Hi, I’m a builder who is new to sketch up. I’m teaching my self little by little. I’m working on a Christmas display in xlights and trying to convert my hover .skp into an .obj to export for use in xlights. When i load the .skp i received from hover one of the pictures has the opposite side of the model attached to it. Everything i do to rotate it or move it throws it way out of whack and i then i have to close without saving and start over. Any help/advice appreciated.
I’m not familiar with xlights or hover one. Might be that some change to the way your model is set up would help.
As far as exporting an OBJ from SketchUp, maybe you need to swap the YZ coordinates?
It would help if you share the .skp file.
I haven’t even attempted the export yet because i can’t figure out how to fix this one page.
Does this work?
Xlightshovermodel.skp (2.1 MB)
Some of your images are used as Match Photo images. This one of the back of the house doesn’t appear to be.
How did you add this image?
Do you have these different images as individual photos?
Were these automatically imported with 3D Hover or whatever it is?
I didn’t physically add them. I sent them to “Hover.to” it’s a construction software for estimating and they create 3D renders off the images they instruct you to take. Then they give you a .skp to export and use. This entire file came from them.
I see. I guess you should contact them to see why that particular image isn’t treated as a Match Photo image like all of the others are.
I suppose you could manually add that image as a Match Photo image. First you have to move the model axes so the red is aligned with the back of the house.
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I have the photos still, is it possible to replace that single image with a new one? The same exact photo just by uploading in place of the one i sent them?
See the edit to my previous post.
Note that the images like that one really aren’t great for Match Photo. The 3/4 views are much better because there are two vanishing points on the horizon with them. To work correctly Match Photo needs those two vanishing points.
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So should i manually rotate it 90° until i get the rear of the render, then fix the axis, and then upload the image myself?
Okay so should i remove all if the straight on images? I feel that could be an easier solution?
Right click on one of the axis lines and choose Place. Then orbit around to the back of the house, click at the lower corner to set the origin, then along the back wall to set the red axis followed by clicking along the end wall edge to set the green. Make sure blue points up.
When you bring in the image, set the origin (yellow square) to the origin you just set up.
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Where/how are you doing this without the picture?
I was only setting up the model axes so when the image is imported it’ll be looking at the same side of the house model as the photo is. The next step would be to import the image as a Matched Photo.
Another method. Watch the video here:
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Nothing is saving after i fix it. Everytime i change the axes and click onto a new scene, then go back, the previous scene i already fixed the axes is right back to where it was originally. What am i doing wrong?
Axes are saved per scene…
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Don’t click to create a new scene. Orbit the camera to look at the back of the house, set the axes, and import the image. It’ll create a new scene automatically. And as @bmike indicates, the axis orientation is saved per scene.
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I think that’s part of the issue. This automatically opens its own multiple scenes (I’m assuming because of the way hover made it) and as both have stated the scenes have their own axes. I’m trying to reset them all because they don’t actually align in each scene. Or does that not matter? Should i just apply the photos as needed as they have it and then try to export? Or should I import a new .skp, delete all but the first scene, and start over, adding the rest of the scenes myself manually?
You should only get one new scene when you import an image using the Match Photo option.
At this point I’m thinking the easiest thing would be to start a new file. Import one of the 3/4 views first and set up the lines to the vanishing points on the horizon. After you have the image added and set up, copy just the house geometry from the existing file and paste it into the new one.
Send me a PM with a couple of the images and I’ll see if I can set it up for you to get you going.
With all that, though, since you have the 3D model of the house, do you need the images for creating the lighting plan?
Edit: i would like to attempt to make this model myself in the future from the video you linked showing how to properly photo match and scale. When i take the 3/4 pictures would it help to elevate myself on a ladder? Or ground photos are good enough?
I got it all sorted! Everything i was worried about was a non issue when exporting and opening in the xlights program. I deleted the scene with the non-match photo picture and then went from there, left all the axes where they were for each scene and zero issues when export as .obj and opened in xlights. Thank you so much!
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It would be best if you can get your viewpoint high enough so the verticals are as nearly parallel as possible. It would also be better if you can use a longer focal length lens when you make the photos to avoid distorting straight lines. As the focal length gets shorter barrel distortion tends to be more noticeable. The main thing, though, is the images need to be straight from the camera with no cropping and no other manipulation. And most important: If you use a ladder, don’t fall off it. 