WHAT IS GOOGLE SKETCHUP?

SketchUp is a 3D modeling program designed for architects, civil engineers, filmmakers, game developers, and related professions. It also includes features to facilitate the placement of models in Google Earth. It was designed to be easier to use than other 3D CAD programs.

On April 27, 2006, Google announced Google SketchUp, a freely-downloadable version of SketchUp. The free version is not as capable as SketchUp Pro, but it includes integrated tools for uploading content to Google Earth and to the Google 3D Warehouse, a repository of models created in SketchUp. They have also added a new toolbox where you can walk, see things from a person's point of view, labels for models, a look around tool, and an "Any polygon" shape tool.

While the free version of Google Sketchup can only export to Google Earth's .kmz 3D file format, the Pro version extends exporting support to include the .3ds, .dae, .dwg, .dxf, .fbx, .obj, .xsi, and .wrl file formats. Google SketchUp can also save "screenshots" of the model as .bmp, .png, .jpg, .tif, with the Pro version also supporting .pdf, .eps, .epx, .dwg, and .dxf. However, the free version of Sketchup does support Ruby scripts which has allowed many people to get around sketchup's importing and exporting disabilities.