SketchUp - Sketchup Tutorial

SketchUp (formerly Google Sketchup) is a 3D modeling computer program for a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film, and video game designâ€"and available in a freeware version, SketchUp Make, and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro.

SketchUp is currently owned by Trimble Navigation, a mapping, surveying, and navigation equipment company. The program's authors describe it as easy to use. There is an online open source library of free model assemblies (e.g. windows, doors, automobiles), 3D Warehouse, to which users may contribute models. The program includes drawing layout functionality, allows surface rendering in variable "styles", supports third-party "plug-in" programs hosted on a site called Extension Warehouse to provide other capabilities (e.g. near photo-realistic rendering), and enables placement of its models within Google Earth.

History

@Last Software

SketchUp was developed by startup company @Last Software of Boulder, Colorado, co-founded in 1999 by Brad Schell and Joe Esch.

SketchUp debuted in August 2000 as a general-purpose 3D content creation tool, and was envisioned as a software program "that would allow design professionals to draw the way they want by emulating the feel and freedom of working with pen and paper in a simple and elegant interface, that would be fun to use and easy to learn, and that would be used by designers to play with their designs in a way that is not possible with traditional design software. It also has user friendly buttons to make it easier to use."

The program won a Community Choice Award at its first tradeshow in 2000.

Google

Google acquired @Last Software on March 14, 2006 for an undisclosed sum, attracted by @Last Software's work developing a plugin for Google Earth.

On January 9, 2007, Google announced Google SketchUp 6, a free downloadable version of SketchUp, without some functionality of SketchUp Pro, but including integrated tools for uploading content to Google Earth and to the Google 3D Warehouse. A toolbox enables a viewer to "walk around" and see things from different viewpoints, and supports labels for models, a look-around tool, and an "any polygon" shape tool. Google SketchUp Pro 6 introduced a beta version of Google SketchUp LayOut. LayOut includes 2D vector tools and page layout tools allowing presentations to be produced without the need for a separate presentation program.

On November 17, 2008, SketchUp 7 was released, with changes intended to make it easier to use, integration of SketchUp's Component Browser with Google 3D Warehouse, LayOut 2, and dynamic components that respond to scaling. Windows 2000 was no longer supported.

On September 1, 2010, SketchUp 8 was released, with model geolocation with Google Maps and Building Maker integration. Mac OS X Tiger was no longer supported.

Neither the free version nor the professional version was available in a native format for Linux, or Mac OS earlier than 10.5. SketchUp version 8 use under Wine has been rated "Gold".

Geolocation information is always stored in the KMZ file. The building designs themselves are saved in SKP.

Trimble

Trimble Navigation acquired SketchUp from Google on June 1, 2012 for an undisclosed sum.

In 2013 SketchUp 2013 was released. A new site was provided, Extension Warehouse, hosting plugins and extensions for Sketchup.

Sketchup 2014 was released on February 26, 2014.

Sketchup 2015 was released on November 4, 2014.

Sketchup 2016 was released on November 17, 2015.

Sketchup 2017 was released on November 7, 2016.

3D Warehouse

SketchUp 3D Warehouse is an open source library in which SketchUp users may upload and download 3D models to share. The models can be downloaded right into the program without anything having to be saved onto your computers storage. File sizes of the models can be up to 50 MB. Anyone can make, modify, and re-upload content to and from the 3D warehouse free of charge. All the models in 3D Warehouse are free, so anyone can download files for use in Sketchup or even other software such as Autocad, Revit and Archicad - all of which have apps allowing the retrieval of models from 3D Warehouse. Since 2014 Trimble has launched a new version of 3D Warehouse where companies may have an official page with their own 3D catalog of products. Trimble is currently investing in creating 3D developer partners in order to have more professionally modeled products available in 3D Warehouse. According to the Trimble, 3D Warehouse is the most popular 3D content site on the web. Sketchup designers may visit 3D Warehouse to discover new products or for inspiration when designing their own.

Statistics relating to 3D Warehouse:

• There are more than 2.2 million 3D models for download
• In 2015, the website had 1.7 billion page views
• The global average duration of site visits is 11min and 38 sec
• The site has 7.7 million monthly visits
• The site has 23 million monthly searches

(this information was collected from the Trimble 3D Warehouse media kit for manufacture in 2015)

Licensing

All versions of SketchUp are proprietary. SketchUp Make (formerly SketchUp for Home and Personal Use), for non-commercial use, is free of charge.

SketchUp Pro provides additional features for professional use and costs $695 for a single user license. Users purchase the program for $695, and thereafter optionally pay a $120 annual license-maintenance fee for continuing support and upgrades. There is special pricing for students and educational users.

SketchUp Pro licensing is cross-platform and works on both Windows and Mac machines.

Patents

SketchUp holds U.S. Patent 6,628,279, granted in September 2003, on its "Push/Pull" technology.

Editions

Make

Sketchup Make, introduced in May 2013, is a free-of-charge version for home, personal, and educational use. It begins with a 30-day trial of SketchUp Pro. After that time, users can agree to the Terms of Service and continue to use SketchUp Make for free.

Pro

SketchUp Pro includes all the functionality of SketchUp Make plus importers and exporters to common 2D and 3D formats, access to LayOut (2D documentation software), and Style Builder (create custom edge styles for SketchUp models). SketchUp Pro 2016 has native integration with Trimble Connect, treat 3D Warehouse models as references, a totally rebuilt Generate Report, and now LayOut offers web-friendly reference objects as well as a new LayOut API.

Software extensions

SketchUp 4 and later support software extensions written in the Ruby programming language, which add specialized functionality. Many such extensions are available to others on the Trimble Extension Warehouse. SketchUp has a Ruby console, an environment which allows experimentation with Ruby.

Model Viewers

SketchUp Mobile Viewer

SketchUp Mobile Viewer is an app released by Trimble. It's available on iOS and Android.

Cubits

Cubits for iPad and iOS is a 3D interactive model viewer/renderer. It can view .kmz files from SketchUp either as attachments through e-mail or via Dropbox.

IrisVR Prospect

IrisVR Prospect software allows users to view SketchUp files in virtual reality with the use of head mounted displays such as the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.

Kubity

Kubity is an online rendering platform for desktop web browsers and mobile devices (iOS and Android).

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