This question was addressed here a few years ago, but at the time there was no simple solution offered.
I have a project that we did some years ago, with a 3D model prepared on Form Z. I never used that program—the model was done by a former employee—not do I have the program any longer. We have now been asked to additional work on the project and I would like to know if anyone has an idea for how to import the Form Z model into Sketchup.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
You can always download and install Form Z Free, you are allowed to use it for ANY purpose. Open the model and save as a .dae file and see how that works. Or download and install the Form Z 30 day demo and export out to other file formats and see what works.
Thank you! I will try this and report back.
Thanks for the help. Worked perfectly.
Great to hear!
So for the rest of us, which file format did you end up using, and what, if anything, got lost or messed up in the translation?
I downloaded Form Z-Free, very easy, and installed it. Have not looked at it in 20 years or so, I’d guess, and even then I was not the one actually using it. The UI seems very similar to Sketchup, as it was easy to make my way around.
I exported my file as a .dae file, just as Sean had suggested. Then I imported that file into Sketchup and it appeared in quite good shape, just lines, no materials or whatever, but that was all I wanted anyway. The second file stumbled on the export and I had to ungroup the model for some reason, and then it came into Sketchup without any issue.
I just wanted the line work, as I am using it as a sort of existing conditions model, so the process worked well for what I needed.
Why did you use intermediate formats when I remember that FormZ reads and writes skp files?
Only import before version 9
Version 9 has been on the market for several years.
I don’t think you can save to skp from the free version