removing double-sided faces

[BrBlazer]

Hi all,

I'm venturing into sketchup for some fun. The model I'm working on has faces on both sides, so inside walls show up which is not really needed for FS.

Is there a way to remove this after the polygon has been made so the inside is not rendered? Cutting the polycount in half would be so fine for performance

Kindly,

Blazer

 

[Pyscen]

I'm venturing into sketchup for some fun. The model I'm working on has faces on both sides, so inside walls show up which is not really needed for FS.

Is there a way to remove this after the polygon has been made so the inside is not rendered? Cutting the polycount in half would be so fine for performance

Hello Blazer,...

You can repaint the inside with the default paint scheme within SU,... To do so,... Click on the "Set Material to Paint with to Default" icon after clicking on the Paint bucket icon. It's located under the Create Material icon near the top right hand corner of the Materials window.

Hope it helps...

 

[arno]

Hi,

I have also seen a difference between exporting as KMZ or DAE from SketchUp. If you export as KMZ the polygons always become double sided, if you use DAE they don't. So also be aware of that.

 

[BrBlazer]

Hi friends,

Pyscen, thanks. Will applying this material make the inside walls invisible/transparent so it won't export as a poly?

Arno, thanks but the model in skethup already has the insides modelled, not just after export. I did not try the KMZ format, I always exported in Collada DAE format and got the insides as well.


Just so I don't open another topic on a silly question: Is there an option like gmax "select objects", or select by name where you have a list of objects? I would like to remove some 3D items that are wasting sooooo many polys and redo them in gmax as a plane with transparency, but before I get to gmax to rework the model, I would like to be able to remove these directly from GS before export as it's tough to select the right dots on the editable mesh with some many items in the same object.

Thanks again. Happy modelling all.

 

[Pyscen]

Hi friends,

Pyscen, thanks. Will applying this material make the inside walls invisible/transparent so it won't export as a poly?

Arno, thanks but the model in skethup already has the insides modelled, not just after export. I did not try the KMZ format, I always exported in Collada DAE format and got the insides as well.


Just so I don't open another topic on a silly question: Is there an option like gmax "select objects", or select by name where you have a list of objects? I would like to remove some 3D items that are wasting sooooo many polys and redo them in gmax as a plane with transparency, but before I get to gmax to rework the model, I would like to be able to remove these directly from GS before export as it's tough to select the right dots on the editable mesh with some many items in the same object.

Thanks again. Happy modelling all.

Yes,... it should,... it should be repainted as a dark gray color,... which default automatically to transparent when converting in MCX. Also what you might wish to double check in your SU options,.... when you export it,...

On the Export Window and click the "Options" tabs,... in the First tab option, make sure the first option: Export Two-sided Faces is unchecked.

 

[BrBlazer]

Yes,... it should,... it should be repainted as a dark gray color,... which default automatically to transparent when converting in MCX. Also what you might wish to double check in your SU options,.... when you export it,...

On the Export Window and click the "Options" tabs,... in the First tab option, make sure the first option: Export Two-sided Faces is unchecked.

Many thanks. Does work, however some objects are painted light blue, others end up painted white. The white gets exported as white in mdlx, while the blue ones are not exported. Is there a way to make it all blue?

Kindly,

Blazer

 

[Pyscen]

Many thanks. Does work, however some objects are painted light blue, others end up painted white. The white gets exported as white in mdlx, while the blue ones are not exported. Is there a way to make it all blue?

Hello,....

Right click on the side of the face with the white and click on the reverse face (don't remember the exact wording but that the idea).

In the future make sure all "white" faces is on the outside or the face in which you are going to texture or paint. Once you have caused all the "white" faces on the outside of the model you will have to re-texture.

There isn't a way to make both faces blue,... since its the white face that gets exported by MCX.

 

[Sidney Schwartz]

Just so I don't open another topic on a silly question: Is there an option like gmax "select objects", or select by name where you have a list of objects?

Not that I've ever been able to find. If you create a group you can name it, but as far as I can tell there's no way to display those names as a list. This is one of the few things I miss from Gmax.

I would like to remove some 3D items that are wasting sooooo many polys and redo them in gmax as a plane with transparency

You can do that in SU pretty much the same way you do in Gmax...by using black/white or grey scale maps in the alpha channel of the textures and applying them to the plane surface. Why go through the bother of moving the project into Gmax?

 

[BrBlazer]

Hello,....

Right click on the side of the face with the white and click on the reverse face (don't remember the exact wording but that the idea).

In the future make sure all "white" faces is on the outside or the face in which you are going to texture or paint. Once you have caused all the "white" faces on the outside of the model you will have to re-texture.

There isn't a way to make both faces blue,... since its the white face that gets exported by MCX.

Many thanks yet again. Will try this, I'm sure I'll get it working now.

Not that I've ever been able to find. If you create a group you can name it, but as far as I can tell there's no way to display those names as a list. This is one of the few things I miss from Gmax.


You can do that in SU pretty much the same way you do in Gmax...by using black/white or grey scale maps in the alpha channel of the textures and applying them to the plane surface. Why go through the bother of moving the project into Gmax?

The reason I move to gmax is because I'm doing this SU > FS conversion for a friend who has no idea about scenery design, but can model buildings in SU. I on the other hand, believe that the hassle to switch to gmax will take me less time to get the work done that it would to learn more on SU other than the basic I know. I just feel at home with gMax

 

[GaryGB]

Many thanks. Does work, however some objects are painted light blue, others end up painted
white. The white gets exported as white in mdlx, while the blue ones are not exported. Is there a way to make it all blue?

Kindly,

Blazer

Hello,....

Right click on the side of the face with the white and click on the reverse face (don't remember the exact wording but that the idea).

In the future make sure all "white" faces is on the outside or the face in which you are going to texture or paint. Once you have caused all the "white" faces on the outside of the model you will have to re-texture.

There isn't a way to make both faces blue,... since its the white face that gets exported by MCX.

Prior to starting any texturing in Sketchup:

1.) Right-Click on any "White" (aka 'properly oriented') face of a model (context menu appears)
2.) In the Right-Click context menu, select "Orient Faces"

All faces in the model should then be 'properly oriented': White outside / Blue inside !


But if a model is already textured and re-applying materials after re-orienting Faces is a P.I.T.A., this Sketchup Ruby Plug-in may help:


Fix Reversed Face Materials - by TIG

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=264134#p264134

...And for certain other scenarios where one wishes to "swap" materials between sides of a model Face with UV mapping mirrored, try:


Frontface to Backface / Backface to Frontface - part of "UV Toolkit" by thomthom

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=18992



NOTE: Some authors (like thomthom) use a ex: "library" sub-folder located in the [Sketchup install path]\Plugins sub-folder along with either a "launcher" for a plug-in Tool, or the actual Ruby tool script itself.


In the case of thomthom's "UV Toolkit", it also requires installation of his "TT_Lib2" for the main Tool to work:

http://forums.sketchucation.com/view...?f=323&t=30503


Hope this helps !

GaryGB

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi all,

I'm venturing into sketchup for some fun. The model I'm working on has faces on both sides, so inside walls show up which is not really needed for FS.

Is there a way to remove this after the polygon has been made so the inside is not rendered? Cutting the polycount in half would be so fine for performance

Kindly,

Blazer

ModelConverterX can remove the double-sided option in the materials editor, I believe.

Dick

 

[BkdaleFS9]

Prior to starting any texturing in Sketchup:

1.) Right-Click on any "White" (aka 'properly oriented') face of a model (context menu appears)
2.) In the Right-Click context menu, select "Orient Faces"

All faces in the model should then be 'properly oriented': White outside / Blue inside !


But if a model is already textured and re-applying materials after re-orienting Faces is a P.I.T.A., this Sketchup Ruby Plug-in may help:


GaryGB

Gary,

Thank you for this information. But by doing what you suggest, "orientating faces", does it have any effect on Poly counts? My problem is everything I design in Sketchup Go is ridiculed by a developer I am working with because the poly counts are ridiculously high. He has a great point as it seriously effects performance in flightsim.

I absolutely love Sketchup Go and have become very proficient at modeling all kinds of buildings for FS.

But recently, I was tasked with building a set of stairs that elevated up to a second floor door on a cargo building. I was able to model and texture the file and export as a BGL. But when my co-developer saw it he nearly hemorrhaged. His response, and respectfully so was:

>>Well, that's disappointing. You'll have to rebuild the stairs to get the poly count under control.

The high poly count with this new version is still being caused by the same issues that affected version 1 of the stairs. Most of the geometry is still double sided polygons, and the railings are still getting cut up when they intersect other railings. You also made a design change from v1, where you removed the side beam that was covering the edges of the stairs, resulting in a saw tooth side beam. That change increased the poly count, though not as much as I would have thought.

I spent 2 hours this morning fixing all the problems with the v2 set of stairs to see what the poly count could be:<<

Below is an image he attached to his response whereas he used a differing program to model what I had made. So my question to you is.... Is there a way in Sketchup to avoid this double sided poly's?????

-James

 

[rhumbaflappy]

This thread is 13 years old. Sketchup used to have export options that allowed for exporting as double-sided faces and could triangulate faces. Or not. I have no idea what Sketchup Go Allows for export. It's a web-based program? You could include an example that has these double-sided faces as a zip file and attach to a post.

 

[BkdaleFS9]

I'm aware of how old the post is but I would think the reasons are still in play regardless of the age. Yes, when exporting, a dialogue window pops up and allows the user to check "use double sided faces" and "triangulate faces" along with a few others. I always leave the two I mentioned unchecked. The first for obvious reasons. The second, I honestly do not know what triangulate faces actually does so I leave it unchecked as well. Thank you.

 

[GaryGB]

Hello:

Sketchup continues to be very pertinent as a tool for 3D productivity in all versions of FS back to at least FS 2002.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SketchUp


Since AFAIK "Go" runs on Apple I-Pad, you may already know about Trimbles ongoing commitment to Sketchup ...such as this:

https://www.engineering.com/sketchup-lets-you-scan-a-space-with-an-ipad/


But perhaps you are using "Sketchup Free for web" via a Windows-based web browser rather than via IOS Safari on I-Pad ?

https://www.sketchup.com/en/product...bJEeteYnPc6j_7TI0-uZxWZyyDIMDdQsDVlWWuzCakV8e

SketchUp Free for Web - Discontinued?

You don’t actually install SketchUp Free. You’re just opening a web page. I assume since you are using SketchUp Free this is for your own hobby use. I would suggest installing Chrome on one of your personal machines on which you’ve already demonstrated the Brave has the issue.

forums.sketchup.com

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


IMHO the SketchUp web-based platform is an invitation to trouble (I also foresee trouble if MSFS goes "Inter-Web" only):

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/i-cant-save-my-sketchup-file/63940/12


For this reason I use Sketchup versions 8, 2016 and 2017 on Windows, with freely downloadable "official" installers still available on the web for each of the above cited versions, and plugins / extensions ...as referenced / linked here:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sketchup-15-on-new-computer.458633/post-925903


CAVEAT: Sketchup 2017 broke / never fixed the "Combine Textures" feature for vertically oriented Faces, so I use version 2016 for that; thus I keep both versions 2016 and 2017 Sketchup Make installed to work around that limitation.

But if use of the I-Pad Touch Screen with Apple Pen is what you enjoy, there are interesting options for use of that hardware via a more full-featured "desktop" version of Sketchup, Blender, graphics applications etc. with plugins / extension ...on Windows:

https://www.reddit.com/r/iPadPro/comments/sa0lkl/how_to_use_ipad_pro_as_a_drawing_tablet_for_pc

I agree with Dick's suggestion to "include an example that has these double-sided faces as a zip file and attach to a post."

Since AFAIK, most FS Developers that use Sketchup do not use Sketchup "Go" on IOS, it would be helpful if you converted your "Go" SKP of the project in question above, to a 'Google' KMZ or a Collada DAE, rather than a newer Sketchup Go version SKP, as that would allow easier import to "Desktop" Sketchup versions which can use "plugin" Ruby scripts (aka "Extensions") to provide nearly all features and functions that newer versions of Sketchup have ...for free (without saving ones project on Trimble's server).

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/i-cant-save-my-sketchup-file/63940/3


Then I (and other interested parties here) can better offer an informed opinion and suggestions.


PS: Which version of FS is your output intended for (FS8, FS9, FSX, P3D, or MSFS 2020) ?


GaryGB

 

[BkdaleFS9]

Gary,

First and foremost - Answers to your questions
:
1. I am using Sketchup GO on a Windows 64 platform. It is web-based, but I paid for a 1 year subscription. It is not Sketchup FREE. In addition, I DO NOT use it on the IPad.

2. I installed both the 2016 & 2017 versions of Sketchup Make that you referenced in your link. Unfortuntely, upon starting each version, it advised me they were only valid for 30 days. Not free as you suggested.

3. Output intended for FS9.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure how to proceed from here as the information you provided is in conflict with what I am finding. PLEASE do not get me wrong, you took quite a bit of your personal time to reply to my inquiry. I'm very grateful. Thank you so much. But as I'm in a learning phase, I'm taking everything suggestion literally and making notes and following directions exactly as referenced.

-James

 

[GaryGB]

Gary,

First and foremost - Answers to your questions
:
1. I am using Sketchup GO on a Windows 64 platform. It is web-based, but I paid for a 1 year subscription. It is not Sketchup FREE. In addition, I DO NOT use it on the IPad.

Hi James:

Glad to see that you are also able to use Sketchup on Windows instead of on I-Pad; that may enhance your options working with 3D productivity tools.

IIUC, though, the Go version has significant limitations in data I/O and does not work with extensions (plugins); thus my recommendation to explore the "legacy" un-restricted Windows versions 2016, 2017 (and 8) ...as cited above.


BTW: Sketchup Version 8 runs on both Win 32 or 64-bit, but useful for tasks with older Ruby plugins that have not yet been updated to full 2016 or 2017 compatibility.

SketchUp-8.0.4811
https://archive.org/details/SketchUp-8.0.4811

https://archive.org/download/SketchUp-8.0.4811/FW-3-0-16846-EN.exe

2. I installed both the 2016 & 2017 versions of Sketchup Make that you referenced in your link. Unfortunately, upon starting each version, it advised me they were only valid for 30 days. Not free as you suggested.

IIRC, Sketchup 2016 & 2017 enables Pro features during the first 30 days of use, but continues to run as a free Make version without delay after a Pro 30 day trial ends.

I downloaded and installed these versions on my other Win-10 64-bit Pro computer (these links are from download buttons on the above cited filehorse web pages):

SketchUp-Make-16.1.1449-(64-bit)
https://dl2.filehorse.com/win/photo...qftpA&e=1724612065&fn=SketchUpMake-en-x64.exe


SketchUp-Make-17.2.2555-(64-bit)
https://dl2.filehorse.com/win/photo...A7CWA&e=1724611949&fn=SketchUpMake-en-x64.exe

I did not notice any Pro version features of Sketchup after install; regardless, I always am able to "start" running a Make version when I wish with no Pro subscription.

3. Output intended for FS9.

OK; there is still a lot of fun to be had in FS9; all FS versions have their respective challenges in the implementation of custom add-on content.

FYI, if your output is for commercial use, IIRC, the Make versions no longer have restrictions on use for payware (in the past only version 8 was unrestricted).

Not sure how to proceed from here as the information you provided is in conflict with what I am finding. PLEASE do not get me wrong, you took quite a bit of your personal time to reply to my inquiry. I'm very grateful. Thank you so much. But as I'm in a learning phase, I'm taking everything suggestion literally and making notes and following directions exactly as referenced.

-James

AFAIK, just download and install from the above links; you should be able to "Start" using Sketchup Make versions without restrictions before- or after 30 days.


Feel free to let us know how things go, and if you have further questions.

When you are ready to attach- or link to a download URL- for your project in question depicted in the OP above, we can take a look and advise on options.

GaryGB

 

[BkdaleFS9]

Hi James:

Glad to see that you are also able to use Sketchup on Windows instead of on I-Pad; that may enhance your options working with 3D productivity tools.

IIUC, though, the Go version has significant limitations in data I/O and does not work with extensions (plugins); thus my recommendation to explore the "legacy" un-restricted Windows versions 2016, 2017 (and 8) ...as cited above.


BTW: Sketchup Version 8 runs on both Win 32 or 64-bit, but useful for tasks with older Ruby plugins that have not yet been updated to full 2016 or 2017 compatibility.

SketchUp-8.0.4811
https://archive.org/details/SketchUp-8.0.4811

https://archive.org/download/SketchUp-8.0.4811/FW-3-0-16846-EN.exe




IIRC, Sketchup 2016 & 2017 enables Pro features during the first 30 days of use, but continues to run as a free Make version without delay after a Pro 30 day trial ends.

I downloaded and installed these versions on my other Win-10 64-bit Pro computer (these links are from download buttons on the above cited filehorse web pages):

SketchUp-Make-16.1.1449-(64-bit)
https://dl2.filehorse.com/win/photo...qftpA&e=1724612065&fn=SketchUpMake-en-x64.exe


SketchUp-Make-17.2.2555-(64-bit)
https://dl2.filehorse.com/win/photo...A7CWA&e=1724611949&fn=SketchUpMake-en-x64.exe

I did not notice any Pro version features of Sketchup after install; regardless, I always am able to "start" running a Make version when I wish with no Pro subscription.




OK; there is still a lot of fun to be had in FS9; all FS versions have their respective challenges in the implementation of custom add-on content.

FYI, if your output is for commercial use, IIRC, the Make versions no longer have restrictions on use for payware (in the past only version 8 was unrestricted).



AFAIK, just download and install from the above links; you should be able to "Start" using Sketchup Make versions without restrictions before- or after 30 days.


Feel free to let us know how things go, and if you have further questions.

When you are ready to attach- or link to a download URL- for your project in question depicted in the OP above, we can take a look and advise on options.

GaryGB

Hi Gary,

Thank you for the great reply. I tried both installing Sketchup 8 using both the links you supplied. However, I keep getting this error during installation. Also I should note that I am running Windows 7 64.

James

 

[GaryGB]

Hi James:

If you launched the executable Sketchup installer packages with Administrator privileges, perhaps there may be issues as discussed in this thread:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...a1e18e3b/cb41e71a-05d0-4080-af05-22375cced228


FYI: Both .NET and Visual C run times may be required for the installers used by Sketchup (...but not by Sketchup itself after installed, AFAIK).

I already have multiple comprehensive updates for all versions of .NET and Visual C on mutiple Win 10 and Win 7 Pro x64 computers, and I can not replicate that error.


If the above thread does not help, please let us know, and perhaps we can see what else may be required to get you up and running in Sketchup 8 / 2016 /2017.

GaryGB

 

[BkdaleFS9]

Hi Gary,

No sir I did not launch either "8" version with Administrative privaleges.

That said, I do have both 2016 & 2017 versions of Sketchup up and running.

You mention "Ruby Plugin's".

My goal is to drastically reduce polygons/triangles which are extremely debilitating when designing with Sketchup. Importing such files into MCX yields horrendous number counts.

I can provide examples if needed. And again, thank you so much for your personal time spent replying to my inquiries.

James