Autodesk: Please switch from Bing Maps to Google Maps for Geolocation. Please.

[Anonymous]

Bing Maps is horrible. I work in telecommunications & a large portion of my workload is drawing plan views of the existing streets.  We use AutoCAD's Geolocation feature when tracing outlines of the streets, sidewalks, buildings, etc.  There are so many areas in which the satellite images provided by Bing are blurry and basically not usable. In many cases I find myself copy-pasting images from Google Maps and tracing on top of these images instead of using the Geolocation feature. 

Why does Autodesk use Bing Maps as their Geolocation provider instead of Google Maps??  Google Maps is clearly the higher quality leader in Satellite Imagery.  This makes no sense to me unless it comes down to cost and Bing is cheaper (in which case, we all pay insane amounts of money to Autodesk every year to use their products, it would be great if these products could deliver the expected quality on all their features).

Autodesk, please switch to Google Maps. For us.

[RobDraw]

This is a user help forum Your request might get more traction at AUGI's wish list or Autodesk's product feedback page.

I agree Google's images are much better.

[pendean]

Autodesk feedback is here https://www.autodesk.com/company/contact-us/product-feedback

HTH

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

There's business reasons, licencing reasons, cost reasons, integration reasons. There's a lot more going on in the background than you think, its not as easy as just flicking a switch.

[Anonymous]

I understand that it wouldn't be an overnight change kinda situation. I'm just saying the wheels need to be put into motion.  The current functionality of the Geolocation feature with Bing Maps as the integrated mapping service is not acceptable.  It's like buying a car and everything works great, except the windshield is permanently foggy to the point where you can't see the road.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> current functionality of the Geolocation feature with Bing Maps

>> as the integrated mapping service is not acceptable

Please keep in mind that the quality differs between BingMaps and GoogleMaps, but not at all locations and not at all times is GoogleMaps the better one!

And I can only repeat ... message in the forum are read by users, the link provided for the feedback to Autodesk is read by Autodesk product managers.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree there are occasional one-off situations when Bing Maps has the better satellite image, but the vast majority of the time Google has better imagery.

Thank you for your suggestions to contact Autodesk Feedback.  I brought this conversation over to them a few minutes ago.

[ChrisRS]

Civil 3d used to include Google Maps image and elevation import. Licensing issues arose and this was dropped. A couple of years later Bing based geolocation was added to AutoCAD and available to all of the verticals.

From the Autodesk perspective, use of Google Maps is not a new thing to be investigated, but and old thing that was tried and failed. I think it is extremely unlikely that Autodesk will even consider this. 

Geolocation, while still missing elevation information. is more robust than the old Civl 3D/Google Maps integration was.

You may want to search the Civil 3F for discussion of 3rd party solutions.

[parasvee.bheekhar]

Rightly said! Autodesk has the cheek to say that unfortunately they do not have a solution for the time being. I believe it is best to stop their partnership with Microsoft and try with Google if Autodesk is not able to resolve this is issue with Microsoft.

[jreidKVSUZ]

I agree with the most part of Bing Maps that is built into AutoCAD. I use both Google Maps and Bing to see what the best view is and latest. Many times, Bing is the most updated. But I have Google Maps on my computer, and I play with the date of the images. I slide it back and forth. It does not always go to the latest, but Google has ruined their maps from what they used to be. Before I could tell how high a building was by moving my mouse over the roof and it would say. Now they scan the earth way different. Looks like plastic wrap. I liked it in the beginning when the images were from people drawing up the buildings and campuses, but we must work with what we are given now.

With that, I find the best image on Google Earth, and I know there is a scale on there already, but I draw a line lets way 500’. I then CTRL Print the screen and take it into Paint and then SAVE it as a JPG. I then bring it into my drawing and use the line I drew to scale the print. This is the image I am drawing on. Not what AutoCAD gives us. I place the image over top of what AutoCAD gives us and then turn the AutoCAD map off. I now make a viewport and figure out my scale, set my text and dimensions to that scale and proceed to drawing on top of the image, I can even add GIS Locations if needed.

One more item that works great for Google Maps. Once you have your location markers for where your jobs are located, use Add Network Link and export your locations for everyone to use. We have multiple types of projects, and I use the same Google Maps but I can export specific locations for each one if needed. You co workers at that time can Import the file you created, and their Google Maps will look the same. I update this file many times and let others to Re-Import the file when needed.

I hope this helps!!! Happy New Years!!

JRR!