SketchUp explained

SketchUp
Logo Size:200px
Author:@Last Software, Google
Developer:Trimble Inc.[1]
Ver Layout:stacked
Latest Release Version:[2]
Operating System:Windows 11 and Windows 10
macOS 12+ (Monterey)
macOS 11+ (Big Sur) and macOS 10.15+ (Catalina) [3]
Language:English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
Genre:3D computer graphics
License:Subscription

SketchUp is 3D modeling software that is used to create and manipulate 3D models. It is used in architecture and interior design.

SketchUp is owned by Trimble Inc. The software has a free web-based version, and three paid subscriptions to gain access to applications for Windows and macOS.[4]

History

@Last Software

SketchUp was developed by startup company @Last Software of Boulder, Colorado, co-founded in 1999 by Brad Schell and Joe Esch.[5] [6] SketchUp was created in August 2000 as a 3D content creation tool and was envisioned as a software program for design professionals. The program won a Community Choice Award at its first tradeshow in 2000.[7] The first macOS release of SketchUp won a "Best of Show" at Macworld in 2002.[8]

Google

Google acquired @Last Software on March 14, 2006,[9] attracted by @Last Software's work developing a plugin for Google Earth.[10] [11] [12] On January 9, 2007, Google announced Google SketchUp 6, a free downloadable version of SketchUp, including integrated tools for uploading content to Google Earth and to the Google 3D Warehouse.[13]

Google SketchUp Pro 6 introduced a beta version of Google SketchUp LayOut which includes 2D vector tools and page layout tools allowing presentations to be produced without the need for a separate presentation program.[14]

On November 17, 2008, SketchUp 7 was released with integration of SketchUp's Component Browser with Google 3D Warehouse, LayOut 2, and dynamic components that respond to scaling.

On September 1, 2010, SketchUp 8 was released with model geolocation with Google Maps and Building Maker integration.[15] Mac OS X Tiger was no longer supported. SketchUp version 8 use under Wine has been rated "Gold".[16] Geolocation information is always stored in the .kmz file.[17] The building designs themselves are saved in SKP.

Trimble

Trimble Navigation (now Trimble Inc.) acquired SketchUp from Google on June 1, 2012, for an undisclosed sum.[18] In 2013, SketchUp 2013 was released. A new site was provided, Extension Warehouse, hosting plugins and extensions for SketchUp.[19]

Subscriptions

SketchUp comes in the following subscription options:[20] [21] [22]

Studio

Everything in the pro plus professional rendering via Chaos' V-Ray for SketchUp and point cloud import and management via Trimble's Scan Essentials.[23]

Pro

SketchUp Pro subscription includes the eponymous desktop 3D modeler, plus importers and exporters to common 2D and 3D formats, access to SketchUp's repository of pre-built 3D models (3D Warehouse), access to its extension library (Extension Warehouse), access to LayOut (2D documentation software) and Style Builder (create custom edge styles for SketchUp models).[24] SketchUp Pro 2016 has native integration with Trimble Connect, treat 3D Warehouse models as references, a rebuilt Generate Report and now LayOut offers web-friendly reference objects as well as a new LayOut API.[25]

SketchUp Pro licensing is dual-platform and works on Windows and Mac machines.

Go

Go, formerly known as Shop, is a SketchUp offering that includes the following: web and mobile modelers, SketchUp for Web and SketchUp for iPad; Trimble Connect Business, a cloud collaboration tool for viewing, sharing, and accessing project information from anywhere; and access to SketchUp's model library, 3D Warehouse.

SketchUp Go is aimed at design and construction professionals who are stakeholders in the design, review, and presentation process, as well as for DIY designers. It has a feature set designed to meet the specific needs of such users. For example, users can model and mark up 3D models digitally using Apple Pencil and touch. They can take the iPad to construction project sites and coordinate in 3D.[26] SketchUp Go does not include the desktop modeler, a downloadable application that can be used offline. Currently, only Pro and Studio plans feature this modeler.

Free

In November 2017, SketchUp Free was released as a web-based application which replaces SketchUp Make.[27] Drawings can be saved to the cloud, saved locally as a native SKP file, or exported as an STL file. Compared to Make, SketchUp Free does not support extensions, creation, and editing of materials. The product is not for commercial use.[28]

License

On June 4, 2020, Trimble announced that SketchUp would transition to a subscription business model. After November 4, 2020, SketchUp no longer sells perpetual licenses and maintenance & support plans.[29] [30]

3D Warehouse

3D Warehouse is an open library in which SketchUp users may upload and download 3D models to share.[31] The models can be downloaded right into the program without anything having to be saved onto your computer's storage. File sizes of the models can be up to 50 MB. Anyone can make, modify and re-upload content to and from the 3D warehouse free of charge.[32] All the models in 3D Warehouse are free, so anyone can download files for use in SketchUp or even other software such as AutoCAD, Revit and ArchiCAD - all of which have apps allowing the retrieval of models from 3D Warehouse. Since 2014 Trimble has launched a new version of 3D Warehouse where companies may have an official page with their own 3D catalog of products. Trimble is currently investing in creating 3D developer partners in order to have more professionally modeled products available in 3D Warehouse. According to the Trimble, 3D Warehouse is the most popular 3D content site on the web.

Patents

SketchUp holds U.S. Patent 6,628,279, granted in September 2003, expired in 2021, on its "Push/Pull" technology.[33]

Software extensions

SketchUp 4 and later support software extensions written in the Ruby programming language, which add specialized functionality. Many such extensions are available to others on the Trimble Extension Warehouse[34] and many other 3rd party websites as well. SketchUp has a Ruby console, an environment which allows experimentation with Ruby.[35]

SketchUp Free, the web-based version, does not support extensions, which severely limits the functionality of the tool.

File formats

SketchUp
Extension:.SKP
Developer:Trimble Inc.
Type:Binary

SketchUp supports its own file extension.[36]

It supports the following 3D modeling formats: .3DS, .DAE, .DEM, .DDF, .DXF, .DWG, .IFC (.IFCZIP), .KMZ, .STL, .PDF (Mac Only).

3D Exports

SKP, 3DS, DAE, DWG, DXF, FBX, IFC, OBJ, KMZ, STL, WRL, XSI

Image exports

JPG, PNG, TIF, PDF (Mac Only), EPS

Layout formats

LayOut Import: SKP, BMP, GIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, RTF, TXT, DWG, DXF, CSV, TSV, XLSX.

LayOut Export: PNG, JPG, PDF, DWG, DXF.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Trimble Navigation to Buy Google's SketchUp . . 26 April 2012 . 2 July 2015.
  2. Web site: Work smarter, not harder in 2022 with LayOut and SketchUp Pro. blog.sketchup.com. March 25, 2020.
  3. Web site: SketchUp Hardware and Software Requirements . Trimble . March 29, 2022.
  4. Web site: SketchUp Subscriptions Overview . March 29, 2022 . help.sketchup.com.
  5. Web site: Brad Schell Sells Software Company to Google | College of Engineering and Applied Science | University of Colorado Boulder . 2014-03-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307045443/http://www.colorado.edu/engineering/profile/brad-schell-sells-software-company-google . 2014-03-07 .
  6. nWeb site: @Last Gets 'Googled' . IT.TMCNet.com . March 15, 2006 . May 22, 2010.
  7. Web site: DigitalMediaNet Announces DigitalCAD Community Choice Award Winners. DigitalCAD.com. November 16, 2000. May 22, 2010.
  8. Web site: IDG's Macworld Announces Best of Show Awards. idg.com. July 18, 2002. October 26, 2020.
  9. Web site: A New Home for @Last Software . Jeff . Martin . GoogleBlog.BlogSpot.com . 2006-03-14 . 2015-07-27.
  10. Web site: Kawamoto. Dawn. Google acquires @Last Software. 2021-07-16. CNET. en.
  11. Web site: Google acquires SketchUp maker @Last Software. 2021-07-16. Macworld. en-US.
  12. Web site: SketchUp Is Google's First Divestment In Years, And It Made A Profit. 2021-07-16. TechCrunch. 27 April 2012 . en-US.
  13. Web site: James. Beautiful model created with sketchup 6!. 2021-07-16. 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com. en.
  14. Web site: Free Download: Google SketchUp 6 3D Model Design Tool with Free Upgrade for Pro. 12 January 2007.
  15. Web site: Google SketchUp 8 Released. 2021-07-16. www.architectmagazine.com.
  16. Web site: SketchUp 8.x. James. Zhao. AppDB.WineHQ.org. 2015-07-01.
  17. Web site: Can I Export My SketchUp Models to Other Programs or Formats? . SketchUp.Google.com . February 19, 2010 . May 22, 2010 . July 11, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110711111630/http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=36203 . dead .
  18. Web site: Trimble to Enhance its Office-to-Field Platform with the Acquisition of Google's SketchUp 3D Modeling Platform . . . Sunnyvale, California . 26 April 2012 . 19 November 2015.
  19. Web site: What's New In SketchUp Pro 2013? . SoftwareParadise.co.uk . 21 May 2013 . 14 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180514145330/http://www.softwareparadise.co.uk/blog/whats-new-in-sketchup-pro-2013/ . dead .
  20. Web site: 2019-02-07. SketchUp Free vs Pro: The Differences – Simply Explained. 2021-07-16. All3DP. en.
  21. Web site: Sky-Shop.pl. Viasoft pl-działa na oprogramowaniu sklepów internetowych. Sketchup Studio vs Sketchup Pro - Sklep Viasoft.pl. 2021-07-16. www.viasoft.pl. pl.
  22. Web site: Charles. 2020-09-10. SketchUp Free vs Pro - What's The Difference?. 2021-07-16. Scan2CAD. en-US.
  23. Web site: SketchUp Subscriptions Overview SketchUp Help . 2022-03-29 . help.sketchup.com.
  24. Web site: SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro . May 17, 2016 . September 21, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170921135927/https://help.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-make-and-sketchup-pro . dead .
  25. Web site: Introducing SketchUp Pro 2016 . Trimble . November 17, 2015.
  26. Web site: 3D Conceptual Design – Collaborative iPad Software - SketchUp Go Bundle .
  27. Web site: SketchUp for Web | SketchUp Help. help.sketchup.com. March 25, 2020.
  28. Web site: TRIMBLE SKETCHUP WEB TERMS OF SERVICE . app.sketchup.com.
  29. Web site: . Same SketchUp you love, new way to buy – Wordtext Systems, Inc. – Philippine IT distributor. Wordtext Systems, Inc.. 2020-06-29. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724012559/https://www.wordtext.com.ph/same-sketchup-you-love-new-way-to-buy/. 2021-07-24.
  30. Web site: 2020-06-10. It's Happened. SketchUp Goes Completely Subscription.. 2020-06-29. SolidSmack. en-US.
  31. Web site: The SketchUp 3D Warehouse Is No Longer Compliant with 2020 Design. 2021-07-16. Public Support Articles.
  32. Web site: 3D Warehouse. 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com. March 25, 2020.
  33. News: Vectorworks 2022—Powerful New Core Technology and Modern Chip Support . Architosh . 22 October 2021.
  34. Web site: Extension Warehouse.
  35. http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/developer/ SketchUp Ruby Documentation
  36. Web site: June 23, 2020 . What file types can I import/export with the SketchUp Pro subscription? .