IES-VE User Forum

Hi,

I'm new to Sketchup (I have the free version 7.1) and am finding it rather annoying.
The problem is that it doesn't understand IES VE-Pro room info. Here's what I did.

1. I have a building I made in VE-PRO ModelIT
2. I exported the building into a .dxf file and closed IES.
3. I opened Sketchup and imported the .dxf file.
4. The building loks ok but has no room info.
5. I tried to run IESToolkit but it tells me that the Room info is missing and I must explode the component.
6. I have absolutely no idea how to explode rooms nor can I find any reference explaining how to do it.

I tried another tack
a. I made a room in Sketchup
b. I ran IESToolkit but when IES VE-PRO fired up I exited the toolkit and Sketchup and then I
c. exported the room to a .dxf file and quit VE-PRO
d. I fired up Sketchup aagain and imported the .dxf file
e. The room info is gone again and IESToolkit won't start because the Room info is missing and I must explode the component

Any idea why I need to always tell Sketchup about the rooms in my IES model? Shouldn't it figure them out without my exploding anything? How would I explode the componenet into rooms in Sketchup (7.1, not Pro).

All help appreciated.

thanks

Norm

Hey Norm

I've never went that way - I always go from SU->VE and I think that's the main focus of the IES team (although I'm not asnswering for them as they never put in my suggestions... gits).

Sounds a bit like it's a question for maybe SketchUp rather than the VE plug-in (maybe I'm reading your question wrongly though).

Zap

Yeah, but import of .dxf files from IES to Sketchup is a bit silly ... maybe that's why the CAD import is omitted from the latest Sketchup version (7.1). I expect they all have this problem ... the sketchup help/forums etc are useless here also.

Ah well, RevIT is too expensive and Sketchup is enable to draw rooms with proper windows, doors and fabric (unless you're prepared to spend a lot of time learning the tool. So seems like VE-PRO is the only answer ... except of course then how do you access the VEToolkits? that's a right annoying problem!

ta
Norm

Hi Norm,

I see the workflow your trying to follow here but the plug-ins just aren't designed that way I'm afraid. The whole focus is to bring your SketchUp or Revit model through to VE-Pro fro further analysis. Not the opposite direction.

The VE-Ware and VE-Toolkits stages are to help shape the building design while modelling in SketchUp or Revit, that's why you can't access them again after you have brought the model through to <VE>. It's expected at this stage you'll be doing the more advanced analyses with custom inputs.

I think I can help you a little though if you are finding it difficult to pick up the use of SketchUp (you should find it doesn't take long before your producing models though if you spend a little time practising - it's quite fun). When you've brought you DXF through to SketchUp, you will find that the rooms are one Group/Component (when you select any part of the rooms the entire body is selected). Just click on the rooms, right click the choose Explode. You'll get more info on this in the SketchUp documentation.

After it is exploded so you can select lines and surfaces you can run the identify rooms tool.

Note: you will lost any custom room data you had assigned in VE-Pro and will have to reassign Constructions, Thermal properties etc (as I said the plug-in isn't designed to work that way).

You might get some more useful info from our Youtube channel - there's a few videos on the SketchUp plug-in here http://www.youtube.com/user/IESVE
Also for example models check the IESVE page on the Google Warehouse.

This should clarify things for you,
Phil

PS Zap - this forum is the perfect place for you to drop any suggestions you might have to improve the <VE>, we're always listening