life more simple, with fewer subscriptions and better organization.
I think you’re on the right track. You could try using just one, or several, SketchUp files to keep track of your projects. But Trimble Connect is has more features and is designed to create projects.
I’m picturing you on the jobsite and receiving your plans. It might be easiest to upload them to a TC Project and then import from TC to a new/untitled SketchUp file in SketchUp for Web. You’d be able to read your plan at that point. From there you would use the Tape Tool to scale the plan (to the scale bar on the PDF or a known measurement). Then you’d be able to add dimensions or take measurements as you go. You could save the SketchUp file back to TC.
It would be even easier if you had the plans ahead of time and could work on a desktop computer.
Create a TC project, “1234 Main Street”. Upload your PDF to it. You might be able to view that on TC (I can’t recall off the top of my head). Otherwise, create the Project, make a SketchUp file and import your PDF into it and upload that to TC.
Give it a try with a test project. It sounds like it could work well for what you are describing. Simple. Easy. Organized.
So, with the SketchUp subscription, a businessplan of Trimble Connect is included, no extra subscription or costs. Trimble Connect project software was designed and developed to do exactly what you describe: A single source of truth for ongoing projects where collaborators and stakeholders are always on track and view the latest revisions etc.
Note, you don’t have to invite others per se, but it might be easier to keep track of communication up front (what was agreed upon?) and keep track of changes. Instead of searching for emails with attachments, you can organize every file inside the project.
The 2D viewer gives you access to PDF’s, one can make annotations on the fly (to create ‘as-builds’ later on), measure (after calibrating to scale) etc.
If you have a 3D model or DWG, you can link pdf’s, website urls to any element as an attachment for quick access to specifications etc.
To get started, watch some of the skill builder video’s here:
While the mobile app is available for IOS and Android, on a phone you can also just use the browser.
FWIW, taking measurements in the 2D viewer is always ‘pixel based’ and just like when you import a pdf inside SketchUp, it needs to be calibrated.