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Deep Exploration Standard ($149)now will read SketchUp file format directly (.skp).
This means that SketchUp 5 Pro and Google SketchUp users can use Deep Exploration (DE)
to read .skp files and then perform a number of functions to the imported SketchUp model.
Import and Export. Not only can you import .skp files directly to DE, you can import dozens of formats like .dwg,.dxf,.3ds and mix scenes together.
Furthermore, you can convert the .skp file to 40+ 3D DCC and publishing formats that DE will write to.
Some of the file formats that DE writes to are .3ds, .obj, STL (for 3D printing),Lightwave, SoftImage, ShockWave,
3D HTML and PDF (with Deep Publish), Rhino and a host of other formats. Click here to see a more complete list.
Rendering. DE Standard has a number of advanced photo-realistic rendering features that you can apply to your SketchUp model.
Some of these are:
- reflection, refraction, ambience, gloss, opacity settings.
- Various lighting and spot lights.
- A variety of DE textures that you can add to the SketchUp model. (As best I can tell, you need to first group faces in SketchUp for DE to know where to apply its own textures.)
- Raytracing.
- Ability to render to various bitmap formats.
Animation. You can create nice keyframe animations with DE quite easily and output these to various video formats like AVI. If
you have Deep Publish ($95), you can view the animations in Word, PowerPoint and PDF formats. You can also create walk-thru animations by moving the Camera along a path. (I have to admit the walk thru animations are tricky relative to the simplicity of the keyframe animations.)
Combine with Deep Publish. One of the biggest strengths in DE is that you can export your
SketchUp 3D model to a variety of other DCC and publishing formats. If you combine DE Standard with Deep Publish ($95) you can create 3D
documents in Office products like Word and PowerPoint as well create Adobe PDF files. This includes the ability to save animations
in PowerPoint or PDF formats.
Evaluate. Try the 30 day trial of DE. The evaluation includes both DE Standard and
the higher priced CAD Edition. The CAD Edition supports all kinds of native MCAD formats including CATIA, Pro/E, SolidWorks and Inventor. It also has
UV texture mapping, decimation and a host of high-end features. To make sure you know what is really in DE Standard, click here to view a document that
compares DE Standard to DE CAD Edition.
Good Video Tutorials. I would like to recommend watching these video
tutorials before you start evaluating DE. The video tutorials are showing features of both DE Standard and CAD Edition but if you ignore the
MCAD formats, decimation, realight and UV mapping, you will get a really good idea of what DE is capable of.
Please go to Cadalog,Inc.'s OhYeahCAD's DE category
to get more info. about DE CAD Edition, Deep Publish and PDF Publishing Module.
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