Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator can also perform the trick of converting a vector-lines PDF into DWG or DXF. They are obviously more expensive than PDF2CAD, but, to me, $200 seems a bit expensive for a one-trick pony, especially if you don’t need it all the time.
Anssi
Thank you Dave and Anssi for your replies - definitely both food for thought.
I have now actually got a .DWG from the Architect I had subscribed to my free trial of Pro and actually thought that was what I was working on (being new to Sketch Up and not having a clue!). I realise now that it is just 2017 Make which won’t open the .DWG. One of the other lovely people to reply to this post john_mcclenahan mentioned there is a plug in available on sketchucation which will hopefully allow this. Currently trying to navigate my way through downloading it and feeling rather non-techy while I am. Think the one below is what I should be doing in case anyone has any comment-
Thanks again lovely forum
Glad you have found that. Actually, the one I was thinking of is SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation
which imports DXF files (a text version of DWG files) by Jim - I think that is Jim Foltz, but I’m not sure.
Hi John,
I’m glad you came back because so far I’ve got nowhere. The one I tried to download is an .rbz file which Sketchucation tells me I should be able to open in Sketch Up through Preferences/Extensions. I don’t seem to have ‘Extensions’ though - maybe it’s a Make versus Pro thing? Anyway so I just downloaded it and it went to my Downloads folder. When I click on it nothing happens except that it opens Sketch Up.
Happy to try your suggestion but still don’t understand if yours will actually open up a DWG file or if I have to convert it to a DXF file first? Hoping to not have to convert anything if at all possible. If it can open a DWG could you please advise exactly how to install it. Would really appreciate tit.
Thanks!
No, it’s a 2017 vs earlier thing. Look at Window->Extension Manager. An rbz is a zipped archive that can’t be simply clicked to run. It is best installed using the Extension Manager, or better still, install the sketchUcation plugin store extension which will allow you to download and install automatically.
In earlier versions of SketchUp you installed RBZ files using menu item
[PC-only Window >] Preferences > Extensions > Install Extension…
With v2017 it’s changed to menu item
Window > Extension Manager > Install Extension…
It’s the same in Make and Pro.
Or as was said install the SketchUcation Toolset and use that to install RBZ files etc…
Thanks both. Certainly something that helps download and install automatically sounds great. On the Sketchucation site I searched under ‘plugin store extension’ and nothing came up. Also searched under ‘toolset’ - brought up lots of links but I couldn’t find which one was right.
Any link you could send me would be great. By the way I’m on a MAC.
Thanks!
The SketchUcation ExtensionStore Toolset is available in the PluginStore SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation - it’s also available through the Resources menu in the top bar as the previous post…
Steve got there seconds before me!
Also please note that Trimble’s Extension Warehouse is built into SketchUp at Window->Extension Warehouse. It will also download and install extensions directly. There are some duplicates between the EW and SketchUcation, but each also has extensions that the other does not so it is good to check both when looking for extensions.
OK so been through both links and downloaded and as they are .rbz files the Sketchucation Tools are just sitting in my downloads too and I can’t click on them.
Suggestions gratefully appreciated.
Why would you need to click on them ?
Use the native installer as explained earlier…
A dialog opens for you to choose the RBZ
Navigate to the RBZ you want to install [in your Downloads folder?] and select it.
Answer the prompts and it installs…
Often when downloading anything it goes to the Download folder and then I have to click them to open them up. Sometimes I think they open automatically but not often. I’m feeling rather confused because the reason I’m trying to download Sketchucation Tools is so that I can the open an .rbz file, but when I download Sketchucation Tools it too appears to be an .rbz file and also doesn’t open.
Are you meaning download Sketchucation Tools when you say ‘use the native installer’?
Feeling very much the newbie.
Thanks again
OK, step by step:
When the install completes (assuming you are installing the SketchUcation toolset) you will find a new item on the Extensions menu titled “SketchUcation”. This is a pull-right menu with submenus to access the features of the SketchUcation toolset.
As well as the submenu, it will also install a SketchUcation Toolbar… with three buttons for the most used tools…
Activate via Toolbars…
Loving the step by step thank you. Think I’ve done it but wanted to double check the end. I have clicked Open on my SketchUcation Tools .rbz which then gave me this page -
I then click on he Go to the extension Store which leads me to this -
Does this now mean I can upload any extension I need through the store this way just by clicking on it, rather than having to go through your steps again to upload the other .rbz file from my Downloads folder which is the one I actually wanted?
So by the way if John is out there, or if anyone else can still help please, in terms of which extension is better for reading DWG’s in Make we had discussed two options -
SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation as recommended by John, however I still don’t understandwill if it will actually open up a DWG file or if I have to convert it to a DXF file first? Hoping to not have to convert anything if at all possible. As I’m sure you’ve gathered, the easier the better for me at this stage!
The other one I have found purely by search but appears to open DWG files but I obviously have no experience.
Any further advice on which would be better for me would be much appreciated?
Thank you all for bearing with me. I’m going to be so happy when I can open this DWG!
A few points that occur to me rereading this thread.
While you still have the SU 2017 Pro trial version running, you should be able to import the DWG file directly - Pro includes a DWG import option. Menu File/Import - Format Autocad files (*dwg, *dxf).
If you would like someone on the forum to try an import, to see what problems it may contain, upload the DWG file - to here if it is less than 3MB (use the upload link - the 7th icon above where you post), or to the 3Dwarehouse, Dropbox or other file sharing site, with a link posted here.
If you need to re-import that or other DWG files after the Pro trial expires, the TECLAsoftware Import DWG plugin says it needs the (free) Teigha File Converter to be installed. You have to download that, from ODA File Converter | Open Design Alliance
Hi there,
Thanks very much for your response.
Firstly although I’m supposed to be in my free trial of Pro I realised I haven’t downloaded it properly so am on Make. As I still won’t be upgrading to Pro at this stage, I think I just need to Make work for me as I will continue to need to open DWG’s
I will upload the DWG I am currently trying to open for any feedback - please see below.
1526-P-100 Ground_A.dwg (927.3 KB)
Are you advising that the TECLAsoftware Import DWG plugin is better to use than the SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation, or do you want to try out my particular .DWG first?
If you can please also get back to me regarding the query in my previous post regarding 'Does this now mean I can upload any extension I need through the store this way just by clicking on it, rather than having to go through your steps again to upload the other .rbz file from my Downloads folder which is the one I actually wanted? I would be most appreciative.
Thanks again!
Had a first shot at importing your DWG file using 2016 Pro on Mac.
It comes in a long way from the origin.
It seems to have some stray geometry, too - zoom extents has lots of margin round the meaningful part of the drawing.
And when I selected the meaningful part, cut it to the clipboard, and tried to delete all the rest, when I pasted back in place, SU froze and I had to force quit.
So not entirely straightforward so far!
Trying again.
