Plug in for SketchUp pro 8

[octavalent]

Hello, I know there was a recent post about the onging development of a SU8 plugin and that we can use SU7 instead. I work at Coventry University where we have just updated to SU8 pro with no option to run SU7 pro along side as the network licence is different for SU7 and SU8. Also the created image has been finalised and uploaded. We are planning to use IES in the new year with some services students and specifically with SU. Also our new architecture courses are looking to integrate IES into thier modelling and concepts, for all the obvious reasons. So my question is. Could you predict a rough date when this upgraded plugin will be available? We might have to look at some other workarounds if the plugin is going to be some time in its development.

Regards,
Paul Smith

[PCully]

Hi,

I still can't say much on this but we have got a team on it right now and we're fairly confident we'll have something out. I would say this should be released before the end of the year (but I have got release date expectations quite wrong in the past )

I guess the licensing problem affects skp PRO? How about installing skp 7 Free on the machines (I believe skp 7 and 8 can sit side by side), then use the save as skp 7 file when finished modelling and use skp 7 to export to <VE>? It's a bit laborious (especially when you consider the primary idea behind the IESVE plug-ins and VE-Toolkits is to allow rapid analysis to assess design options) but it would provide a valid workflow as far as I can see. Obviously an updated plug-in compatible with skp 8 is the ideal solution though!

Phil

[octavalent]

Thanks Phil,

Its what I was thinking of doing as a work around. Alternatively I might just create some models for the services students to work on and wait a bit for the revised plugin for the architects.

Thanks for your help.
Paul

[PCully]

It looks like this plug-in will be ready sooner than expected, I'll post an update here when I have some fixed dates as it's still in development and not been tested yet.

An alternative for the moment would be to do some familiarisation with ModelIT? This could teach some of the basics of a <VE> project and the way we handle geometry which I think can provide a useful introduction into why we do things a certain way in SketchUp before exporting with the IESVE plug-in.

Phil