Sketchup Model gets Stuck Launching VE

[Herrington_Daylight]

Hi everyone,

After running a successful room scan using the VE plugins, on a Sketchup model, in Sketchup version 8, and detecting all rooms correctly I use the plugins to launch and transfer the model into VE. The plugin runs "Convert model to XML" dialogue progress bar. Normally this runs and then VE pops up and launches, but instead it just seems to get stuck. The progress bar remains and nothing changes, VE doesn't launch.

This only happens sometimes, with certain Sketchup models so I'm not sure if its an issue with the Sketchup model itself, my PC, or something else. The Sketchup file is only 813KB in size so it doesn't seem like it is struggling to cope with a big file. I've tried leaving it for over half hour in case its just slow which doesn't work. I've also tried running this immediately after rebooting my machine to see if that would help, but it makes no difference. It seems to happen with certain Sketchup models, not with all; so I can't tell what might be wrong. [img][/Sketchup_VE_import_error]

Thanks,

Naomi.

[RossThompson87]

Hi,

This does seem to happen from time to time. I tend to export the models in parts e.g. make a new temporary Sketchup file and copy in say just the ground floor and export this.

You can combine the parts again in IES after.

You will probably find a tiny mistake in one area. Maybe a window touching the edge of room etc.

By doing it bit at a time you will eventually spot the problem.

Ross

[Herrington_Daylight]

Hi Ross Thompson/ VE Professor,

Thanks very much for the suggestion. It's certainly one idea I've considered, and I have already attempted somewhat; saving as different versions of the file, and even copy and pasting out into new Sketchup files, before transferring. It doesn't seem to have helped so I also wondered if you had any other tips or tricks which might be a bit more streamlined?

Thanks,

Naomi.

[RossThompson87]

Hi,

One thing to check is that your surfaces in sketchup model are all correctly orientated.

With the default material, you get two shades of grey. The darker one needs to be used for the inside face of a room.

Are you drawing a rectangular building? Have you used a grid?

Ross

[Herrington_Daylight]

That's very interesting!

I've noticed the different default grey faces do slightly different things when generally modelling in Sketchup, such as when extruding for example...

Though I've never noticed any subsequent effects in VE before!?

Thanks,

Naomi.

[PCully]

on the shades of grey, I remember when I first started using SketchUp (a few years ago now...) sometimes using the Push/Pull tool wouldn't work properly. I'd select the surface and control click to pull it through and create a new room but instead it would "invert" the room. So it would end up inside out and I noted the plug-in would then struggle with it.

I don't know if this was a glitch in SketchUp or if it is a valid modelling but usually if I spotted it I'd have to just redo that part. The description of the shades of grey reminded me of that so could be your getting something similar.

Phil

[Herrington_Daylight]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your reply.

I know what you mean about the push/pull tool inverting or extruding surfaces or geometry in Sketchup differently, depending on the particular default grey surface manipulated. While this always seemed like a quirk in Sketchup, it doesn't normally seem to have any repercussions when importing in to VE later because I know that I've built models by extruding with both default grey faces in Sketchup before and it doesn't always end up crashing when launching into VE. That said I will still keep this tip in mind for my next model.

From what I can tell so far, it does seem to be either some sort of obscure geometry issue in the model - or a glitch with my PC. The last time I had trouble with this, my colleague attempted to transfer the model into VE from their PC instead; and it worked perfectly. I've tried rebooting my PC to see if this would help but it didn't!? ....

Thanks,

Naomi.