Hi,
New to this forum and I wondering if anyone could assist with a query.
Currently looking into designing a stand so it can be visually merchandised. The Sketchup file for the stand is all ready, but I have a large pool of products to work with.
Is there any way/plug-in to import product dimensions from an Excel worksheet (width x height x depth) into Sketchup and turn them into 3D boxes, preferably as separate files?
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Chris
“any way” - Yes, a Ruby script. This is an obvious commercial application and myself and other programmers can do this easily.
(But I do not do commercial plugins for free, and will no longer be posting any more free advice for interfacing SketchUp with Excel, any other external database or service. From now on, I am assuming such activity is a commercial use.)
(If this is the case, this needs to be moved to “Ruby API” category.*)
“plug-in” - Perhaps, a manual plugin but not generated from Excel.
We are talking simple boxes, after all. A search of the Extension Warehouse or the SketchUcation PluginStore may be in order.
Or actually the 3D Shapes extension, by the SketchUp Team, has a nice inputbox to enter H, W, x D. Afterward you can save out the “boxes” as component files to your local library folder.
(In which case this needs to be moved to “Extensions” category.*)
There may even be Dynamic Components already in the 3D Warehouse ready for download. You just insert them into your model, and change the dimensions via the DC Options dialog.
(In which case this needs to be moved to “Dynamic Components” category.*)
How many “boxes” are you needing to generate ?
Is it a one time operation, so that the boxes can be saved into a component library ?
Will there be image textures applied to the box faces ?
* Once, we determine what the discussion really needs to talk about, we can easily move this thread to another category, or break off linked threads in other categories.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for getting back to me.
There would be a need to generate just under 600 new boxes.
Yes, it would be ideal if they could be saved into a component library for future re-use.
Initially, text would be applied to the boxes to outline what they are rather than having images. However, if they can be added that would be a bonus!
Thanks again,
Chris
Seems like a one-time (or periodic) script job. Not necessarily a need for a registered extension.
So it’d be type (1). Moving to Ruby API category.
Making it read a open Excel spreadsheet just adds some unneeded complexity.
I’d suggest export data from Excel to a CSV file, and use Ruby’s standard CSV reading class:
All of different sizes ?
If the text labels are what is most different then the script could modify components picked from a set of standard sizes.
You’ll need to define what the data columns are: Fieldname, type, etc.
Ie:
(1) Title, String
(2) Label, String
(3) Height, Float
(4) Width, Float
(5) Depth, Float
… etc.
* Note that extra data can be attached using an AttributeDictionary.
The dictionary names should be unique, ie, strings for: company, plugin and purpose, joined with underscores. Example: “ACME_SuperWidget_Properties”
(If the dictionary name is not unique, you risk some other plugin accidentally changing your attributes.)
Where the data file will reside. (Likely somewhere down beneath your “Documents” directory.)
And where you want the components written to.
It will help if you set up a local component collection directory. Again I’d suggest some where down beneath your “Documents” directory. I have my personal version independant collections here:
“%USERPROFILE%/Documents/SketchUp/Components”
See the User Guide for:
Choosing default locations for files (Microsoft Windows)
and
Organizing component collections
Will the components be “glue to” and if so which of: Any, Horizontal, Vertical, or Sloped.
Basically you are compiling a specification of what the utility script needs to do.
Hi Dan,
They would all be of different sizes.
Thanks for all the info, it’s a great help and much appreciated.
Chris