Anyone know about Google Sketchup?

Right I have to do this project for college where I make a model of our campus and do a little guide going through it as a video. So it's sort of like using the walk tool to walk around, but filming what I'm doing so someone else can see it (like using macros in SolidWorks if that makes it any clearer...) but I can't figure out any way of filming it. I've looked through the ghastly online help in every even slightly relevent section.

I don't know if I explained that very well...

But yeah, if anyone knows anything about Google SketchUp I'd appreciate the help.

Thanks.

 

Can't say that I've ever used it, but a friend has and liked it. I don't know exactly what he did with it. Have you been to http://sketchup.google.com/ for info.

 

*sigh* Yes I have. I've looked everywhere. I know it's something to do with the animation thing but I can't get it to do anything remotely useful. *throws computer out window* Thanks anyway

 

And, you've also been to http://sketchup.google.com/vtutorials.html and other links there?

 

I watched the first 3 but the last 3 wouldn't work. It doesn't look like they have anything on the animation feature anyway. I'll just continue to trawl through the whole help menu, including all irrelavent bits.

 

Hi
My son is a constant user of Sketchup and the other CAD programs. Will show him your post in the am and he can get back to you. Hope he is able to help as he also runs his own group on tutorials on the i/net
Sandra

 

Ooh sounds good. Thanks Sandra.

 

Right. This is stewieandco's son. I know exactly what you are trying to do. First, you need to have the Pro version of sketchup, since the free version does not support this.

Once you have completed your model, you need to find all the key points in your model that you wish to use in your movie. Once you have found one of them, go to View - Animation - Add Scene. Repeat that process for all the key points you want in your movie. Once you are satisfied, go to File - Export - Animation. A save file dialog will appear. The default save option will be for an .avi (movie) file. Before saving it, click on the options button beside it. You can edit exactly how big in pixels the movie will be, and how many frames per second are displayed. I recommend increasing the number of frames per second to 30 or more, as it gives more fluid movement. Click ok on the options box, and click Export. It will start saving it as your movie, but it will take some time to finish. Once it is finished, your movie will be saved on your computer!

 

Hey that's great, thanks. Precisely what I was trying to do. I'm my uni will get me a pro version of the software... I'll show them your reply as a cheerful incentive.

Thanks again.