Running SketchUp on Ubuntu can be a convenient way to access this powerful 3D modeling software. While SketchUp is primarily designed for Windows and macOS, it is possible to run it on Ubuntu with a few extra steps. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing and running SketchUp on your Ubuntu system.
Installing Wine
Before we can proceed with installing SketchUp, we need to install Wine. Wine is a compatibility layer that allows us to run Windows applications on Linux systems like Ubuntu. To install Wine, open the terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T and enter the following command:
sudo apt-get install wine
You may be prompted to enter your password before the installation begins. Once Wine is installed, we can move on to the next step.
Downloading SketchUp Installer
To run SketchUp on Ubuntu, we need to download the Windows installer file (.exe) from the official SketchUp website. Visit https://www.sketchup.com/download/all in your preferred web browser and select the version of SketchUp you wish to download.
Once the download is complete, locate the installer file in your Downloads folder or wherever you chose to save it.
Running SketchUp Installer with Wine
Now that we have both Wine installed and the SketchUp installer downloaded, we can proceed with running the installer using Wine.
Open the terminal again and navigate to the directory where your SketchUp installer file is located. For example, if it’s in your Downloads folder, you can use the following command:
cd ~/Downloads
Next, execute the following command to start the installation process:
wine sketchup-installer.exe
Wine will create a virtual Windows environment and launch the SketchUp installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Once the installation is finished, you can launch SketchUp from your applications menu or by running the following command in the terminal:
wine "/home/your_username/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/SketchUp/SketchUp 20XX/SketchUp.exe"
Make sure to replace “your_username” with your actual Ubuntu username and “20XX” with the version of SketchUp you installed.
Conclusion
Running SketchUp on Ubuntu may require some additional steps compared to running it on Windows or macOS, but with Wine, it becomes possible to enjoy this powerful software on your Linux system. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you should now have a working installation of SketchUp on your Ubuntu machine.
Remember to always check for updates and compatibility issues when running Windows applications through Wine. Enjoy exploring the world of 3D modeling with SketchUp!