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By hcameron90 - 5 Years Ago
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I guess there was an update in 3dwarehouse to were you can only download a model with only
SketchUp 2017 and 2018 and Collada File. I have the latest 3dxchange update, but for some reason, I can't download ANY model
since 3dxchangeonly excepts 2015 model files.
Does anyone else have this problem? Or better yet have you found a solution?
Thank you
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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You used to be able to load a model in Sketchup and save it as a previous version. That's what I would do.
I've noticed though that Trimble made Sketchup more restrictive and that there is no free desktop version anymore?
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By hcameron90 - 5 Years Ago
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Yea I saw that.
man, I hope this is not the end of 3dwarehouse > 3dxchange. Especially when they have a direct link embedded into it.
I saw Trimble and thought it may be the end lol
I hope Reallusion can fix it!
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By planetstardragon - 5 Years Ago
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quick work around - download the dae version - use the autodesk fbx convertor to convert it to fbx
https://www.autodesk.com/developer-network/platform-technologies/fbx-converter-archives
or do it with blender.
there is still a free desktop version - https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing#for-persona
I haven't downloaded it, not planning to either - the dae fix is enough for me..
and this is an alternative cad software for those that were into designing with sketchup - https://www.freecadweb.org/
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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The free version seems to be online as far as I can tell, which wouldn't work for me. I don't get the attraction of online software, frankly.
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By sonic7 - 5 Years Ago
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Ahhh .... the shifting sands of change - constantly altering the landscape and wreaking havoc with artist's pipelines ..... 
Thankyou Planetstardragon for the heads up about the 'free' software alternative to SketchUp.
I do like reading the following words from their website:
" ..... Anybody can download, use and redistribute FreeCAD free of charge, without any restriction. Your copy of FreeCAD is truly yours, as are the files you produce with FreeCAD. You will not be forced to update FreeCAD after a certain time, nor change your usage of FreeCAD. Using FreeCAD doesn't bind you to any kind of contract or obligation. The FreeCAD source code is public and can be inspected, so it is possible to verify that it doesn't do things without your knowledge such as sending your private data somewhere ..... "
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By planetstardragon - 5 Years Ago
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there's this too -
FreeCAD can be imported into any application that can run Python scripts.
from their wiki
https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Feature_list
that can be interesting, building a house in freecad and have it port directly to iclone or even better, building with freecad while in iclone as a plug in
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By hcameron90 - 5 Years Ago
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Planetstardragon Thanks 😁. I forgot about the Blender .dae loophole. I knew there would be some way to still use 3dwarehouse.
Are you using Blender 2.8?
Also thanks for the CADlinks.
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By planetstardragon - 5 Years Ago
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np - I rarely use blender - but i hear 2.8 is supposed to be a revolutionary version....
I was playing with that freeCad software I posted - it's a science project heh! would be nice if someone made it work like sketchup and pipelined it to iclone!
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By Rampa - 5 Years Ago
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The free version of FormZ imports SKP.
http://www.formz.com/products/formzfree.html
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By toystorylab - 5 Years Ago
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Damned...
That's sad, cause 3D Warehouse has been my first place to search for props over years now.
Especially if you need free items to get more details in your scene...
Used it last on 14th februar and everything was fine then.
Will have to check the "workarounds"...
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By sonic7 - 5 Years Ago
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Thank you Rampa! .... 
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By pittsville_20150321002526113 - 5 Years Ago
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Thanks a lot for that information! I was sad when I thought I could no longer use the 3Dwarehouse.
This is really coo. Thanks again for this wonderful solution. It was easy to implement. A few extra steps but well worth it!.
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By paro_3453 - 5 Years Ago
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You can also load the skp file into Sketchup (Make version is free). Then do a SAVE AS.
On the SAVE TYPE AS box press down arrow and select which Sketchup version to save as.
The new saved version will now load into 3dxchange.
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By gordryd - 5 Years Ago
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Would it be too much to ask RL to support the newer Sketchup formats? After all, the program is named "3DXchange"...but it can only support 4 year old file formats? I'm not a programmer, but seems like a minor patch to me.
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By Peter (RL) - 5 Years Ago
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gordryd (3/23/2019)
Would it be too much to ask RL to support the newer Sketchup formats? After all, the program is named "3DXchange"...but it can only support 4 year old file formats? I'm not a programmer, but seems like a minor patch to me.
Please do ensure you submit wishful features in the Feedback Tracker. All viable suggestions will be considered for future updates.
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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I have added an entry in FT: #5869. Please vote if this is important for you.
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By sonic7 - 5 Years Ago
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Thanks Job ...... *voted*
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By hcameron90 - 5 Years Ago
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@animagic
I voted for you!
I hope Reallusion can fix this mistake
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By wires - 5 Years Ago
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hcameron90 (3/27/2019)
@ animagicI voted for you! I hope Reallusion can fix this mistake
I don't know if it can be called a mistake. A lot depends on just how Trimble react to any request to convert their newer SketchUp file formats using a 3rd Party tool - 3DXchange.
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By Jünni - 5 Years Ago
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Hi,
there is still "SketchUp Make 2017" offline, in English and other languages.
https://www.sketchup.com/de/download/all
Greetings Günter
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By mark - 5 Years Ago
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Getting back to "form Z"..
I started playing with "Form-Z Free" and it really looks like a very powerful free program and maybe a great alternative to good old SketchUp.
I do notice that form Z free only exports... DAE, STL and KMZ. I don't see SKP as Rampa mentioned 'course I may be missing something.
I guess the only file type I import into DAZ is DAE which seems to load into DAZ but it's pretty much invisible. Something is there, I think, but I can't see it in any of the views except "Solid Bounding Box" but I don't see anything in "Wireframe" which seems odd. Maybe the polys are flipped but can't seem to find anything in form Z or DAZ to relate to that (not that familiar with DAZ). I'm just trying a simple cube so nothing complicated coming out of form Z for sure. Still in all I think I should see something in "Wireframe" for sure. Just so ya know I have the latest DAZ and the latest form Z as well.
Any ideas would help on getting stuff out of form Z free for use in iClone would be helpful. If it's possible?!
I was going to recommend this program to some folks who need a free 3D modeling tool but can't recommend it till I figure it out..if that's even possible LOL!
Thanks!
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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I saw that too.
The problem is that on my main PC it will not install; the installation ends in a blue screen. I was able to install it on another PC, but I would still like for RL to update 3DXchange.
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By toystorylab - 5 Years Ago
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animagic (3/25/2019)
I have added an entry in FT: #5869. Please vote if this is important for you.
V.O.T.E.D.
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By planetstardragon - 5 Years Ago
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there are actually a variety of choices to work around this issue including online converters, google "convert skp to obj" and you'll see a few web converters.
The problem is that we lose the ability to remove back faces in the conversion process. This also includes downloading the dae from 3Dwarehouse which also seems to include and rename the back faces, rendering the back face clean up tool in 3Dxchange inoperable and leaving the user to do it manually. This can be very time consuming with models that have many parts. ie - a bridge - which most sketch up modelers tend to break into a lot of small parts with back faces.
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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In the FT entry, RL added a comment why patching 3DX to support the current SketchUp version is not possible.
Apparently there is only a 64-bit SketchUp SDK, whereas 3DX is 32 bit. Another reason why 3DX should have been updated to 64 bit along time ago...
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By diomkal - 5 Years Ago
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Voted
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By hcameron90 - 5 Years Ago
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@animagic
Wow that is disappointing. You would think RL would already have an update
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By Peter (RL) - 5 Years Ago
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Thank you for all the feedback in this thread.
Unfortunately, the problem is that the new Sketchup SDK is now 64bit only but 3DXchange 7 remains a 32bit application which makes it incompatible.
For now, the solution is to download the older version of Sketchup now called SketchUp Make 2017 from the link below and then save the SKP files in 2015 format. This will allow you to continue to download and convert models from the Trimble Warehouse for use in iClone.
https://help.sketchup.com/en/downloading-older-versions
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By Peter (RL) - 5 Years Ago
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animagic (3/29/2019)
Another reason why 3DX should have been updated to 64 bit along time ago...
Unfortunately, the future of 3DXchange is still under discussion and no decision has been made yet about a 64bit version. For sure the ability to import 3rd party models is still an important feature but how this is achieved in future versions of iClone is still to be decided.
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By animagic - 5 Years Ago
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Peter (RL) (4/18/2019)
animagic (3/29/2019)
Another reason why 3DX should have been updated to 64 bit along time ago...Unfortunately, the future of 3DXchange is still under discussion and no decision has been made yet about a 64bit version. For sure the ability to import 3rd party models is still an important feature but how this is achieved in future versions of iClone is still to be decided.
We have had this discussion some time ago, and for some of us (old-timers primarily, I guess 🧓) there are features in 3DXchange that are important, such as the ability to create sub props and other enhancements that can be only be done in 3DXchange at the moment. So it's not just the import function that is useful.
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By wires - 5 Years Ago
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I agree with Job, the options that 3DXchange offer for customizing models before importing them to iClone should not be underrated and are something that we "old-timers" treat as second nature. Just recode it in 64 Bit, update the GUI and everyone will be happy.  
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By sonic7 - 5 Years Ago
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"Ditto" to the last 2 posts ..... 3DXChange is (was) an *excellent* bridge between SU and iClone - even allowing for changes made in SU to be quickly 'passed through' into iClone in matter a of 20 to 30 seconds. Saved SU models (as SKP) could be quickly opened in XChange, back faces removed, and *sent* directly to iClone. It (almost) felt as though you were updating your models in "real time" and all 3 programs could remain open simultaneously as you work ..... I'd be a real shame not to have a 64 bit version of XChange ...
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By don.earnest - 5 Years Ago
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animagic (3/8/2019)
I don't get the attraction of online software, frankly.
Companies don't have to worry about their applications running on Mac, Windows and Linux, their QA teams don't have to have multiple computers to test on each of those platforms, or hire developers/testers/support people who are familiar with each of those platforms, they don't have to create and maintain install packages for them, or instructions on how to install and configure them, or worry about notifying users when an update is available, or have as many technical support people helping with installation/configuration issues. They don't have to worry about some OS update breaking their software or conflicting with some other software package and/or have to keep testing it and updating it to work with newer OS versions, etc. They also don't have to certify their software for Windows/Mac or pay publishing/licensing/partner fees. Likewise, their users don't have to download and install software on their computers or keep it updated and it'll run on any platform. All they need is a browser. The web developer makes an update and it's immediately available to everyone. Lastly, web developers are a little easier to come by these days and will typically work for a lower salary than native desktop application developers.
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By sonic7 - 5 Years Ago
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@don .... that's certainly a comprehensive list of reasons. No wonder it looks 'attractive' from a company perpective. From an end user POV there's perhaps less attractive reasons for such an approach. At a fundamental level some users prefer to 'own' their tools of trade rather than sort of lease them. Then there's the privacy issues for some (understandably) not wishing to have their creative ideas deposited on distant servers. Internet access in remote areas could be problematic if you wanted to work on things while on holidays 'in the country'. Then theres's the 'trust' thing - that the company doesn't go bust and you end up saying goodbye to your program. Or if they don't go bust, but rather just 'go off-line' for some unexplained reason - like "Eon" did of recent years - leaving customers high and dry without access to their account etc etc. So I guess there's always two sides to the coin .....
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By don.earnest - 5 Years Ago
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Oh yeah, I understand. I wasn't suggesting/arguing one way better or worse for the end user, just explaining the 'attraction to online software' from a developer's perspective. As an end-user, I prefer desktop applications as well.
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