• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

FSC via 3ds to SU

Hi Roby:

Sketchucation.com > Forums > Resources > Plugins has a few totally freeware OBJ importers available via direct download link:

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=323&sid=20884cc1084ca4107f1c676aee577180

...after free registration to the site (AFAIK after several years of use it's comparable to a "FSDeveloper.com" for Sketchup users, and like this forum (thus far) with no redistribution of registrant info and no spam.


Most Sketchup Ruby plugin scripts have been updated to work on 32-bit and 64-bit versions from 8 through 2016, and can be browsed / downloaded via the Sketchup "Store" (mostly all free, with links for those who opt to donate, and the occasional free trial offer for payware extensions as well.)

http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore


There are also Sketchup Ruby plugin scripts on the "Extension Warehouse", accessible via a Trimble or Google ID login (also free)

http://extensions.sketchup.com/en


Regarding the workflow under discussion above:

IIUC you are working with a COPY of the original *.FSC in a 'work' folder location, using Arno's MCX to:

1.) Convert textures via Material Editor to Sketchup-compatible images, and "Powers-of-2" format, over-writing originals

2.) Save the converted textures into the SAME folder path as the original *.FSC and its mapped textures are located

3.) Exit the Material editor, then:

4.) Export the 3D model as a *.3DS or *OBJ into the SAME folder path as the original *.FSC and its mapped textures are located

NOTE: The latter step is crucial, as it updates 3D model texture material mapping info by texture name / type, and folder location.

GaryGB said:
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/having-problems-with-only-one-model.437162/#post-742337

FYI: Sketchup version-8 (32-bit) is the last version allowed to be used for both freeware and commercial purposes without a license.

The original version-8 package is the 'fastest' working build compared to newer "Make" or 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 and/or 64-bit versions, and can be downloaded here:

http://www.oldversion.com/windows/google-sketchup-8-0-16846


BTW: AFAIK, that is the last issued and most current updated Sketchup version 8 released:

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=49608


NOTE: Sketchup version-8 can run on Windows-XP if desired, although some (optional) plugin Ruby scripts may use DLLs that require more recent Windows component functions, and some dialog GUIs may require newer versions of Internet Explorer.


PS: When Google transferred Sketchup to Trimble, some server addresses changed for the Geolocation feature, and a simple fix must be implemented by the end user in order for that to function properly: :alert:

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000180


Hope this helps in case anyone here wishes to use Sketchup version-8 under its intended EULA, and also wishes to do so on Windows-XP. ;)

GaryGB
Click to expand...


PS: Another important tip:

If working with a (>50 MB) highly complex model with many and/or large mapped texture materials in Sketchup, the default feature to update a thumbnail image within the SKP / SKB backup, and attempts to create timed 'autosave' duplicates of those files can go into an endless loop ...and eventually require a 'crash' out of Sketchup.

However, although inconvenient, one can recover by loading the most recent 'autosave' duplicate of the SKP file, which may result in little more than a minimal loss of recent changes previously committed to the SKP project file.

This inconvenience can be avoided, and a faster 'Save' / 'Save copy as' achieved, by manually changing a setting in each large project:

Sketchup menu > Window > Model Info > [Left Pane] > File > [Right Pane] General > Un-check "Redefine thumbnail on save".


BTW: After all faces have been textured withn the desired materials, the texture mappings can be made "Unique", and the models residual unused portions of images and larger texture source files can be removed from the SKP project file via:

Sketchup menu > Window > Model Info > Statistics > Entire Model > check "Show nested components" > click {Purge unused} button


robystar said:
PS: I do not think that Arno's future dae/collada converter option will change the necessity of changing the dds to some other SU readable format either.
Click to expand...

IIRC, one can already use the MCX "Batch Convert" feature with a single 3D model source file to perform a number of conversion functions (including those required for textures) ...on ones source file, during export. ;)

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=ModelConverterX#Batch_convert


Hope all this additional info helps ! :)

GaryGB
 
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No dice!
It is not easy to convert dds into 24 bit format bmp's or png's. But once finally done, they do not coincide with the original mapping. Probably I do not only have to turn them upside down but also mirror them, I guess.
But so much for the day, I am going to watch football (soccer). And tomorrow I will be watching football again, Belgium vs Ireland (the former being a very nice 'city' according to one of your presidential candidates:)).
I need some distraction from FS once in a while and even though politics are sometimes pretty funny as well, I prefer football that gives you less to worry about. I do know about the plugin store but have found only one or two that interest me and some that I had before do not work anymore now that I have Sketchup8.
 
Hi Roby:

I'm not quite comprehending what challenges you are encountering with 3D-mapped texture conversion via MCX. :scratchch


AFAIK, Arno's MCX Material Editor functions perform all that is required for texture file format inter-conversion, and preserves UVW texture material mapping information when the file pixel dimensions / aspect ratio is changed (by MCX itself) to a "Powers-of-2" format ...in addition to automatically performing any required vertical 'flipping' and creation of MIPMAPs.


IIUC, the only thing which might result in a loss of UVW texture material mapping information is when the file pixel dimensions / aspect ratio is changed by a graphics application other than MCX itself (which does so internally ...via FS SDK ImageTool).

Are you pre- (or worse yet) post- processing the mapped texture files using a 3rd party graphics application ? :redflag:

If so, do NOT change the texture image file pixel dimensions / aspect ratio (ex: total number of "Rows and Columns") of pixels within any image file mapped onto a 3D model. :alert:

This caveat to NOT change the texture image file pixel dimensions / aspect ratio (ex: total number of "Rows and Columns") of pixels within any image file mapped onto a 3D model also applies to use of a 3rd party graphics application via the Sketchup Texture > Edit Texture Image feature.

After using the Sketchup Texture > Edit Texture Image feature, one must always save back to the same image file name and extension, with NO change of texture image file pixel dimensions / aspect ratio. :pushpin:


However, one can for example, add LZW compression to TIF, add Transparency and other graphical attributes to TIF / BMP / TGA / PNG, and if the image editor has this feature, one can set JPEGs to a non-lossy compression file format (aka '100 %' or 'non-compressed') to prevent further image degradation with each file save.


One can also write out a copy of the texture image file for post-processing and (re-)mapping onto the 3D model via special options in MCX for use as Light (aka 'Night') / Bump / Specular etc. types of "maps" ...which is an entirely separate subject unto itself. ;)


BTW: To configure a dedicated graphics application for use via the Sketchup Texture > Edit Texture Image feature:

Sketchup menu > Window > System Preferences > Preferences > Applications > "Default Image Editor".


Hope this helps you sort out your project ...after some spectator sports. :)

GaryGB


PS: What (named) plugins are no longer working within Sketchup version 8 ?

AFAIK, nearly all in ex: the Sketchucation "store" are free and compatible with Sketchup V8 through 2016. :idea:
 
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