Point Cloud derived Geometry (in real world coordinates) created by Trimble Realworks misbehaving in sketchup

SketchUp Pro
1

Hi, I am using trimble realworks scan explorer to export geometry to sketchup pro.

Our scans are referenced to the MGA grid zone 55 (Hobart Tasmania, Australia area).

The geometry arrives in sketchup, but the display is very ‘jumpy’ when the zoom is moved or rotated, sometimes displaying the shapes all wrong. The program is not really usable when this is happening.

When these shapes are then exported out of sketchup as a DWG to autocad, everything comes in perfectly- in the correct coordinate location.

I suspect sketchup is having issues dealing with the coordinates that are so far from origin. How do I resolve this? It is important we work within our desired coordinate system.

Block-Shifting the entire project pointcloud to 0,0 (or near to this) would be an additional step in the workflow that I would like to avoid.

2

Have you tried geolocating the model before importing the data.

3

Can you share the SU file so we can help devise a plane to help you out?

4

If you have to keep the geometry in that specific location (super far from the origin), how about this workflow…

Let’s call the skp created with the realworks data the “Master” skp.

  1. Select the geometry located far from the origin
  2. Convert the geometry in to a component.
  3. Save the component as a separate SU file by Right clicking on the component and select Save As. We can call this the “Child” skp file
  4. Open the “Child” skp in another session of SketchUp. Note that the origin of the Child is the same as the internal component origin in the Master file.
  5. Without moving the origin, modify your Child model as you please… when done, Save.
  6. In your Master file, right-click on the original component and select RELOAD. Select the saved Child skp file.
  7. This should swap out the old component with the newly modified Child skp. It will be inserted and oriented in the exact location of the original component.

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5

Hi Chris,

Thankyou for the reply

To me, it looks like any potential work-around requires too many steps as
we will be repeatedly bringing in objects from realworks on an ongoing
basis throughout the project

We have chosen to move the project datum to near 0,0 for the whole site and
our associated softwares to keep it consistent, then shift the deliverable
In another CAD package once it it ready to be delivered.

6

Depending on the size of the site it might be wiser to choose a point in the site to be your 0,0.

Any other import can be easily placed relative to that and you might avoid clipping issues when detailing the project.

Those issues, as well as speed issues, can also be solved with component referencing as noted above.

7

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