This seems to be an increasingly popular topic that keeps popping up so i feel the time has come to explain in detail how you convert Sketchup models into SRF meshes.Original topic by Lord Flasheart
How to export to WRL/VRML, and then to SRF:
To start with, You will need to download google sketchup pro, as only this version has the vrml file exporter. Search 'Google Sketchup Pro free download' in web on google. The first or second link should redirect you to 'brothersoft.com'. Download the SKetchup pro setup file. Before you install, i recommend that you have google sketchup 7 installed on your computer, as the pro version is only a trial. This way you can model in Google sketchup 7 and export the file as VRML in Sketchup Pro. Once you have both versions of sketchup installed, open the model you want to convert in sketchup pro.If the edges aren't smooth in sketchup don't worry about it, the vertex rounding will take care of that in gepoly. The lower your polygon count on the model, the better. To export the model as VRML, click file, scroll down to export, another sub menu will appear. Click 3D model. A save menu will then appear. In the window where you choose what format to save the file, scroll down and click the VRML .wrl line. All you have to do now is click save/export.
Now that you have a VRML/wrl file of your mesh, you need to open it in YSVRML20, and export the file again as an srf. You will now be able to use/manipulate the file in gepoly.
How to make the SRF useable in a model without an extensive, unnecessary ammount of work:
To put it simply, a sketchup model usually has polygons on the interior that are a different colour to the rest of the model. After the model has been exported to wrl and finally srf format, open it in the coloursplit perl script, and export all colours apart from the one that represents the interior, unwanted polygons. Use the surfmerge tool to re-assemble the srf with the files that were created by the perl script. Once reassembled open it in gepoly and delete the same used vertex. Google sketchup models will rotate and rescale during the exporting process. As long as the model was positioned in the centre of the axis while it was in sketchup, you wont have to spend an unessesary ammount of time repositioning it in gepoly. The model will need to be rotated by -90 degrees in the 'P' feild of the rotation parameters in the rotate function within gepoly. To scale the model, i would advise using the perl script surfscale. To bring the model down to the same size in gepoly as it is in google sketchup, it will need to be downsized to 2.54% of its origonal size.
How to do all of the above without Sketchup Pro.
To being with, you willl need to download and install the latest version of google sketchup 7, availiable for download here: http://sketchup.google.com/download/
To be able to convert the sketchup model into an srf, you will also need to download the 3d modelling editing and creating software, blender. Availiable here: http://www.blender.org/
You will need to download and install the following plugins into blender to be able to import/export SRF and DNM files. http://www.yspilots.com/yspf/viewtopic. ... ilit=cobra These can be installed by simply pasting the script files within the zip into the scripts folder in the main blender folder.
Finally, you will need to install python 2.5.1, a program of sorts that will allow you to import/export collada (.dae) files. This is availiable from: http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.5.1
Now, onto the coverting process. As an example, i shall run through the process in which i converted my nimrod fuselage.
When importing in .dae format in blender, make sure that the buttons labeled 'Only import main scene' and 'new scene' are highlighted. In the menu select the file you wish to import and then click the 'import and close' button.
Now Export the file as a DNM.
Finally, convert the DNM into SRF format using the DNM2SRF perl script.
Paint it up, and... voila
This process also works in reverse. To convert an SRF or DNM to modify in sketchup, Import it into blender, export as a 3DS, then import into Sketchup.