I have bought & downloaded an Ordnance Survey site plan in Word ( I am surprised too!") for an odd shaped plot. I want to somehow get this shape image into Sketchup so I can trace over the shape at full scale and build the plot from there so I can build up the site. Can anybody tell me how to do this as well as get the site plans into Layout from the original Word document pdf. I would be very appreciative if I could be given an idiots guide with a list of processes to follow as I have very little experience with changing file types and so far none with bring other files into Sketchup or Layout. Many thanks.
You could make a screen shot and then insert the image as an image (as opposed to as a texture or match Photo) to trace over it. You could insert the same image into LayOut using File>Insert.
Once in SketchUp, you can adjust the scale of the image so you’re drawing at full size. Measure a known distance on the image with the Tape Measure tool. Then type the real distance and hit Enter. OK the resizing operation and hit Zoom Extents.
Thank you once again Dave. I understand the second part (that was how I thought it might work) but probably a stupid question, how do I make a screen shot & do I need to save it as a particular file type?
You can use any screen capture. You can use Ctrl+Print Screen. I like a free app called Screen Captor.
Still not got it! I now have the screen shot sitting in Picture-Screenshots. How do I get it it ( insert/import) into Sketchup?
hello, go to file > import , at the bottom right choose all supported image types and pick your screenshot file
Open your image editing software and paste the image. Save as a PNG or jpg. Then import into SketchUp.
Thank you Dave and Paul very much appreciated.
It seems odd that you should have downloaded an OS extract to Word. If you bought the plan from an approved outlet, you should be able to get it in DXF format which will import directly into SU. I have to do this all the time and it works fine. The only thing you have to watch out for is that you import a whole slew of new layers you may not want. So probably best to do a bit of tidying up before importing it into the final model.
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really a Word DOC/DOCX or a PDF?
if vectors contained you don’t need to trace over an image but can convert to a DXF/DWG and import as editable drawing into SU.
For saving raster data do in general prefer the lossless PNG format, JPEG format is great for photos but do add artefeacts at high-contrasting elements as e.g. black geometry on a white background.
Thanks for more input. There was the option of DXF which I only noticed afterwards as Word was believe it or not the default. Pdf was not offered at the one scale I downloaded only word though the others I downloaded in pdf. I am not that familiar with all these file types. I guess that I will try and learn over Christmas…
for importing vector-based 2D CAD data always do prefer the DXF/DWG format (industry standard) if avail.
I am going to download another copy of the site plan and this time will try it in either dwg or dxf. Is one better than the other or do they work just the same?
Somehow I managed to sort the earlier one in Word. Now I have to do another one. I don’t have Autocad or any other dwg programme.As I need to order another site plan what is the easiest and best way and format to do it? I have read the SketchUp guide but don’t understand it sufficiently and am somewhat confused by the process.
Is Dave’s method the easiest /best? I will need the site plan at different scales such as 1:1250, 1:500 and !:200.
What file formats can you get?
When you get the site plan into SketchUp, you’ll make it 1:1. After you’ve got what you need done in SketchUp, you’ll send the SketchUp file to LayOut and there make the various scaled views as needed. One SketchUp file for all of those.
DWG or DXF seem to be the most popular, or Word! I sort of understand the principle but not the process.Let’s say I buy a 1:500 scale block plan in dwg and it is emailed to me. I save it somewhere & from then on I am lost! If I did this how do I import it into SketchUp ? (I read for example it can’t read text) and may need some work before importing it. From what you are saying, if I understand you correctly, is that I would have to scale it up to 1:1 then then export to layout and re-scale. I sort of understand that bit but it is getting the actual dwg file into Sketchup that has be in a muddle.
If it’s a DXF or DWG file, you can import it into SketchUp Pro directly using File>Import.
You’re right that text won’t be imported. If that text contains important information and you have no apps to open the CAD file directly, you might want to get the Word doc version. Maybe in addition to the CAD file.
Once you have it in SketchUp, if it doesn’t come in at full size, you can correct that easily enough. The Tape Measure tool could be used to measure a known length. Then enter that length and hit Enter.
In SketchUp you would create a scene showing the site plan. You might also create other scenes showing other parts of the model. The scene is used for a viewport in LO and the viewport’s scale can be set to show it the correct size.
If you can get the file and want some “live” help getting it imported and sorted, drop me a PM.
That is incredibly helpful. Thank you so much. I will buy it in Word and dwg and have a go. If I get stuck I will PM you and that will be a first too!
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