Sharing Symbols

Is there any feeling on how we could share symbols we have created that may be useful to others?  I know that for each symbol there is a .spy file which I believe has the 2D representation and data about the object, and possibly a link to a 3D file (or maybe you have to assign it once the .spy file is in the library, I can't remember).

The point is I'm sure I'm like others having spent time and money creating symbols and would like to share and be able bring in new symbols rather than wait for SoftPlan to do it.

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Above a screenshot of some of the www.bevolo.com lights that we have made about 20 of.  I've offered to help Bevolo make them available from their website.

We also have top quality 3D of Superior Clay Chimney Pots which we paid a couple hundred to have made, some Kohler products that were not in SoftPlan libraries, that were too large on Kohler website to download and import, poor quality on 3d Warehouse, etc. and a smattering of others.  Point is this is inefficient and costly.

I have to say that SoftPlan must use some care in making their 3d symbols as it was quite difficult to get the DWG files as small as the ones that come with SoftPlan and still have them look good.  Also want to give credit to tech support and the program development itself with the excellent import wizard and the tools they gave us to allow being able to do this at all.

But - there are common products I have used for years that are not on SoftPlan.  Many Kohler best sellers are not on SoftPlan.  Common sinks toilets tubs and shower by many brands used by many of us are not available. I don't know how they choose what to invest the budget in.  It seems like the library is growing fast for some things, but I can't think of any new symbols I've seen in the last couple years that I've used.  Maybe a GE appliance.

Perhaps we could think of a way to come up with a group consensus of what we're yearning for.  Heck I'd even pay SoftPlan to create the symbols if that were an option.

Maybe we could crowdsource - Maybe we could offer $1 to $5 each picking off what we'd pay SoftPlan for off a list and when they get enough crowdshares to make it happen we pay a low fee each and are happy for it, benefitting other users with symbols. Helping SoftPlan decide what to do by dollars voting.  It's just an idea.

But if that doesn't work is there some way of making a repository?  Or is the best thing just to put out there on this forum a request for a certain symbol from others?

If a repository is the best idea is it possible to make a channel or something on 3D warehouse?

Anybody who knows more about this have any ideas as to how to seed needed symbol development?

I like where you're going with this, and appreciate you offering up high-quality items from your library. I agree that there are a LOT of 3D symbols in the files that I'll never use (incredibly dated and frankly, laughably ugly light fixtures, for example) and many that aren't there that I would use frequently if available (shower bases that people actually use, prefab fireplaces, etc.).

A shared file of some sort is a start, but that's kind of what 3D Warehouse is supposed to be and, well, you get what you pay for on 3DW.

Not to make more work for the great techs at SP, but I like your idea of a moderated SP repository, with a process to submit candidate symbols to SP that they'd review for accuracy, compatibility, and file size, then upload to a folder we could access.

We used to have the Splash forum with a version of the 3D Warehouse and other helpful parts. I know Harlan has also tried creating a user accessible library of shared symbols. It would be nice if SP took the lead and gave us a platform to upload and share like we used to have.

I did hear back from SoftPlan about this issue.  The gist of it was that they must  insulate themselves from getting dragged into a copyright dispute by dealing directly with the product manufacturers, and getting the manufacturers to provide data is difficult.  That they are constantly reaching out but are most successful when users make the request directly to the manufacturer.

Knowing about copyright issues myself I understand how this is true.  For example even though I paid someone to produce 3D content under a work for hire agreement I have no way of knowing that it was created from scratch.  Even items listed as open source may be infected by being a derivative work of someone else's art.

With that being the case I can also see why they can't even facilitate a file swapping site.

There is some good news.  They mentioned working on something to make it easy to use 3D warehouse content.  That sounds like a good idea.