SketchUp: Import Layer From CAD Tool
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SketchUp: Import Layer From CAD Tool

With the Import Layer from CAD tool, you can bring individual layers from a CAD drawing into a SketchUp model.

 

Exporting a Layer from a CAD Drawing

Before importing a layer from a CAD drawing into a SketchUp model, you'll need to export the layer from CAD to SketchUp.

 

 

Open the CAD drawing whose layers you want to export into SketchUp.

 

 

Example CAD drawing to export layers to SketchUp

 

We'll export layers from the CAD drawing pictured above into SketchUp. Once we've exported the layers, we can then import them into our SketchUp model.

 

 

Open our 3D Connection tool:

 

 

F/X Planting ribbon, 3D Connection flyout

F/X Planting ribbon, 3D Connection flyout

 

 

 

 

Plant Render toolbar

Plant Render toolbar

 

 

 

Planting rtolbar

Planting toolbar

F/X Planting menu

F/X Planting menu, SketchUp Connection option

 

 

 

or type SketchUpExport in the Command line

 

 

 

The 3D Connection dialog box will open.

 

 

Click Send Layer to export your plan into SketchUp.

3D COnnection dialog box, Send Layer button
Some exported objects are an extremely far distance from the origin message

Some exported objects are an extremely far distance from the origin. This can be an issue in some 3D programs. Use the New UCS tool to resolve this.

Would you like to see more information?

 

Did you see this error message at this point? If so, here's what to do.

 

 

 

A pickbox will appear in place of the cursor. Click an object in your CAD drawing that is on the layer you would like to export to SketchUp. In our example, we'll be exporting the layer LP-SHAR-BRDR to SketchUp.

 

 

 

You'll see a message that the layer has been exported. Click OK.

The layer has been exported message

 

 

 

Your layer has been exported into SketchUp, and you're now ready to import it into your SketchUp model.

 

You can continue to select additional layers to export from CAD. Simply press the SPACE bar to reopen the SketchUp Connection dialog box, click the Send Layer button, and select an additional layer.

Note that when you import a layer into SketchUp, the Land F/X SketchUp Connection will first delete all objects from that layer. This way, you won't have to search through your layers to see which ones you've already imported.

Importing Layers Into a SketchUp Model

Open a new or existing SketchUp model. Then open the Land F/X Projects tool:

 

 

LandFX toolbar in SketchUp, Projects button

 

LandFX toolbar, Projects button

Land-FX menu, Projects option

Land-FX menu, Projects option

 

 

 

The Land F/X Projects dialog box will open.

 

Land F/X Projects dialog box

Here, you'll see a list of all Land F/X projects you've created in SketchUp, or imported from CAD into SketchUp.

 

 

This list should also include the name of the project you've just exported from CAD. Click the name of the project.

Make sure you are selecting the correct project number. In our example, the dialog box contains two projects named Tutorial 1 Metric. The project we imported from CAD is the one with the number 9010-M.

 

 

Your project will open in SketchUp, and the Land F/X Projects dialog box will close. Open the Import Layer from CAD tool:

 

 

LandFX toolbar in SketchUp, Import Layer button

 

LandFX toolbar, Import Layer button

Land-FX menu in SketchUp, Import Layer option

 

Land-FX menu, Import Layer option

 

 

 

The Land F/X Import Layer dialog box will open.

 

 

Here, you'll see a list of all layers you've exported from your CAD design into SketchUp.

Land F/X Import Layer dialog box

 

 

 

Click a layer to select it and import it into your SketchUp model. The dialog box will close, and your layer will be imported into your SketchUp model.

Be patient as the layer is imported; some layers take longer than others to import.

 

 

To import additional layers, select the Import Layer tool again, then click the layer in the Land F/X Import Layer dialog box to import it.

 

 

Your layers have now been imported into your SketchUp design.

Related Videos

Troubleshooting

Issue: You imported your plants (or other blocks) into SketchUp from CAD, but they appear extremely small or far away

 

Issue: Objects are appearing in the incorrect locations or backward in your SketchUp model

 

Issue: The Land F/X SketchUp plugin freezes or becomes unresponsive

 

Issue: Clicking one of the Land F/X tool buttons in SketchUp does nothing

 

SketchUp: Basic troubleshooting (adding, placing, importing plants)

 

Issue: 3D Connection warning: Some exported objects are an extremely far distance from the origin (using the Send Layer feature in the 3D Connection)

Last modified on Tuesday, 23 May 2023 11:15
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