Architectural_Design_with_SketchUp

Chapter 5 Rendering in SketchUp
Now we have set up the scene properly for export to Kerkythea. All geometry has been
created, materials have been applied, and all lights have been placed. As a final step, you
could create several scene tabs in SketchUp, each showing a different view of our model.
These would be exported to Kerkythea as differently named camera views.
To start the first rendering, click on the “Export model to Kerkythea” button on the
SU2Kerkythea toolbar. This opens the export dialog, from which you need to select the
options shown in this image.
Now simply save the XML file that the exporter creates in a convenient location.
If you look at the file location, you will notice that the Kerkythea exporter saved not only
an XML file but also a folder whose name starts with “TX_.” This folder contains all texture
images for the exported scene. If you used SketchUp’s texture positioning tools, then
you will also notice that the exported textures have been “straightened” and exported
exactly as they were visible on faces.
TIP
If you set up the link to Kerkythea in the SketchUp exporter correctly, then the 3D scene
should open in Kerkythea right after exporting. If this doesn’t happen, simply start Kerkythea
and open the XML file from within Kerkythea instead. It should look like Figure 5.16.
Kerkythea’s user interface is quite self-explanatory; nevertheless, take a minute to familiarize
yourself with it. Here’s what you see in the window:
Left of the model view is a tree outline of what is contained in the 3D space (models/objects,
lights, and cameras). You can select something by double-clicking on the entry
in this list, and you can modify parameters (e.g., light intensity or material properties) by
right-clicking on it.
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