
Viso3D Help |
![]() Export the SketchUp model to .xcs using the Viso3D exporter |
![]() Navigate in 3D the .xcs file on an iPad. |
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Viso3D comprised of two programs. One is a SketchUp plug-in that exports a SketchUp model so it can be viewed and navigated in 3D on an iPad or iPhone/ iTouch with the free Viso3D app. The Viso3D SketchUp exporter plug-in will convert SketchUp geometry, textures and scenes to a .xcs file format. It will also optionally, create a lightmap which will "bake" the SketchUp shadows into textures capturing the SketchUp shadows, sunlight and create ambient light. The other program is the Viso3D iOS app that can view and allow the user to navigate in 3D the exported SketchUp model (.xcs file) on an iPad or another iOS device. The Viso3D SketchUp exporter plug-in is $29.95. It currently only works on SketchUp 8, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Windows and Mac are in full release. The Viso3D iOS app is free from the iTunes app store. |
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1. Installing Viso3D SketchUp exporter plug-inViso3D exporter plug-in requires SketchUp 8, SketchUp 2013, 2014 or SU 2015. Windows version requires Windows 7, 8 and 10. Mac version isrequires OS-X 10.8.x or above. Read about the Save as..bug in SU 2016 Windows Install are .rbz files The Windows install versions are all .rbz file. RBZ files are simple to install. First download the .rbz file to any folder on your Windows computer. Download it from the free-evaluation page. Use SketchUp 8, 2013, 2014, 2015 or 2016. Install Extensions, located in the SketchUp pull-down menu ---->Preferences/ Extensions dialog box. Use Install Extensions to install the Viso3D_Win_xxx.rbz file. Make sure you match the Viso3D version with your SketchUp version. After purchasing you will receive a 16 digit license code. If you need to reinstall Viso3D exporter plug-in for some reason, go to the Free Trial page and download the free evaluation version and activate the trial version with your license code.
Install Extensions and RBZ from within SketchUp. Install Extensions are located in the SketchUp Window/ Preferences dialog box. Open SketchUp, go to Windows--->Preferences-->Install Extensions. Then locate the Viso3D_Win_xxx.rbz file you download (if you downloaded the .zip file, unpack it). Select this and SketchUp will install it. When it is installed successfully, you will see a Viso3D icon tool bar. Viso3D is installed by SketchUp in these folders:
When it is installed successfully, you will see a Viso3D icon tool bar. Uninstall. Use the SketchUp Extensions to uninstall. Go to SketchUp's Windows-->Preferences-->Extensions and check off Viso3D. This will remove the start up ruby script file. However, it will not remove the Viso3D folders. If you want to remove the Viso3D folders, go to the plugins menu and remove. Mac Install The Viso3D Exporter install program for the Mac is an .rbz file. It is simple to install. First download the .rbz file that matches your SketchUp version to a folder on your Mac. Download it from the free-evaluation page. Use SketchUp 8, 2013, 2014, 2015, Install Extensions, located in the SketchUp Preferences/ Extensions dialog box. |
2. Activate the licenseAfter the Viso3D exporter SketchUp plug-in is installed, launch SketchUp and activate the license if you have purchased a license. Go to the SketchUp pull-down menu. Pick Viso3D Export and then license. Enter the sixteen digit alpha-numeric number that you received from your e-mail purchase receipt or from your reseller. If you are using the free evaluation version of the SketchUp exporter plug-in, you have 30 days from installation before the trial will expire.
3. Operating the Viso3D Exporter SketchUp plug-in: ExportingAfter the Viso3D exporter SketchUp plug-in is installed, launch SketchUp and an icon and a pull down menu will have been added to your SketchUp program.
The user interface is simple. You can invoke Viso3D exporter by selecting the Viso3D icon or selecting VisoExport from the Viso3D Export pull down menu. Once you invoke the Viso3D exporter, the program will convert the SketchUp model, it's faces, textures and scenes to a .xcs format. On the lower left corner of your SketchUp display you will see the progress that Viso3D is making in the export process. The export process will require you to wait until it is complete before you can do anything in SketchUp. In some cases, the exporter will fail if the SketchUp model is so large that the exporter runs out of system memory to process. The Viso3D exporting process will create an .xcs file and you will be asked where to save this file. This is the file that the iPad and iOS device can read. There are several easy ways to distribute the .xcs file to you or your clients so they can view the exported file on an iPad. Read about this in Distributing .xcs files to your customers section. Once the Viso3D export process is complete and .xcs file is saved and a LightMap user interface will appear for you to optionally add a lightmap which will capture the SketchUp shadow and sunlight position to the .xcs file. About SketchUp scenes. The Viso3D exporter plug-in will export the SketchUp scene names and the scene camera position. It will not export any hidden groups or components or layers or changes in the sun position. Make sure that you unhide any layers, groups/ components and faces that you want exposed in the .xcs file in SketchUp before exporting. The shadow position of the current scene when exported will not change in the exported .xcs . Shadows will only be on, if you use the Lightmap option. Two Notes Hidden objects are not exported. Objects such as groups, faces and textures that are hidden in the current view of SketchUp are not exported to .xcs file. This is done to keep the exported file size as small as possible. If you think the SketchUp model size is too large, you can hide as much of the model as you can and those objects will not be included in the exported .xcs file. Memory on the iPad. The .xcs file contains all the visible geometry of the SketchUp 3D model, textures and the camera position of each scene. If you add a LightMap to the exported .xcs file the exported file will increase in memory size. The most current iPad's system memory (RAM) does not exceed 1 gigabyte. In many cases, if the SketchUp model that you are exporting is very large, the exported file will fail to open in an iPad simple due to the limit of system memory. Keep this in mind as you export models for your clients to view on their iOS devices. There are some sample .xcs files to test on the Sample page. |
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When the Viso3D exporting process is complete, a lightmap user interface will appear in SketchUp.
The Lightmap program will add the current SketchUp Shadow position and current sun position to the exported .xcs file. The Lightmap program will "bake" the SketchUp shadow and SU Podium artificial lights position into the SketchUp textures, therefore simulating SketchUp shadows, sunlight and SU Podium's artificial lights, in the exported .xcs file. It will also add an ambient occlusion light. The shadow positions can not be changed by the Viso3D iOS app that will view the .xcs file. Your customer should be aware that while viewing and navigating the .xcs file on the iPad, he or she can not change the sun position in the sky even though SketchUp scenes are captured.
Note: Adding a Lightmap to the exported .xcs file will increase the .xcs file size quite a lot. If the system memory of the iPad is a concern, you might consider creating both a Lightmap .xcs file and an .xcs file with no light map.
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The final .xcs file is saved to the folder you chose. The .xcs file is the exported SketchUp model that can be opened in an iPad or iOS device for 3D navigation. You can distribute this file by e-mail, by dropbox or another file manager or by using iTunes or by e-mail or a program like Dropbox.
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The exported SketchUp model is now an .xcs file and can be opened on any iOS device, given that the device has enough memory to open and display the 3D model. There are easy ways to distribute the .xcs file from your Windows or Mac computer to an iOS device.
e-mail the .xcs file as an attachment to you or your client and have them open the e-mail on their iPad or iPhone/ iTouch. When the .xcs attachment is highlighted or selected, use the Open In menu to open in Viso3D.
There are several 3rd party web server based file management systems for the iPad such as Dropbox, Box and others. These are excellent ways to distribute your .xcs file your iPad or to your clients. For example, Dropbox will download the .xcs file. Dropbox itself can not open the .xcs file but you can use the Open In icon to open the .xcs file in Viso3D.
Even if you are a Windows user, if you have an iPad, your official connection from your PC to the iPad is iTunes. You can transfer .xcs files from your Windows (or Mac) computer to the iPad through iTunes.
Here’s how to do it:
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Downloading the Viso3D app for iPad and your iOS device
1. The Viso3D file manager
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2. Navigation tools and menu items ![]()
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