Importing From Sketchup

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Revision as of 17:40, 16 November 2014 by Quick61 (talk | contribs) (Created page with "== Best Method == From experience, currently the best method to import a file from Sketchup is to use the DAE (*.dae) format. FreeCAD does not natively support the DAE format...")
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Best Method

From experience, currently the best method to import a file from Sketchup is to use the DAE (*.dae) format. FreeCAD does not natively support the DAE format, To have this functionality in FreeCAD, the user needs to install a Python module for importing and exporting in the DAE format. It's a relatively easy task to perform and instructions can be found on the Extra python modules page. The direct link to the instructions is - Extra python modules: pyCollada.

Importing DAE files

Providing the pyCollada module has been installed, you can open or import DAE files just like any other. Select the File menu and then pick either Open or Import. Select your DAE file and click Open. You can filter the file type by selecting the Files of type pull down in the Open or Import dialog and select Collada (*.dae) from the list.

Alternatives

Using a Sketchup STL export plugin, you may also chose to use that format that FreeCAD supports natively. There are a number of these plugins available for Sketchup and some work better than others. Some research my be requires of the user to determine which one will best serve their needs.

Notes

Both DAE and STL are mesh formats. To use these files within FreeCAD, which works primarily with solids, additional work to the objects imported using these formats will in most cases be required.