good, this question on collaboration comes up. Thanks @kathy_davies
What I would need most, as the people we work together with are by far not all using Sketchup, however we do only use SketchUp:
Import and export of dwg and dxf files covering ALL content (not only geometry, but as well all texts, leaders, dimensions) and layouts (not only the model space).
This same functionality should also be in Layout.
I would not want to first have to import into Layout to get it from there into SketchUp.
Possibility of external references in SketchUp where the reference is NOT stored in the SketchUp file when saving. Referencing like this a LO file could also come in useful.
native Point cloud import in case SketchUp can handle also larger amounts of points.
It means being able to have multiple people view the model at the same time. Make notes in the model. For a great example, check out how Modumate does real-time collaboration.
I think that some of the things that are seen in trimble connect would be beneficial inside of SketchUp
Perhaps someone is working on the landscaping of a house and others are working on the interiors, these 2 things which might exist as groups or component within a central project can be updated periodically and the changes reflected.
There is a lot of duplication of information when using Sketchup across teams of multiple people, which makes this kind of thing trickier.
Other requests for collaboration are better management of shared component and material libraries.
Individual users can build their own collections on 3D warehouse - but there is no functionality to search this from the components menu within SketchUp, nor is there an integrated option for a single studio to be able to easily manage a centralised area which all of their employees can access.
For enterprise customers wanting a shared material library, weâve had to resort to using plugins to add search options : but this creates disparities and how each user does this, additional per user setup and the uncertainty of this workflow functioning in future.
Also, when I think about frictionless collaboration, how about being able to generate a link to a cloud hosted SketchUp viewer, so users can view a model without creating an account or installing software - This type of thing works brilliantly in some of the 3D rendering packages such as Enscape and Twinmotion.
#1
Correct IFC import and export is required to work efficiently with others in the AEC industry. The current IFC functionalities do not comply with the BuildingSMART IFC guidelines.
#2
Better DWG/DXF import/export capabilities. Many companies request 2D DWG / DXF files of various views from the 3D model. One of the reasons is the CNC control.
#3
A possibility to link external 3D models as references to the SketchUp model where the references are NOT stored in the SketchUp file. A 3D model will be shown in the SketchUp model where you can refer to it with the drawing tools, but the reference model will not overload the model by turning every object into a native SketchUp object. Now an IFC import that serves as a reference model is completely converted to native SketchUp objects. A large IFC model can make the SketchUp model immediately unworkable.
#4
More control over section planes. As a user, it would be nice if you could shrink / crop a section plane. Now it directly cuts through the entire context. In addition, it would be nice if several section planes could be activated in a context. This means you donât have to create multiple Groups / Components to activate multiple section planes. This means that relevant views can be exported faster to, for example, DWG / DXF.
In a âmaster fileâ, if reference model could be acting as a âproxyâ, it will make some thing different with Import/Reload Components
Not increase âmaster fileâ size
Not be changed identity name of Component, Material⌠to #1, #2, âŚ
Can auto reload latest update when open âmaster fileâ or not in settings.
Can have some visual effects.
Can edit in an isolate enviroment (like group/components) but wonât effect to identity of entities in âmaster fileâ. After edit auto save back to origin file. That process can maintain information between file and version.
I would definitely add another vote to this feature. When I was working in an office that used SketchUp primarily for all 3d modeling on large projects, we often needed 2 or 3 people to work on the same SketchUp model especially as deadlines were near. We would often save as models into separate files and promise to only work on a wing of the building. Then we would group the work, and one of us would copy and paste the changed groups into the âmain modelâ.
The chat functionality / collaboration, is icing on the cake - the main functionality is working in SketchUp in a way that allows all edits to happen from multiple users in the same document, similar to Google Sheets, and hopefully more responsive than âRevitâs sync to centralâ approach. This could happen via local network or perhaps internet based.
Adding multi-user support would be amazing, as more people are now working remotely!!!
For an inspirational gif see Modumateâs recent multi-user support
2 | Interoperability
A way to store a non tessellated version of non-rectilinear geometries could produce surfaces and linework that would translate better to other platforms. (Weâre also working on this challenge with Helix)
3 | Point Clouds
Similar to Undetâs offering, if SketchUp could natively support interoperability with point clouds, this opens up an entire new sector of users to collaborate together in SketchUp. I was talking to our construction technologist last week, and wondered how fun it would be for us to work on our as built and 3d coordination using SketchUp with point cloud support. Native support will ensure viability and long term support. It wouldnât take away from tools like Undet, rather it can solidify them. Ex: FARO PointSense for Revit, is a plugin built on top of the native Revit feature offering.
As Modumate works in the cloud only, their multiuser mode is easier to implement than the way most SketchUp users are used to work. They donât have the bagage of an 20 year old file based, mini model (Components) system with the only way to categorize by nesting.
As said earlier, the Trimble Connect extension already has a âCollaboration Managerâ with a âchatâ functionality.
It doesnât do âinstantâ changes, though, one needs to ârefreshâ the button manually.
Those settings could be set to âautomaticallyâ I guess.
It all comes down to some degree of discipline, of course
You need to have a system and itâs more likely that BIM-modelers are more disciplined than the lead designers in a firm (âI just like to drawâ)
2 | Interoperability
As said above, one needs to have a system that can map SketchUp objects into the hierarchy of other software packages. Not only Revit. (and viceversa)
It would be nice to have native import of .rvt (and .rfa!) for many libraries and BIM content provide these in that format.
That said, I donât think SketchUp should turn into a cheap alternative for Revit, the cost of constant developing and keeping up would make it more expensive and would turn it into a database instead of a âsketchupâ program.
(Tekla already has a way to import SketchUp models, but it wonât map objects to the native categories.)
3 | Pointcloud
It would be nice to have those visible, just like one could import 2D images, it is now time for a 3D equivalent!
Also in VR, btw..
Pinging @Jacques and @Aristodimos
Correct! When building new tools, one doesnât have to worry about legacy support, and the tool can use the latest programming standards.
Thereâs also something to be said for having this functionality integrated with the main app, not superimposed.
2 | Interoperability
My comment was referring more towards the geometry kernel level work, not necessarily the bridge connections. The kernel work could enable 3rd party apps to integrate in an improved manner for curved geometry: arcs, ellipses, splines. This is not an easy ask, and perhaps too deep in the core programming? It could be only implemented for the arc curves for example, which would still be very beneficial.
Native .rvt and .rfa support is completely up to Autodesk. Thereâs nothing others can do while those formats remain closed.
NOTE: Keeping SketchUp simple and selecting which features to not implement could be as hard as adding new features. Itâs elegant how simple modeling features can be utilized and combined to create complex geometry. SketchUp does not need to be a BIM platform, it needs to continue to remain intuitive and simple for existing and new users.
3 | Point Clouds
VR visibility of point clouds is way cooler to experience than I imagined. I tried this with the FARO software: the most realistic VR experience.
A simple way to share our model with the client (Through SketchUp viewer) without having to send the full editable skp file. Like other software, SketchUp could write an extension that is only compatible with the SketchUp viewer. That would make my day!.. My 10 last years actually.
Iâve been experimenting with Trimble Connect, Kubity or Enscape 3D, but all those solutions are a bit complicated for the client, ask to export somewhere (extra process) and donât see text, lines, section or scene created in SketchUp.
Using the SketchUp Viewer is a pretty straightforward process, but I never do it because I donât want to send my work file to someone I barely know.
I mean a link to a Sketchup file hosted in the web version of Sketchup being shared via e-mail with a customer / college who can be given different permissions like in Google docs.
The link to the file should open the file in the free Sketchup-web version.
This would be ideal to look together at the design eventually changing it live while together simultaneously discussing the design over the phone.
This would also be an ideal way to teach somebody how to use Sketchup.
Ability to Update a Reference to an imported file type (EG so that we can view and update a DWG file in the Components Browser in the same way that we can view a SKP file)
Ability to Export a Scene (including visible objects, styles, active tags, etc) as a 3d DWG.
I am a kitchen designer and space planner. I sometimes work with architects or engineers, but mostly directly with clients and with contractors. I currently share SketchUp models with clients by emailing the files and sending instructions on how to open the files with SketchUp Viewer. Not everyone seems able to figure out how to open the SketchUp files but I also create construction drawing pdfs using Layout and between the two, clients and contractors are happy. I also use Zoom for virtual meetings showing clients their models on my computer and doing quick revisions in real time.
I have a new client who wants me to embed SketchUp concept drawings for his synagogue addition into his website so potential donors can walk through it â the file should be viewable and navigable without leaving the site. I believe Kubity could do this, but Kubity unfortunately seems to have disappeared. So Iâm looking for a solution to file sharing on a website that doesnât require cumbersome downloads or signing in â something simple, idiot-proof, and doesnât break the bank.
I currently share SketchUp models with clients by emailing the files and sending instructions on how to open the files with SketchUp Viewer. Not everyone seems able to figure out how to open the SketchUp files
This is so true.
Us creators and people in the tech/software industry donât often realise how difficult it is for many people to do things like sign up for an online viewer or even learn how to Pan/Rotate a model. Iâm generalising here, but IME, many of the key decision makers at companies I deal with can barely type, let alone use a 3d model. It has to be uber simple and take less than ~8 seconds to figure out.
Of course, if they do learn how to do it, then it becomes the âbest thing everââŚbut getting to that point is often challenging.
In our company we use some 10 Sketchup-liscences plus AutoCAD IMOS for furniture construction, SolidWorks for Sheet-Metal construction & Rhino for ânurbsyâ stuff. So apart from true BIM we really do a lot of collaboration.
Sketchup acts as the âcommon groundâ for everybody. The designers start here and the final documentation ends here as well. Stuff that we need to detail in other software is being predrafted in Sketchup than constructed in the appropriate software and imported and swapped out in Sketchup so that the project manager does have the best possible overview of what is being build.
Our biggest pitfalls are:
Import/Export woes. Itâs nice how people say âDWG is ancientâ. It is. Itâs also one of the few âgoodâ options Sketchup actually provided. How about STEP in 2022? Anyone? Anyone? Exporting / Importing of 3D geometry often results in errors around rounded corners and surfaces. Without a plugin like âCleanup3â Importing would be next to impossible. Getting anything out of Sketchup for another CAD Tool can be quite a dance with several steps in between because so few good working options are provided. So yes - as a collaborative tool ANY improvements to IMPORT / EXPORT would be a great start.
âVersioningâ. We do a lot of work on files. Everybody working on the same file is a pipe dream, we usually save a version of a file every day for backup purposes, in case somebody messes up. We occasionally run into trouble that one user doesnât know what the previous user changes or what the most recent version project is (like if somebody opens an old version by accident hits save and another user opens that version because it was the last saved). We started using a separate log-file (text) because Sketchup doesnât have 2D Text or a Log-Possibility two inform everybody of changes.
@RTCool - thank you for post. We are working on enhanced import/export interoperability - and I will be sure to share this the engineering team focused on this work.
