Can anyone convert a Shapefile terrain contour lines file for me for import into SketchUp?
I installed and tried to do this with QGIS, but the converted file is a 2D flat dxf with no topography when imported into SketchUp.
I will provide the shp files if you can send me a working 3D dxf or a SketchUp document.
Have you tried this method yet? If I have time later I will test as I also use QGIS and havenât made the effort yet to preserve Z-Values when exporting.
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Ok, so finally tested it myself and it works great. See videos below showing the process. Glad to add this to my toolbox as well 
Adding Shapefile. Running âv.to.3dâ from the Processing Toolbox/Grass/Vector menu. Then exporting the new â3Dâ layer to DXF.
Importing the DXF into SketchUpâŚitâs such a large area that itâs hard to see the 3D until you zoom in. Ran Sandbox from Contours to give some of the contours a mesh. Exaggerated the vertical scale to make it more apparent.
*note that the video capture somehow cut off the beginning of the process so let me know if you need a step explained in more detail.
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Thanks for all of this. I enjoy the videos. Very useful.
I must say that I am not a geomatician, even if I have some notions. I downloaded QGIS and tried it for the first time last week and found the learning curve to be quite steep.
My project is to design and build a house and I needed a 3D view of the land to decide on a layout plan.
Here is a first test image with the TopoShaper plugin.
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Looks good. How did you get the contours/terrain surface without the shapefile data?
Frankly, I donât know how to create surfaces with the open curves. I am new to GIS and I know little about Shapefiles.
In SketchUp, I did not use Sandbox. The render was done using only the TopoShaper plugin. But it is too soft for my taste. I will try different settings.
