Celestia Forums

How do you take files from sketch-up and put them in celestia NEED an answer ASAP

Celestia requires 3DS format.

You must either purchase SketchUp Pro
or get a program that translates KMZ or KML format into 3DS.

A Google search found that the translation supposedly can be done by what was once Media Machines Flux Studio: import kml, then export 3ds.

Apparently Flux Studio is now available as Vivaty Studio.
http://developer.vivaty.com/

I've never used this program so I don't know if it actually works.

Hello,

Thank you for bring this subject up because I also considered using the multitude of starship available in the Google 3D warehouse database and putting them in Celestia. That would be really interesting for those who like Sci-Fi stuff in Celestia.

I have tried to export models of Google sketch up to 3ds and scripted them in Celestia. It works but lousily. It seems that the original textures are not present in Celestia as if the 3ds only contain 3D information without any textures whereas the Google sketch up file has some texturing.

Also, sometimes the 3DS it not rendered properly by comparison to the kmz or kml file, some polygons seem to be missing.

My question is then the following: has someone found a way to successfully transfer a kmz or kml file into Celestia with proper rendering? If yes please share. It will be a quick way to generate numerous starships considering the 3D warehouse database.

Hello all,

May I suggest you to read thread http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15701 about the Phoenix Lander on Mars.
It's also about a Google Sketchup model used as a base, which ended as a concrete Celestia model .

The thread documents all the steps and freeware software used to come to a Celestia model.
It also documents some problems you'll experience during such a traject.
Unfortunately, this type of conversions are not all bug free.

Marco

It would be nice if Celestia supports kml files directly.
The conversion can also be done with any kml to other, more common formats supporting program.

If you download SketchUp Pro & install it, you get 8 free hours of use, which means you can convert the SketchUp models to .obj, .3ds or .vrml formats, to name but three . . . I've had varying success in using the models in Poser & Bryce - but most of the starships I've converted look fabulous . . .