# Opening non-SketchUp STL files **URL:** \ **Category:** SketchUp\ **Tags:** stl, import\ **Created:** [October 14, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309 "2015-10-14T17:04:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/1 "2015-10-14T17:04:50Z")
Is it possible to open non-SketchUp Pro 2015 files? I need to open some files that were sent to me that were not created in SketchUp ---
**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/2 "2015-10-14T17:06:57Z")
you need to use File \>\> Import … ---
**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/3 "2015-10-14T17:08:04Z")
You need to be clearer. STL isn’t a natural sketchup file. What files are you trying to open? ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/4 "2015-10-14T17:08:27Z")
Tried that. It tells me it “Does not appear to be a SketchUp Model” and won’t open it. Tried changing the extension too, still a no-go ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/5 "2015-10-14T17:10:54Z")
To be more specific isn’t really an option as, for example, one file is named Tripod picot top\_v.stl ---
**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/6 "2015-10-14T17:12:21Z")
Do you have an stl importer? Add the stl here and one of us can look at it. ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/7 "2015-10-14T17:18:06Z")
> [@marvin](#): > > To be more specific isn’t really an option as, for example, one file is named Tripod picot top\_v.stl Except you erred in the first post. You said “non-SketchUp 2015 files” when you meant “ **non-SketchUp STL files**.” Install the Community STL Importer extension from the ExtensionWarehouse. Inside SketchUp, go the the **Window** menu. And choose **Extension Warehouse** , navigate the the “SketchUp Team” store page, and scroll down till you see the STL Import plugin. Choose it, and on it’s plugin page, click the red **Install** button. ---
**Author:** ![colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/colin/32/70101_2.png) [@colin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/colin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/8 "2015-10-14T17:21:50Z")
I just tried a file from this page: [http://www.eng.nus.edu.sg/LCEL/RP/u21/wwwroot/stl\_library.htm](http://www.eng.nus.edu.sg/LCEL/RP/u21/wwwroot/stl_library.htm) I could select the file and choose options, but as of yet SketchUp hasn’t finished trying to import the file. I force quit SketchUp and tried a simpler file. That worked, though the model has some messed up reverse faces. ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/9 "2015-10-14T18:13:03Z")
I’ve got the STL importer and have successfully sent a print job to a 3D printer. I’ll give the “Uninstall/Reinstall” a shot. ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/10 "2015-10-14T18:57:36Z")
Nope…didn’t work. Uninstalled, then reinstalled the STL importer. ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/11 "2015-10-15T17:58:22Z")
The next step is posting one of these “problem” STL files (or post a link to it.) ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/12 "2015-10-15T18:13:39Z")
At 143 MB it’s larger than my company email allows to send. However, here’s a smaller file that I could open. Maybe you could look at it and figure out what I could do with the monster file. [Tri Pod Scanner1.stl](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/v2sJtazFHrXQ9Zoi2IWCgfyPibe.stl) (2.32 MB) ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/13 "2015-10-15T18:26:16Z")
> [@marvin](#): > > At 143 MB it’s larger than my company email allows to send. Then share it with Dropbox or some similar service. If the “problem” STL has faces that are too small SketchUp may be having trouble during the import. ---
**Author:** ![slbaumgartner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/slbaumgartner/32/7302_2.png) [@slbaumgartner](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/slbaumgartner)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/14 "2015-10-15T18:53:47Z")
Importing this file, here’s what I got. As you can see, even setting the scale to meters, there is a lot of very small geometry that is going to make this very difficult to work with in SketchUp. However, the shape itself really isn’t all that complicated and wouldn’t be too difficult to redraw natively in SketchUp. I suppose that doesn’t help with your monster file… ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/2X/4/423a51a150a24fa5a698b67dc9e6a272b636d4ae.png) ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/15 "2015-10-15T19:09:01Z")
Yes and no. It explains why my computer stand at “importing geometry” for hours and hours…and hours until I get frustrated and assume its not importing and shut the program down. Maybe if I leave the computer on overnight, by next wednesday it will open… Thank you for your help! ---
**Author:** ![colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/colin/32/70101_2.png) [@colin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/colin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/16 "2015-10-15T19:36:35Z")
One option for the huge STL files is to import them into MeshLab, and export Collada. SketchUp at least shows a progress gauge when importing the Colada file, instating of locking up with the STL file. Having said that, the progress bar hasn’t moved in a while… ---
**Author:** ![jim\_foltz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jim_foltz/32/74787_2.png) [@jim\_foltz](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jim_foltz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/17 "2015-10-15T19:45:03Z")
I’d like to get a hold of that monster .stl file. I have a command-line stl to skp converter I’d like to test. ---
**Author:** ![marvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@marvin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/marvin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/18 "2015-10-15T20:04:15Z")
I’d love to send it but it’s too large for my companies email system and dropbox is blocked for usage on my end. ---
**Author:** ![jim\_foltz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jim_foltz/32/74787_2.png) [@jim\_foltz](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jim_foltz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/19 "2015-10-15T20:05:02Z")
I think I can send a link to my dropbox - all you’d need to do is upload it. Let me see,… I guess it isn’t easily possible as I thought. ---
**Author:** ![colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/colin/32/70101_2.png) [@colin](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/colin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309/20 "2015-10-15T20:23:41Z")
Here’s is a smaller STL file (under 13MB) that still is enough to lock up SketchUp. When converted to DAE it becomes a lot bigger too, and takes a long time to import into SketchUp. [http://colin.scienceninja.com/man.stl](http://colin.scienceninja.com/man.stl) [Next page](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/opening-non-sketchup-stl-files/16309.md?page=2)