Automate Export to KMZ

[williamFPB55]

Hi,

Ill start with some context, i work in solar farm design, and in order to produce an interactive deliverable i export our layouts from autocad to google earth via mapexport producing a kmz file. I export each field on the land for the solar farm separately as this allows the client and landowner to turn off and turn on different fields on their land and see how much they lose.

However sometimes there can be 40-50 different exports so i was wondering if anyone had managed to automate the mapexport process to do multiple at the same time making it much quicker to export?

Thanks

[TerryDotson]

The KML/KMZ format supports layers in a sense (calling them named folders).  So it sounds like your output should be combined into a single file with multiple folders?

[williamFPB55]

Yeah so what i have been doing is exporting as shp files, importing to google earth, creating separate folders within a folder amd saving that as my kmz to send out. The thing i was querying was whether the first step, the export from autocad could be done in a way where i could click one button (pre automated workflow or set of coding for example) and it would save my export in a folder itself rather than me going through the entire export process myself where i select objects, assign coords, name file etc etc

[АлексЮстасу]

First, in MAPEXPORT itself you can save the export settings - "Save."
But at the same time, the name of the file, the selection of objects should be made anyway by the user himself.
Secondly, you can try to make a macro for export.
Thirdly, if the goal is to transfer to Google Earth, then it reads files of different formats, including shp.

[ChicagoLooper]

You're right, 40-50 'exports' are too much. Way too much.

Although a detailed conversion is entirely possible it's not feasible. To make your map efficient you'll need to combine some of your AutoCad objects so they sit on a minimum number of layers. <<No, you're not exporting your original drawing, you're exporting a copy of it.>> Your individual exports should be combined to just a few client friendly layers; e.g. equipmet, structures, future expansion, misc., etc. You can even separate them into zones: Equip Zone 1, Equip Zone 2, Struct Zone A, Struct Zone B, Exp 20XX, Exp 20YY, etc.

You aren't making your client design the layout nor require him to install the panels so he'll be fine with a more rudimentary kmz. Afterall, your goal is to give him control to turn on and off 'layers' so he can see how much of his land he will lose.

Think about it. You don't even need to export the panels themselves. Export simple polygons representing the the new solar coverage areas, where coverage is equivalent to land your client is willing to give up. Exporting the panels themselves promotes your drawing skill and does little to illustrate your client's cost to acquire solar energy. Your interactive map must benefit your client, not you.

[kalman_albert]

try this

https://apps.autodesk.com/CIV3D/en/Detail/Index?id=6995279902965544097&appLang=en&os=Win64

You can export spatial date or AutoCAD entities, and you can recreate any file at any time from the saved project. A very powerful tool, legend, logo, custom symbols, library, and reusable projects.

Albert Kalman

[carlos.ramallho]

@williamFPB55 this can help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg-5qOq-3nA&t=8s