Why isn’t the 3D Warehouse set up so that I can preview how my model image will actually look before I commit to the upload? Even though I try to position it on my screen the way I think it will look best, between the fade along the bottom and where it lies in relation to the text, I often find that it’s not to my liking (I want to present my models in their best possible light!). I’d like to be able to preview first before I upload–editing the file afterwards (often multiple times) is quite laborious.
(Moved to 3D Warehouse > Feature Requests category.)
Because perhaps, the 3DW engine is not clairvoyant and cannot “see” your model until AFTER it is uploaded ?
You need to save the current view (or scene) in SketchUp, then go to Window > Model Info > File and you’ll see a thumbnail. It will basically look like that but larger.
Or (once saved,) you can open the Windows Explorer to the location of your model SKP file, and change the list type to large or extra large icons, and you’ll get a better idea of what the 3DW image will look like.
I see what you’re saying about the engine needing to see the upload first,
I guess I was just wishing. Even previewing my thumbnails doesn’t always
give an accurate view of what the 3DW pic will show. Just one of those
minor inconveniences I’ll have to live with.
if you resize the viewport to a ratio of 1.77692308:1 >> zoom_extents >> zoom out and pan to allow for 1/3.82352941 bottom ‘text’ margin >> save…
your preview should then match the parameters used by 3dWarehouse…
john
I don’t know how to resize the viewport. I tried googling it, but couldn’t find anything that wasn’t in reference to Layout or didn’t involve a plugin.
He just means to resize the window containing the view of the model in SketchUp.
it’s possible to get close without a plugin, but much harder…
there’s an Windows extension in the warehouse that helps resizing your viewport…
john
re:" He just means to resize the window containing the view of the model in SketchUp""–that’s how I always start out when preparing my model for upload. I zoom and place the model within my monitor screen to what I think will work with the 3DW thumbnail and save the file in that view, but the end result isn’t always what I envision. What I see on my monitor screen always seems to be a little different from what shows on the warehouse. As I initially mentioned, there’s the overlying title text to avoid as well as that fade along the bottom.
all I did was extract the dimensions used by 3dWarehouse for the images and also the fade height…
if used to create the SU viewport, it may result in a match…
john