Using the Extension
Using SketchUp content in AGi32 can be extremely rewarding and is very natural for objects such as furniture, appliances, cars and machines. Even complete structures can be reasonably efficient if not too complicated (see: Performance).
- Open the SketchUp model you are interested in exporting. Select the portions of the model you want to export in SketchUp. They can be Components or just parts. If you select nothing, the entire model will be exported.
- Go to the Extensions menu and select “Export to AGi32”. The extension will create a LaiDex file (LAI Data Exchange) which can be read by AGi32. Name and save it as you like.
- Open AGi32. You can bring the exported SketchUp content into an existing or new file. Here are the methods you can use to import the new content:
- Drag and drop the exported LaiDex file into the AGi32 Model area by positioning a Windows Explorer window over the AGi32 model area. The LLHC of the object will be attached to the cursor. Click to drop. You can drop multiple instances.
- Go to the Import command in AGi32 and select LaiDex file from the menu. The LLHC of the object will be attached to the cursor. Click to drop. You can drop multiple instances.
- Double-click on the LaiDex file. This will open a new instance of AGi32 with the object dropped at the origin.
Once imported the SketchUp models are AGi32 objects and can be operated on by all the usual tools.
Extension Performance
The Export to AGi32 extension creates an intermediate file format called LaiDex (LAI data exchange). This file can be imported to AGi32 using the import command or by drag-n-drop from Windows Explorer. The current release of the extension supports SketchUp material color, but does not import textures.
Exporting SketchUp content to be used in AGi32 is very easy and generally speaking, should perform reasonably well in your AGi32 models. Many native SketchUp models are "low-poly" consisting primarily of faces which are efficient in AGi32. However, keep in mind, some SketchUp models can still be very detailed and a sanity check should be performed on your end before you try and import very complicated models. The fewer faces the better. 3D Warehouse models all have face count listed.
All of the same issues as importing 3D-DWG can still exist, especially if the model was originally created in another program and exported to SKP format. This can be seen in the 3D Warehouse on occasion. With those cautions in mind, move forward!