The Land F/X SketchUp Connection: Advanced

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• Start in AutoCAD with Existing/Proposed Contours/Elevations
• Send Contours and Linework to SketchUp
• Build the Existing and Proposed Surfaces in SketchUp
• Stitch and Merge the Surfaces Together with Lines on Surface and Soap Bubble
• Import Other Linework, and Drape
• Stamp or Build Any Other Built Forms/Place Materials
• Import Plants
• Stage, Using Your Own Saved Component Directory

0:00 – 7:10: Intro/TOC

7:11 – 8:44: Start in AutoCAD with Existing/Proposed Contours/Elevations

Creating a User Coordinate System (UCS) in both the main drawing and the Xref to the same location (8:20)

8:45 – 18:29: Send Contours and Linework to SketchUp

Sending layers to SketchUp (example: buildings, walkways, and contours), making sure we have the correct project selected (8:45)

Tips for optimizing a design with contours created in AutoCAD Civil 3D in order to export successfully to SketchUp (10:45):

• Use the highest level possible for contour smoothing (but keep in mind that smoothing can cause contours to overlap, which can be a problem in SketchUp). Therefore, you’ll need to go through and make sure that contours are not overlapping.
• “Swap edges like mad” to mimic organic landforms as much as possible.
• Use grading groups and elevation from surface to merge into existing terrain (avoid assemblies, which add too much complexity).
• For retaining walls, use feature lines along the front, back and top. Avoid vertical faces if you’re going to move the design into SketchUp.

Note: Civil 3D puts the contours on different layers, and SketchUp retains those layers. (14:15)

Starting a new SketchUp model and saving it into an existing file/folder directory (14:53)

Verifying the Support ID and SketchUp library folder in the SketchUp settings, and verifying the Land F/X project (15:55)

Importing the layers into SketchUp (16:30)

Checking the elevations of the contours in the CAD Properties (Note: Each contour should be entirely at the same elevation). (17:20)

18:30 – 23:24: Build the Existing and Proposed Surfaces in SketchUp

Using the TopoShaper extension (available from Sketchucation) to build the contours in SketchUp (You can also use the From Contours tool.)(18:30)

Making changes to the surface grid to allow it to pick up more contour detail (20:26)

23:25 – 50:04: Stitch and Merge the Surfaces Together with Lines on Surface and Soap Bubble

Closing off all open faces (23:25)

Creating a grid with the Soap Bubble tool to stitch the proposed contours together and softening/smoothing the edges (24:30)

Adding color (26:20)

Stitching the contours into the existing site using Google Earth terrain (26:55)

Using Tools on Surface to stitch the site to Google Earth terrain (32:30)

The result of stitched-together site and terrain (35:08)

Copying the site and pasting it into the Google Earth terrain (36:34)

Splicing the site into the landscape (41:20)

Preparing the spliced site outline for Soap Skin Bubble (44:30)

Creating a connecting grid with Soap Skin Bubble (47:30)

Smoothing the edges and adding color (49:20)

50:05 – 53:29: Import Other Linework, and Drape

Exporting other linework from CAD into SketchUp (example: buildings, pavement, wall, pool) (50:15)

53:30 – 57:50: Stamp or Build Any Other Built Forms/Place Materials

Pushing the faces of the imported linework up above the terrain (53:30)

Intersecting the faces and adding color and materials fill graphics (54:00)

57:51 – 58:44: Import Plants

Exporting the planting design (57:51)

Importing the plants into SketchUp (58:20)

58:45 – end: Stage, Using Your Own Saved Component Directory

Adding and placing tree symbols from the components library (59:20)

Question: Bringing large files into SketchUp can make the lines act “fidgety.” How can I combat this? (1:00:30)

Answer: Try exploding blocks so you’re working with just lines and polylines. Then turn them back into polylines using the PEDIT command. Then try exporting them into SketchUp

Question: How to match the origin in CAD with the origin in SketchUp? (1:03:00)

Answer: Use theNew UCS tool to create a UCS at 0,0.