Hi Everyone - Now that details of the R2013 version of AutoCAD Civil 3D are public, I wanted to update you on the status of Google Earth import and export workflows. The following statement summarizes where we are:
Due to limitations on the use of the Google Earth API, AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2013 does not include API access to allow customers to import Google Earth imagery and/or surfaces directly into Civil 3D. We are aware of the importance of including preliminary surface and aerial imagery in your design workflows and are actively looking for an alternative. However, we cannot share any specific information about potential future product enhancements. When appropriate, we will communicate technology plans via various channels including Autodesk Labs, Facebook, Blogs and the Civil 3D Discussion Group.
As noted above, we'll update you as soon as we can share information on technology plans that target the workflow of incorporating readily available image and surface information into your design workflows. People are welcome to contact me directly with questions/comments.
Dave Simeone
Senior Product Manager - AutoCAD Civil 3D
@Anonymous wrote:Regarding the $30-$40k - to have terrain data and imagery generated for a project could cost you anywhere from $15k for a real small site to a couple $100k if you hired someone to get that data for you. So it's hard for me to see people complaining about a free service.
Josh
Several points... Google Earth Pro is NOT free. Also, the data provided is of dubious value... The aerial imagery is often several years out-of-date, and the topo info is not trustworthy at all, except for a "rough guide".
The $15-100K estimate for a small site also sounds dubious to me... A REAL topo of a small site would NEVER run you that much. And although due to FAA regulations in the US, we apparently can't use some of the RC airplane aerial photo solutions that other countries use (a complete boondoggle, in my opinion, since those things are maybe 30' long and fly only a couple hundred feet up, with no danger at all to commercial air traffic). So I suppose I can see how getting current aerial photography can run you lots of money.
But the aerial photos provided by Google are NOT created by Google. You can offten see the exact same images for-free in many local government and municipality websites, and get the same terrain data from NGS. So what's the deal...? Something smells fishy.
I think we're on to something.
Joe Bouza
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One potential option may be to use a third party product from Plex.Earth - not sure if it works in 2013, but it is a 3rd party add-on and might. I actually prefer it over the standard AutoDesk supplied toolset.
Regarding payment for information - My client recently had a satellite flyover in an area where the current GE data was very poor. We used a vendor that brokered the data through Google's satellite. Lo and behold, a few months later the area in question on GE was updated with a high res photo. A nod to my client for updating the GE dataset... perhaps they should get some royalty for paying for the flyover?
The issue with google restricting their API is not just limited to Autodesk, I'd ask for solid contract with Plex.Earth before handing over any money.
For me this is a huge loss as prelim design was made so easy especially in terms of roughly geolocating drawing files by integration with GE. The loss of VBA, Kml provider and now GE import; yearly releases are slower and less functional as time goes by.
Also considering the limited amount of interoperability with autodesk formats for other programs it is not shock that google aren't playing ball.
Can't wait till google bring out a civil design program based on the sketchup engine.
Can't wait till google bring out a civil design program based on the sketchup engine.
Something along those lines might happen since Trimble bought Sketchup from Google
Trimble, that is interesting. The stetchup engine must be quite efficient given the speed of rendering also I wonder if this plays into the need for GPS companies to embrace new handheld devices. Or just a change for trimble to move into city modelling software with laser scanning maybe.
Ultimately though it does mean that a design tool will not emerge.
For those in the United States, here's an alternative to using Google Earth to bring free surface and image data into Civil 3D: http://civil3dplus.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/alternative-to-importing-google-earth-in-civil-3d/
In this case, you’re paying with time.
I would pay with time, up to eternity, Brian, but...
An imagery from GE is drapable on the surface, whereas with your Seamless ones you gotta fight with material mapping...
Please report any issues in that other thread as it states in its original post.
Hi everyone,
I would to inform you that we've just made available the pre-release version of Plexscape's Kml Publisher for AutoCAD 2013.
It does exactly what it says: exports drawing objects (or whole projects) from AutoCAD to KMZ or KML file format for Google Earth, it's based on the new "engine" of Plex.Earth and came to fill the gap caused by the lack of Autodesk's Google Earth extension for AutoCAD 2013 products.
For more information and download visit:
Looking forward for your feedback.
Regards,
Lambros
Autodesk should employ this software and distribute for free to all paying 2013 C3D customers. I have 2013 but compared to 2012 it is useless to me without the Google Earth utility. It was also not revealed to us that Google Earth is not availabe by our distributor before we downloaded the new release. Needless to say I reverted back to 2012 where I plan to stay until something better comes along.
Hope this gets corrected soon. Not real pleased with Autodesk products the past 2 to 3 years. For any number of reasons I feel their competition is moving ahead.
Infrastructure Studio 2013 allows you to publish imagery from Yahoo, Google and Bing. The Yahoo and Google options require authentication due to licensing agreements but the Bing option is free. I'd expect a Bing solution to the Civil 3D issue shortly.
Regards,
Mike
Since yesterday was a slow day (holiday) I threw together some freeware to output KML files from drawing objects, including FeatureLines and AeccPoints. It's a tiny 15kb VLX that works on any Map based AutoCAD (even back to version 2000), that includes Map, LDT and Civil3D. Most linear objects are supported directly and a companion tool explodes things like blocks & text to polylines so they show up on the export.
Here is a link to download or email improvement requests to dotson [at] dotsoft [dot] com.
Thank you for the effort, lets all hope autodesk utilises the millions we all pay them to pay bing/google etc. for license in the near future. I'm sure they charge plenty to any company wanting to use dwg format. HUGE missed opertunity that they didn't do a two way deal with google when they had sketchup.
Can't get this to work - I "exported" an alignment drawing down to Acad 2007 version so alignments are just Polylines
neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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Looks like almost 1300 objects processed before it hit a problem. Can you post or email me that DWG?
As for the alignment, I think I may be able to add support for them.
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