Sketchfab Uploader Extension for SketchUp

Upload your SketchUp models to the online 3D viewing, rendering, and sharing website Sketchfab

Description

When I originally wrote this extension, I had been looking quite a while for a way to share interactive 3D content from SketchUp on the web in a way that didn’t require installing a browser plugin. At the time, there were some Javascript-, Flash-, or VRML-based solutions, none of which were easy to work with. This has changed with the advent of WebGL, which came as a promising technology that is solely based on modern browser capability. By now, most browsers are perfectly capable of rendering models very nicely (even on mobile devices). As an example, below is a WebGL model of one of my projects (click to start and then use your mouse to navigate it):

Even SketchUp is now available in an online WebGL-based version.

Sketchfab is a very easy-to-use website that lets anyone upload 3D models, display them using WebGL, and share them with the world. On Facebook, WordPress, and many other places you can even just paste a model’s URL into a status update and it turns into an embedded 3D file. Since one of the available uploading file formats is COLLADA, it is easy for SketchUp users to upload their work there (the DAE and KMZ export format is natively supported in both the free and Pro versions of SketchUp). What had been missing was a SketchUp extension to makes this process more automatic.

The extension that you can download and install from this page adds a menu item “Upload to Sketchfab” to the File menu in SketchUp. All you need to do before you can upload your models is register on Sketchfab’s website and get a “secret API token” that links your uploads to your account. You can find that token on your personal account settings page after registering.

After uploading your model, you can edit parameters and materials, grab a thumbnail or adjust the default view on the Sketchfab website. Since version 2.5.1 of this extension, you can even re-upload a model and keep any of the edits that you may have made in Sketchfab.

Usage / Manual

Go to File > Upload to Sketchfab > Upload Model… to send your entire model (or only the selected objects) to the cloud. Make sure you have first received your API token from the Sketchfab website. You will need to paste that token into the uploader dialog.

For detailed instructions, visit the Sketchfab Uploader Manual.

Some Tips:

  • Read this tutorial about how to best prepare your SketchUp model for upload.
  • In Sketchfab you can edit model materials, lighting, post-processing effects, and much more. Follow this link to learn more about those options.
  • Since version 2.5.1: After a model has been uploaded, its Sketchfab model ID gets stored in the SketchUp file (don’t forget to save!). This then allows to re-upload models, which will retain any material enhancements that have been applied in Sketchfab’s online editor. For previously uploaded models, a model ID can be added to a SketchUp model via File > Upload to Sketchfab > Edit Model ID.
  • Starting with extension version 2.5.1, SketchUp versions before 2014 are not supported anymore.
  • Text labels, dimensions, construction-points and -lines don’t upload (this is hard-wired into SketchUp’s COLLADA export function).
  • SketchUp has the ability to assign materials to both sides of a face (front and back). This sometimes causes trouble and I would strongly recommend you remove the backface materials. You can do that automatically for your entire model using ThomThom’s Material Tools extension.
  • Inserted images in SketchUp may need to be exploded (turned into materials) before upload so that the textures show up properly.

Did you find this extension useful? Contribute to its development with any amount (via PayPal):

Screenshots and Videos

Here’s a video that shows how you can obtain the plugin as well as the upload process in more detail:

Uploader Dialog

Show Off Your Work

Did you create something amazing with this extension? I would love to see it! You can either upload an image in the comment section below (public) or privately send it to me.

Extension Terms and Conditions

BY INSTALLING, ACCESSING OR USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU (THE USER) AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS PROVIDED BELOW.

LICENSE:

This is free software, provided under the GPL license (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html).

(c) Alexander Schreyer, alexschreyer.net

DISCLAIMER:

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THIS SOFTWARE.

WHERE APPLICABLE, THIRD-PARTY MATERIALS AND THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS ARE PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND THE USER OF THIS SOFTWARE ASSUMES ALL RISK AND LIABILITY REGARDING ANY USE OF (OR RESULTS OBTAINED THROUGH) THIRD-PARTY MATERIALS OR THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS.

Downloads

You can now find this Extension in Trimble’s Extension Warehouse. For an easy install (and update notifications), browse to it from inside SketchUp (2013 or newer) and install it directly.

Alternative Downloads

Linked below are the installation files (RBZ format) for the current and some previous versions of this extension.

To install these files, follow the SketchUp folks’ instructions. You can also find this Extension on GitHub.

Revision History

  • Version 2.8 (4/10/2023)
    – Fix for web dialog issue
    – Updated license text
  • Version 2.7 (6/14/2021)
    – Updated jQuery to 3.6.0
    – Replaced all jQuery $s
    – Changed token to be pulled rather than submitted
  • Version 2.6 (5/5/2020)
    – UI update to match SU better
    – Dialog GC fix, uses class var now (2020 compatibility)
    – Added URL menu item for API token
  • Version 2.5.1 (10/2/2018)
    – Drops support for pre-2014 SU (removes global variable problem)
    – Newer HTMLdialog help dialog
  • Version 2.5 (9/17/2018 – unpublished)
    – Some backcomp fixes
    – Added re-upload functionality
    – Now stores model data (ID, title etc.) on upload in SKP file
    – Made clear in dialog what gets stored where
    – Added menu item to edit Model ID
    – Updated jQuery and 7zip to latest versions
    – Now uses v3 Sketchfab API
    – Now uploads as draft first (unpublished)
    – Checks material number for max. (100)
  • Version 2.4 (12/12/2016):
    – Added help menu item
    – Code cleanup
  • Version 2.3 (12/7/2016):
    – Fixed dialog issue in SU 2017 (min/max size)
    – Fixed extension loader code
  • Version 2.2 (1/18/2016):
    – Code cleanup, wrapped in my module for consistency
    – Updated Sketchfab logo
    – Token field hides content (password input)
    – Removed support for instanced upload (doesn’t work for Sketchfab)
    – Moved html dialogs into separate files
    – Included local version of jQuery, updated jQuery
    – Checkbox selection now saves state
    – Set maxlength for input fields
  • Version 2.1 (3/17/2014):
    – Wrapped external modules in my namespace
    – Consolidated code
    – Moved temp files to TEMP folder
  • Version 2.0 (3/11/2014):
    – Added more export options to dialog (2014)
    – Added error handling in uploading code (2014)
    – Changed upload to SSL (2014), 2013 was always SSL
  • Version 1.8 (3/8/2014):
    – Uploads ZIPped models now
    – Gives option to only upload selection if something has been selected.
    – SketchUp material names are now preserved on upload.
    – SU 2014 only: Option to include/exclude edges
  • Version  1.7 (2/18/2014):
    – Fixed temp location cleanup
    – Removed thumbnail image export
    SU 2014 only:
    – Added new upload method
    – Implemented multipart upload via new API
    – Added option to open model after uploading
  • Version 1.6 (7/15/2013):
    – Changed temp location to user folder to remove permission problem
  • Version 1.5 (5/10/2013):
    – Reorganized folders
  • Version 1.4 (12/11/2012):
    – Support for updated API (incl. private/password functionailty)
    – Included SketchUp source tag in JSON
    – Exports edges by default now
    – Removed thumbnail upload (not supported anymore by API)
    – Better string cleaning on upload
  • Version 1.3 (7/20/2012):
    – Fixed filename problem to prevent permission issue
  • Version 1.2 (7/19/2012):
    – Uploads a thumbnail now
    – Provided more error checking
  • Version 1.1 (7/18/2012):
    – Changed json assembly to Ruby side – more reliable
    – Uploads large models now
  • Version 1.0 (7/13/2012):
    – First release

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