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
As an (gasp) alternative - does E$RI's ArcGIS build 250 for AutoCAD work with the 2013 product so we can access aerial imagery through their map portal(s)?
I'm guessing lawyers (primarily those retained by Google) were involved in this particular decision..... although not sure how the publish to kmz files is a major problem though.
neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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I was thinking the same thing, but with the sketchbook product Adesk may now be looking at Google as Competition.
I would also have to say that if Google did not what anyone to use the info, why did that make the API avaiable in the first place.
Rick Jackson
Survey CAD Technician VI
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Thanks for sharing the info Dave. I hope you have something up your sleeve that was just not quite ready for the release.
Waiting for the formal decision about that, here's a technical (and fully legal) solution issued in my golden olden Map2006.
1] in GE, save your tiltless imagery with CTRL-ALT-S
2 ] in Acad, import it somewhere with _IMAGE
3] with _ADERSHEET align it according to points of known coordinates, or snapping on existing vertices
4] generate the worldfile with this
Merry Easter to everybody!
The worldfile generation lisp looks interesting but I'm pretty sure that the overall method wouldn't be viewed as being "..fully legal.." but if the copied images are just used as a background for preliminary design etc and NEVER published/plotted then who will actually know.......
neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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Neil, the key is the GOOGLE overlay:
As long as you don't eliminate it with Photoshop, you stay in the Eula terms.
Are you suggesting that as long as the source (i.e. Google) is acknowledged then you are good to go?? I don't think this is correct unless you have Google Earth Pro in which case I believe there is no problem.
Most people I guess do not use Google Earth Pro and usage (without a Pro licence in a commercial organisation) would be a violation - unless you can advise me to the contrary??
There have been threads on this in the past and posted workarounds (to get colour images from Google Earth) were removed
neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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I've actually called Google tech support in the past regarding a site license for a former employer. I was told that "for any commerical gain" from their point of view included preliminary design image use even if we didn't plot the image in our final production set.
@thepworth wrote:I've actually called Google tech support in the past regarding a site license for a former employer. I was told that "for any commerical gain" from their point of view included preliminary design image use even if we didn't plot the image in our final production set.
Indeed....but how would they know....??? Besides the GE imagery is a bit dodgy positionally anyway - if I need a decent aerial photo I'd buy one from a supplier
neilyj (No connection with Autodesk other than using the products in the real world)
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True - if you take a single image capture, there seems to be "radial falloff" if you try to mosaic images. When I've tried "plex.earth tools" for ge/Acad, they've managed to do something with the API to "fool" GE into sending information as if each position is at "center of image" so that I don't see the radial effects using imagery imported through their tools. I should touch base with Lambros (unless he chimes in here) to see what 2013 is doing to him & his add-on.
And to add to what neilyj said,
Most of the DTM files used within GE are readily available for free in most case. NONE of the info GE has is proprietary, most can even be obtain from USGS at no cost. However in some case some conversion is required. Really all the import GE function was doing, was making it easier to obtain already available information.
Rick Jackson
Survey CAD Technician VI
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This might be the reason why it was dumped: https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#usagelimits
TL:DR > It would cost Autodesk a bucket load to keep the GE import feature.
@Anonymous wrote:And to add to what neilyj said,
Most of the DTM files used within GE are readily available for free in most case. NONE of the info GE has is proprietary, most can even be obtain from USGS at no cost. However in some case some conversion is required. Really all the import GE function was doing, was making it easier to obtain already available information.
I think this is a key point. Hopefully Autodesk is looking at options for simpllifying data import from the free data, and is telling Google "you only wish"....
Although I'm also curious as to when Google's mantra switched from "Do no evil" to "Suck every possible dollar via any possible mechanism"....
This part is probably relevant to civil 3d.
Particularly the part about
Which APIs are affected by the usage limits?
The Maps API usage limits apply only to the following APIs:
- Google Maps JavaScript API v2
- Google Maps JavaScript API v3
- Google Maps API for Flash
- Google Maps Image APIs
The Google Earth API, and native Maps APIs for mobile platforms such as Android and iOS are not affected. Use of the embed feature of Google Maps, and other Google products that offer an embed feature that includes a map, are not affected by these limits.
Considering the export to google earth function should in theory, without seeing the source or examining the network calls, access the google earth program, how is google able to tell the difference between civil 3d using google earth and an average user using google earth?
The other part to this is publishing (creating) the kml files. This was a very handy way to track our projects. Since we have licensed copies of GE Pro, we used the kml files from a network location to create some planning documents. I like the tool from this blog http://autodesk.typepad.com/transportation/2012/03/autocad-mapcivil-3d-google-map.html to locate my project in Google Maps, it falls short of the final goal, though.