Today I want to share with you our SketchUp workflow called VBO Workflow.
Our workflow uses a tag system for Building Elements and follow IFC System (ready for IFC export)
This is created by users in VBO Community, developed by users and free for all. With VBO, our community completed thousand projects from simple to complex, from interior to architecture. I have an example about this workflow here (I’m the architect in this interview): For Le’s Cham Hotel, this 3D modeling software connected the BIM process (sketchup.com)
Another project (red building) that I completed from concept to a set of CDs in recent year, all in SketchUp.
The author of VBO Dimensions and VBO Grids (Mr. Le Viet Truong) said this “copy-paste” process is only way to send the code from Ruby to connect SketchUp and LayOut, because Trimble don’t allow user using LayOut API officially in LayOut.
My extension is trying other attempt, I try to make major things (dimension and annotation) directly in SketchUp.
Dimensioning and annotating directly in Sketchup won’t allow you to export text and tags into Layout as real text and tags that can be exported to DWG. It also won’t let you export that into a different layer, unless you find a way to stack all that info into a different viewport stack and a different layer.
I think the manual work required by VBO, might still be a good thing, if it’s the only method to do that sort of stuff.
That’s great looking, but unpractical for people that need to edit our files. There are a lot of people that need to do that, most of them working with us.
Have, you used Sketchup DWG/DXF Exporter?
All objects are organized by colors, but they all seem to be in the same Layer (Layer 0).
I also need to export files for DWF format, and they should have layer separation for each type of building element.
Yes, I use native Sketchup DWG/DXF Exporter, I use Color by Tag mode, then I change the style of edge to Color by Material before exporting, so it has color on edges of objects has assigned tag. To separate objects have different colors to layers in AutoCAD, you’ll need a lisp.
I actually have access to Curic Section Pro and Skalp. I never tried Curic CAD export, but skalp allows layer separation, so I guess that wouldn’t be an issue for me.
I prefer exporting from Layout though, as it has everything I need in terms of “paperspace”, with dimensions and tags, and because most of the time I only have to produce PDF files. So, I keep my Project presentations in Layout and so it’s easier for me to export DWG from Layout too.
Your plugin looks very useful, however isn’t this a bit of wasted space? I usually like to keep the UI as uncluttered as possible:
Curic Section also export DXF with separate layers, hatches, polylines… but just for elements belong to section. Everything else is normal the same with native export.
No, this is my style, SketchUp with me must be fun. Working with SketchUp must be entertainment, playful, like playing a game. I’m don’t want to work with a software that people looking and said: "Oh, that’s a “pro-technical-software” with very small spaces, small text, small button. It’s boring.
I think there is a difference point view here.
With VBO Workflow, we are focus to a thing call “center model”. Every data must be export from this model, every change needs to make edit on this model, nothing elsewhere.
The presentation 3D rendering or 2D Drawings just a way to present the information from the Center Model. So, let people can edit the “2D Drawings” is make no sense with us. It creates information asynchrony. We’re actually using SketchUp like a BIM tool.
Though in our nation (Vietnam) I think it’s the same with yours about this (require CAD files to edit or something …) but time to make changes, I think.
I’m happy to announce that the extension “5D+ Auto VBO” will be released on 31/12/2023
You can visit https://5dplus.info for more information. Because it has not been released yet so buttons on the website won’t work.
This is one of extensions (5D+ Auto Info and 5D+ Auto Tag are available free in Extension Warehouse) that I have made after finishing SketchUp Ruby course from SPDS by Mr. Le Viet Truong a.k.a KCDA and Mr. Vo Quoc Hai a.k.a @curic4su
