It is Alive in the Lab

Request for Suggestions for Google Earth Publishing Enhancement

Yesterday I posted the list of top downloads for July. You can see that the Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD is a popular download. One of our Autodesk Labs visitors, a Mr. Richard Feder of Fort Lee, New Jersey, recently noted:

I'm using the Google Earth extension into AutoCAD 2008 - 2010 and I've been working with custom line types with width and gradient hatches. So, when export to Google Earth, line types are always continuous and the hatches lose the gradient.

Software Architect, Thomas Inzinga, replied:

Currently the Google Earth Extension does not publish custom line types nor gradient hatches to Google Earth with the AutoCAD characteristics maintained. I will add that to the wishlist for the feature.

Do It's Alive in the Lab readers have any other use cases for which maintaining drawing attributes would be useful? What other suggestions do you have for our Google Earth publishing capabilities? Please let us know at labs.acad.google@autodesk.com. Thanks!

Seeking out your suggestions is alive in the lab.

Updated Google Earth Extension Now Available for AutoCAD 2010 Family

The Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD is quite popular. It allows you to import a Google Earth image into AutoCAD, publish your 3D model to Google Earth, drape a Google Earth image onto a 3D mesh in AutoCAD, and attach time span information to your model. With the release of AutoCAD 2010 family, we decided to update the extension so we could continue to receive your feedback at labs.acad.google@autodesk.com.

Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD, Architecture, Civil 3D, Map 3D

So for those who have upgraded to the 2010 family (thanks), please download the updated utility and continue to let us know what you think.

Keeping our technology previews current is alive in the lab.

Italian AutoCAD Map 3D Blog

I got this email today:

From: Facebook [mailto:confirm+ovzdprlz@facebookmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 7:58 AM
To: Scott Sheppard
Subject: Gimmi Gis ti ha aggiunto tra i suoi amici di Facebook...
Gimmi ti ha aggiunto ai suoi amici su Facebook. Per convalidare la richiesta di amicizia su Facebook, devi confermare di conoscere Gimmi.
Gimmi dice: "Hi Scott,
I am Giovanni From Italy, I am the Author of Italian AutoCAD Map 3D Blog...
If you want to read it, you can use Google Translate in the right column of the Blog... www.3dmap.it
Regards
Giovanni, or Gimmi GIS.".

So I thought I would pass it on. The Google translator did a pretty good job:

The Italian Blog to AutoCAD Map 3D

So for all you Map 3D people out there - enjoy.

Working with large models and the Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD

The Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD allows you to view your drawings in Google Earth. The user guide provides easy to follow steps for importing a Google Earth image into AutoCAD, publishing 3D model to Google Earth, draping a Google Earth image onto a 3D mesh in AutoCAD, and attaching time span (time is often referred to as the 4th dimension) information to your model.

Software Architect, Thomas Inzinga, is one of the team members who responds to feedback that comes in via labs.acad.google@autodesk.com. In working with AutoCAD users he recently noted:

1. There is a limit to the number of faces that can be published to Google Earth when publishing with the "Materials" toggle turned on (approximately 22,000 triangles).

2. If you get an "out of memory" error, it means that your model is too big for Google Earth to handle. When this happens, you can publish your model using the AutoCAD Google Earth Extension in several pieces:

   • On the "Items" page of the publishing Wizard, there is an option to either publish all entities in an AutoCAD model space, or selected entities.
   • One would need to break the model into logical pieces and then publish each piece, one-by-one. Logical breakdowns might be by layer, by geographic area, by drawing (for a case where many XREFs are present), or by some other partitioning scheme.

   KML files up to 100 MB in size work well in Google Earth.

3. If the GeoReference information is not set up properly, the coordinates in the file put the data near downtown San Francisco. This is the default position if the data on the GeoReference page is not modified. The user guide contains information on GeoReferencing a model.

Spreading tips for one of our most popular Labs downloads is alive in the lab.

Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD relies on the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package

The Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD lets you publish your designs from AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and AutoCAD Map. You can download this extension from:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/google_earth_extension_beta/

PROBLEM: After downloading and installing, some people encounter a problem when they attempt to publish their designs to Google Earth. They see an error message that AeccDWGToGE.arx (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension) is unable to load.

WORKAROUND: This happens when the extension cannot find all of the supporting operating system capabilities it needs. The Google Earth Extension was developed by the AutoCAD team in C++ using Visual Studio 2005 SP1; hence, it relies on the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package. Users who encounter the problem can update their system DLLs (dynamically loadable libraries) to allow the Google Earth Extension to run by following the steps in the Microsoft article:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)

Identifying OS dependencies so you can give our technology previews a whirl is alive in the lab.

Updated Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD Now Available

Software Architect, Thomas Inzinga, provided me with an updated Google Earth extension. I have added it to the Autodesk Labs web site. You can read about and download the new version at:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/google_earth_extension_beta/

This new version is compatible with AutoCAD 2009 and the AutoCAD-based 2009 verticals (AutoCAD Architecture 2009, AutoCAD Map 3D 2009, and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009). Note that Autodesk includes the utility directly with an install of AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009. I mention Civil 3D here, so you know it is compatible, but Civil 3D users do not need to download the utility from the Autodesk Labs site. we are happy to see the Google Earth Extension used for showing buidlings, maps, and roads in the context of their real-life surroundings.

The new version includes support for the new AutoCAD 2009 Geographic Location object as well as several defect corrections. The download is available as a ZIP file that contains separate folders for 2007, 2008, and 2009-based products. You pick the installer in the folder that matches your AutoCAD or AutoCAD-based product.

So place your CAD models in Google Earth and show us the results. We'd love to hear from you and see your work: labs.acad.google@autodesk.com. Extending technologies to provide additional capabilities to the geospatial industry is alive in the lab.

Under Construction: Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD

We are in the process of updating the Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD to support AutoCAD 2009. I have temporarily removed the pages from the Autodesk Labs site. I will make the installer available for download when we have completed the update. Stay tuned.

Updated Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD now available

An updated version of the Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD is now available on Autodesk Labs.

Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD

Software Architect, Thomas Inzinga, reports the following improvements in this new version:

• Added support for AutoCAD® Map 3D 2008.
• Added support for map projections when using the extension with AutoCAD® Civil 3D 2008 or AutoCAD® Map 3D 2008.
• Added tool tips for displaying time span data attached to AutoCAD entities.
• AutoCAD® block references are now published without the need to explode them.
• Included a number of minor defect corrections.

Thomas also notes that he will be teaching a class on this labs tool at AU, Publishing DWG Data to Google Earth (GD405-1). So download it now, try it, and tell us what you think: labs.acad.google@autodesk.com.

Extending technologies to provide additional capabilities to the geospatial industry is alive in the lab.

Google Earth Publishing Extension for AutoCAD 2008 Products

Product Line Manager, Eric Stover, reports that the technology preview of the Google Earth Publishing Extension has been updated for the AutoCAD 2008 family of products. We are happy to share it with you via Autodesk Labs.

Google Earth Extension Technology Preview

The Google Earth Publishing Extension is designed to specifically meet the needs of Architects, Designers, and Engineers using Autodesk products. Using the easy-to-use, wizard-driven interface, you can publish your 3D models directly from AutoCAD into Google Earth. You can obtain a copy of Google Earth from the Google web site. Please review your Google Earth license agreement for usage rights. Under their current license agreement, Google Earth Pro is the only product currently supported for image capture. You will need version 4.1 or later of Google Earth for the publishing extension to work.

Check it out!

P.S. Shaan Hurley reports that the ObjectARX does not autoload the extension as the Readme implies. Shaan had to load the CUI as a partial CUI, and then all worked fine. We are looking into this.