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Importing Content Into Wonderland: Tips and Tricks

Importing Content from Google Sketchup (Free Version)

Step 1: Build model in Sketchup.

Notes - Each piece of the model must be a separate piece of geometry. You cannot use a single cube and put different textures on each side because only the last texture applied will show up in Wonderland. Anything with a separate texture must be a separate piece of geometry and cannot be a child or copy of something else.

Note that the above image may look like the models are sitting on the floor plane, when in actuality they are located just above the floor plane.

Step 2: Save the model as a KMZ file

Select "File" --> "Export" --> "3D Model" and save your model as "Google Earth 4 (*.kmz)".

Step 3: Change the file extension of your exported model from KMZ to ZIP.

The original file format.

Extension changed to ZIP.

Step 4: Unpack the zip archive.

The contents of the ZIP archive include two important folders: images and models.

Step 5: Import the model into Blender

Open Blender. Select "File"-->"Import"-->"Collada 1.4(.dae)..."

In the "Import file:" field, select the "..." (load) button. Navigate to the folder where you saved the content of the ZIP archive from step 4, then navigate to the "models" folder. Ensure that "Only Import Main Scene" and "New Scene" are selected.

Select "Import and Close"

Your model will import into Blender.

Step 6: Re-size the model and correct any import errors.

You will probably not see your model when you import it into Blender from Sketchup. This is because the units of measurement in the two programs are different. In order to see your model, you must first zoom out using the middle mouse button.

Initial view in Blender:

Zoomed out view in Blender:

Scale the model down. First, select all ("A" key on the keyboard). Next, select the scale tool ("S" key on the keyboard). Use the mouse to scale the model down to an appropriate, Wonderland-friendly size.

Note the position of the model on the grid.

Set the view mode to "Textured".

Ensure your textures are showing properly. If they are backwards, you need to flip the normals on that piece of geometry. To do this, select the geometry for which you want to flip the normals. Then enter edit mode (Tab), and select all ("A" key on keyboard"). Then hit spacebar to bring up the context menu and select "Edit"-->"Normals"-->"Flip".

Also, as outlined on the Import Content from Blender into Project Wonderland wiki page, "Once you have your model and texture ready, there's one more thing to do before exporting. Since Blender uses a Z-up coordinate system and Wonderland is Y-up, rotate the entire model -90 degrees X to have it face in the right direction."

Once you have resized and edited your model, make sure that you apply all rotation and scaling to the model. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT - if you do not do this, your model will not work as expected in Wonderland. To do this, make sure you are in object mode. Then select all ("A" key on keyboard") and from the context menu select "Transform"-->"Clear/Apply"-->"Apply Scale/Rotation to ObData^?".

Step 7: Export the model as X3D^?

Make sure that you have the entire model selected ("A" key on keyboard) and then select "File"-->"Export"-->"X3D" from the menu.

Select "Selected Objects" from the "Export" dialog.

Choose a directory to save the X3D^? model.

Step 8: Add textures to the X3D^? directory.

Navigate to the folder where you saved the content of the ZIP archive from step 4, then navigate to the "images" folder. Select all images in that folder and copy them to your clipboard ("Edit"-->"Copy")

Navigate to the directory where you saved your X3D^? model in step 7 and paste the images there ("Edit"-->"Paste")

Step 9: Import your model into Wonderland.

From within your Wonderland client, select "Tools"-->"Import Model".

From the Import Manager, select "Load Model".

Navigate to the directory where you saved your X3D^? model in step 7 and select "Open".

Your model will import into Wonderland.