A: For large models it can take several hours for SketchUp and SU2Odeon to convert the SketchUp model to one you can open in Odeon. SketchUp will look like it has stopped working showing a "Not responding" message but actually it just means leave me alone i have to work for some time now. So have patience when using SU2Odeon for large models. meanwhile you can watch below video:

Youku video

A: There can be several reasons for this error message. Most likely the course for the error is that the drawing file contains BLOCK and ACIS (3DSOLID, REGION, BODY) entities. In AutoCAD you can check what kind of entities your model contains with the LIST command.

The most successful approach is to bypass the .dxf file format and rather use the .3ds format which can be imported by Odeon. To export in the .3ds format from AutoCAD, use the 3DSOUT command.
The 3DSOUT is by default not Available in AutoCAD 2007, however "The 3DS Utility is available here. To install and use the plug-in, do read this installation note.

The problem can also be solved in earlier versions of AutoCAD by selecting the relevant drawing entities from inside AutoCAD and applying the EXPLODE command:
- If you EXPLODE a 3DSOLID model without BLOCKS one time you will get a model in 3DFACES (a POLYLINE entity) which is fine for .dxf import in Odeon. Use the ASIC/Solid command in the Odeon import menu.
- If you EXPLODE a 3DSOLID twice it will convert it from 3DSOLID->POLYLINE (mesh)->LINE entities. The POLYLINE entity can be imported by Odeon however the LINE entity does not carry sufficient information.

If you have not modelled in 3D solids try to use the Full re-import command in the Odeon import menu this might give you something you can use as well.

A: Odeon A/S will probably not incorporate Industrial Foundation Classes (e.g. .ifc or .ifcxml files) in Odeon in the nearest future. However from programs such as AutoDesk Revit it should be possible to export geometries in the DXF format for use in Odeon. If the IFC support is merely export in the IFC file format without a tight integration of data then there is only little advantage of exporting in IFC compared to DXF.

A major problem with the IFC concept is that it assumes that we are linking the calculations up on the same model, whereas we with a model such as Odeon’s tend to alter the geometry during import in order to make the model compatible with the calculation model in Odeon (avoiding small surfaces and having watertight models etc).

Another obstacle is that it is not enough to implement the support in Odeon

- an implementation of the Odeon relevant data should also be available in the other programs (if the architect etc. should be able to define/alter material etc. in the database using their CAD program(s)). And because the data needed by Odeon/CATT/EASE etc. differs because their calculation principles are different there can't be made an implementation common to all such programs. The room acoustics extension to IFC for one program, in this case Odeon, may even alter as the program develops, thus needs other data.

Below is illustrated several ways to handle 3D models for use in Odeon

A: When you have located the surfaces of the object you want to copy in the OdeonEditor, you copy these surfaces together with all the points to a new editor. Save and load the new room in Odeon. Now to get rid of all the extra points it might be necessary to export the model to DXF and then import it to Odeon Again. This is possible from the file menu.

When this is done you should use the MTranslate function to insert the object back into the room. And use the NumbOffset function to make sure the new copied objects do not interfere with the existing point and surface numbers.

• A: Correct for errors which may reside in a CAD model, such as warped or repeated surfaces or surfaces with no area
• Stitch surfaces together to form models that are easier to handle, looks much nicer, and are better compatible with the calculation principles applied in ODEON

The following technical note covers these issues:
 ODEON Import of CAD files in the DXF format – problems and solutions.

A: Odeon can do even better. We have created a plug-in SU2Odeon for Google Sketchup which converts and saves the geometry directly in Odeons native .par format (Odeon version 10), it is available for download here. The plug-in is without any additional charge and works with the free as well as the pro version of Google Sketchup.

For version 9 and earlier of Odeon this solution may work
Odeon can not read .skp files, however, it is not a problem to use Google Sketchup as room modelling software together with Odeon. The solution is simply to export the model in either .dxf or .3ds format. Odeon is able to directly import these files as exported by Google Sketchup Pro - no need for extra software packages.