I am looking for a way to achieve the following:
Allow a customer read-only-access to a model (measure, zoom, click, etc)
I don’t want him to be able to download the file for intellectual property reasons… (you know…)
So I thought - Trimble Connect might be the way to go. Uploading the model was a breeze. But I really don’t get this interface. Everytime I click on a model it “tries to read the 3d Model” and then fails. I even tested a sketchup file with just one solid block in it - still no luck. I am sure I am missing something - but what?!
They are working on an update, downsave the model first to 2020, then upload and view and share
Hi Mike! Thanks for the reply! Ah - I didn’t not think to test that. I see. 2020 files do work. (oh boy - maybe somebody at Trimble should inform somebody at Trimble that a new version has been released…) 
Ok - so that works fine. The only thing I cannot figure out now is if I can actually create a user-role that disallows downloading etc.
I am admin but the only roles I can choose from for new users are “admin” and “user” - both can download the models. I have not found a way to add and configure a “read-only” type user…
Is this even possible? If not it’s not much better then sending the model to the clients directly…
There are several options, depending on the the role of the stakeholder.
In general, you can create groups of users and set the priveleges of the group in the settings of the folders. (Eg. Some groups can see certain folders, you set the visibility/access to ‘none’ and create exceptions for a specific group of users (invited people must be a user, admins have access to everything)
You can then share a specific file from a ‘hidden’ folder by selecting it and choose the share button, set it to view or view and download and choose the member ( or group). They would receive an email with the link.
You can also create a release and give access to releases only to a specific group of users ( so the contracter would only use the approved design files instead of a version that he got while searching through his emails and ending up with using an outdated version…)
Furthermore they (stakeholders of project) do not necessarily have to be a member of the Project’s team, you can share file(s) by filling in your own email address and it would generate a link for you to copy and send through What’sApp or email.
the 3D-viewer uses it’s own file format. With version 2021 (that was released 3 months earlier in the season than the last two) a lot has changed ‘under the hood’ for the .skp fileformat, it is not simply changing the number in the header of the file, I guess.
We will give them a few more weeks 
Let’s hope they also take the time to rearrange the mapping of SketchUp Objects in the viewer regarding attributes or applied schema types…
I love the new Sketchup 2021 files. I didn’t download Sketchup 2021 for at least a month because the feature list looked not THAT worth the trouble and only installed it around Christmas. 200 MB files suddenly shrinking to 90 MB - whoa! That really changes a lot and it is a lot snappier when saving etc.
Of course one COULD go for a one-line-of-code type hint in Trimble Connect. Like instead of “Model failed” → “2021 SKP-Files not supported yet”. Would save some time for the fine folks at the forum that take the time to answer…
Ok - and regarding the read-only-view mode - yes that works. Nice. Might be the solution to our problem for a lot of customers.
@Mike: Thanks for taking the time!
1 Like
