SketchUp

Last updated
SketchUp
Original author(s) @Last Software, Google
Developer(s) Trimble Inc. [1]
Initial releaseAugust 2000;24 years ago (2000-08)
Stable release(s)
Windows, 64-bit22.0.1
macOS22.0

January 5, 2019;5 years ago (2019-01-05) [2]

Operating system macOS, Windows [3]
Available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
Type 3D computer graphics
License Subscription
Website www.sketchup.com   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

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

Contents

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. [3] 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

Lund + Slaatto project designed in SketchUp Architecture Modeling.jpg
Lund + Slaatto project designed in SketchUp
Many different 3D and 2D exporters are available in SketchUp for uses such as rendering. This C-130 Hercules model was made in SketchUp and rendered with Kerkythea. Herculesc130.jpg
Many different 3D and 2D exporters are available in SketchUp for uses such as rendering. This C-130 Hercules model was made in SketchUp and rendered with Kerkythea.

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, Lay Out 2, and dynamic components that respond to scaling. [3]

On September 1, 2010, SketchUp 8 was released with model geolocation with Google Maps and Building Maker integration. [15] Geolocation information is always stored in the .KMZ file. [16] 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. [17] In 2013, SketchUp 2013 was released. A new site was provided.

Subscriptions

SketchUp comes in the following subscription options: [18] [19] [20]

Pro

Interior designed in SketchUp. Interior Kitchen.jpg
Interior designed in SketchUp.

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). [21] [22] 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. [23]

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

Studio

Daylight visualization using SketchUp's daylight analysis tool. Sefaira Modeling.png
Daylight visualization using SketchUp's daylight analysis tool.

Studio contains everything included in the Pro subscription, professional rendering via Chaos' V-Ray for SketchUp, point cloud import, and management via Trimble's Scan Essentials. [21]

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's iPad modeler on site. IPad On Site.jpg
SketchUp's iPad modeler on site.

SketchUp Go is aimed at design and construction professionals, as well as DIY designers. Users can model and mark up 3D models digitally using Apple Pencil and touch. [24] 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. [25] 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. [26]

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. [27] [28]

3D Warehouse

3D Warehouse is an open library in which SketchUp users may upload and download 3D models to share. [29] 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. [30] 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 Archi CAD - 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. [31]

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 [32] and many other 3rd party websites as well. SketchUp has a Ruby console, an environment which allows experimentation with Ruby. [33]

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

File formats

SketchUp
Filename extension
.SKP
Developed by Trimble Inc.
Type of formatBinary[ citation needed ]

SketchUp supports its own .skp file extension. [34]

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

3D Exports

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

Image exports

JPG, PNG, TIF, PDF, EPS

Layout formats

Layout Import: SKP, BMP, GIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, RTF, TXT, DWG, DXF, CSV, TSV, XLSX. [34]

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

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Trimble Navigation to Buy Google's SketchUp". Reuters. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Work smarter, not harder in 2022 with LayOut and SketchUp Pro". blog.sketchup.com. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "SketchUp Hardware and Software Requirements". Trimble. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  4. ↑ "SketchUp Subscriptions Overview". help.sketchup.com. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Brad Schell Sells Software Company to Google | College of Engineering and Applied Science | University of Colorado Boulder". Archived from the original on 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  6. ↑ n "@Last Gets 'Googled'". IT.TMCNet.com. March 15, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  7. ↑ "DigitalMediaNet Announces DigitalCAD Community Choice Award Winners". DigitalCAD.com. November 16, 2000. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  8. ↑ "IDG's Macworld Announces Best of Show Awards". idg.com. July 18, 2002. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  9. ↑ Martin, Jeff (2006-03-14). "A New Home for @Last Software". GoogleBlog.BlogSpot.com. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  10. ↑ Kawamoto, Dawn. "Google acquires @Last Software". CNET. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  11. ↑ "Google acquires SketchUp maker @Last Software". Macworld. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  12. ↑ "SketchUp Is Google's First Divestment In Years, And It Made A Profit". TechCrunch. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  13. ↑ James. "Beautiful model created with sketchup 6!". 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  14. ↑ "Free Download: Google SketchUp 6 3D Model Design Tool with Free Upgrade for Pro". 12 January 2007.
  15. ↑ "Google SketchUp 8 Released". www.architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  16. ↑ "Can I Export My SketchUp Models to Other Programs or Formats?". SketchUp.Google.com. February 19, 2010. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Trimble to Enhance its Office-to-Field Platform with the Acquisition of Google's SketchUp 3D Modeling Platform". PR Newswire . Sunnyvale, California: Trimble Navigation. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "SketchUp Free vs Pro: The Differences – Simply Explained". All3DP. 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  19. ↑ Sky-Shop.pl, Viasoft pl-działa na oprogramowaniu sklepów internetowych. "Sketchup Studio vs Sketchup Pro - Sklep Viasoft.pl". www.viasoft.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  20. ↑ Charles (2020-09-10). "SketchUp Free vs Pro - What's The Difference?". Scan2CAD. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  21. 1 2 "SketchUp Subscriptions Overview | SketchUp Help". help.sketchup.com. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  22. ↑ "SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro". Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Introducing SketchUp Pro 2016". Trimble. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  24. ↑ "3D Conceptual Design – Collaborative iPad Software - SketchUp Go Bundle".
  25. ↑ "SketchUp for Web | SketchUp Help". help.sketchup.com. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  26. ↑ "TRIMBLE SKETCHUP WEB TERMS OF SERVICE". app.sketchup.com.
  27. ↑ "Same SketchUp you love, new way to buy – Wordtext Systems, Inc. – Philippine IT distributor". Wordtext Systems, Inc. Archived from the original on 2021-07-24. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  28. ↑ "It's Happened. SketchUp Goes Completely Subscription". SolidSmack. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  29. ↑ "The SketchUp 3D Warehouse Is No Longer Compliant with 2020 Design". Public Support Articles. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  30. ↑ "3D Warehouse". 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Vectorworks 2022—Powerful New Core Technology and Modern Chip Support". Architosh. 22 October 2021.
  32. ↑ "Extension Warehouse".
  33. ↑ SketchUp Ruby Documentation.
  34. 1 2 "What file types can I import/export with the SketchUp Pro subscription?". June 23, 2020.
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