Model Builder only BING not Google maps

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I know that for Infraworks 2014 the model builder would read from Google. In version 2017 it will only read data from BING, is there any way to change the data source back to google? In google earth you can see more detailed imagery and surface models as those in BING. Is there maybe any workaround in building the model from Google?

Thanks a lot.

Carlos Montellano

[ToddRogers-WPM · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately not. Is it because Bing is using "out of date" data?

[ToddRogers-WPM]

You can always download the imagery and manually attach it instead of using the Model Builder.

[Anonymous]

The imagery is only useful if the terrain upon where it´s displayed is correct. In this casee, Bing maps are outdatet and therefore also the terrain. Importing new imagery wouldn´t solve anything if the terrain is not correct. It´s even funnier because even if in the company there is google earth pro, we cannot use it for model builder.

Anyway...thanks for your help. 

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi @Anonymous

why do you think that InfraWorks 2014 Model Builder reads data from Google? To my knowledge this has never been the case.

Model Builder has always used Bing aerial map data and free SRTM elevation data and OSM data for the content.

You can always use you own data sources, if you need to use Google Data you can save your AOI with the help of a 3rd party application and add it to you InfraWorks model. There are some Civil 3D 3rd party add ins that can be used to load Google Data into Civil 3D, for example.

For many parts of the world you have the option to get much better and accurate elevation data (i.e. LIDAR) either for free or with a fee, from external sources.

Regards,

Karsten.

[Matt__W]

Just throwing this out there....

Keep in mind that using Google Earth imagery in InfraWorks may be a violation of the GE EULA and therefore considered "stealing" if you're using it for commercial purposes - I.E. making money.

https://www.google.com/permissions/geoguidelines.html

[scott.fleming27]

I thought it has always been BING maps, due to the Autodesk / Google relationship which to be fair.....is a shame!

[Anonymous]

Yes, BING has many places where their information is more than 3 years old. It´d be nice that Autodesk tried a little bit harder to play nice with Google.

[Anonymous]

After researching i found it to be true. As I had my first approaches to Infraworks (not as a software user) I was given the wrong idea that it was Google Maps info. Sorry for the mistake.

[Anonymous]

Yep, I know. Thanks for the heads up anyway.