Hi Chris:
Use of "
Groups" is another factor that may greatly affect performance of a complex 3D model within Sketchup.
Based on your description above, you may have used many groups (rather than
Components).
First, be certain to always make at least 2 backup file copies of your project: 1 as a
SKP, 1 as a
KMZ.
Then
Intersect Faces with Model, and
Explode 'all' groups to reduce 3D model complexity.
Also, reducing both the complexity of "wire-frame" geometry and the number of coplanar Faces mapped with Materials can be achieved by use of the Sketchup default
Combine Textures feature.
NOTE: Click ["
Yes" button] when prompted "
Do you want to erase interior Edges ?) for adjacent sections of the opaque wall Faces,
but do not 'Combine' textures for Window Faces with Faces for opaque walls ...if 'transparent' window Materials are used.
1.) After creating the desired precisely drawn and textured sub-faces on top of a exterior wall or other model 'surface':
a.) Select each sub-face (except
for Window Faces if 'transparent' window Materials are used)
b.) Right-click > select "
Make Unique Texture"
...to then make all such selected sub-face textures "unique"
2.) After making all such selected sub-face textures "unique" on
ex: a flat exterior wall 'surface':
a.) {Ctrl+Left-click} to select all of the sub-faces
with unique textures on
ex: a (single) flat exterior wall 'surface' (except for Window Faces if 'transparent' window Materials are used)
b.) Right-click > select "
Combine Textures"
(1) When Sketchup prompts "
Do you want to erase interior Edges ?), click ["
Yes" button]
......to then make all such sub-face textures "Combine" into a 1-piece texture ...on a 1-piece wall 'surface'
CAVEAT: If Sketchup does
NOT submit the prompt "
Do you want to erase interior Edges ?", there may be a 3D modeling issue which prevents normal operation of that default "Combine" script, and which must be manually inspected / fixed in order to properly "Combine" the selected 'unique' sub-faces.
IMHO such 3D modeling issues which prevent normal operation of that default "Combine" script must be manually inspected / fixed
immediately and before proceeding further, or one may not be able to:
* reduce complexity of model Geometry and texturing with mapped materials
* properly fix other 3D modeling issues via thomthom's "Cleanup" add-on plugin Ruby script (before exporting a file to be imported into MCX)
Alternatively, you can Export a 2D graphic image of each side of the building to create a 1-piece texture image for re-mapping as a new Material onto a
ex: 1-Face side for each coplanar (aka "perfectly flat") wall of the building.
Hope this helps a bit more with exploring your options for this project.
PS: If you wish, you can send me a Private Message (aka "PM") here at FSDeveloper, and provide a link to a ZIP containing a KMZ export of this 3D model; after I inspect the model, I can then advise you better.
GaryGB
