Are you designing in SketchUp and want to import high-resolution imagery to serve as background to your 3D models? We got you covered!
Plex.Earth imports images from Google Earth or literally any other provider (e.g. OpenStreetMap, USGS, any WMS or Tile Server) and places them directly into AutoCAD. From there, the imported imagery can easily be transferred to a SketchUP 3D Model, in order to satisfy any presentation or design need.
In this tutorial, all the necessary steps for such a procedure, are described.
Step 1: Locate the Area of Interest
- Go to Google Earth and locate the area you want to import to your 3D Model.
Step 2: Import the Imagery to the AutoCAD Drawing
- Make sure that your drawing is correctly georeferenced.
(For more details on how to georeference your drawing, click here)
- Place your SketchUP 3D Model into AutoCAD.
(For more details on how import SketchUP 3D Models into AutoCAD, click here)
- Import "by Google Earth View" the imagery to your AutoCAD drawing. Make sure that the imagery covers the area you want your 3D Model to be.
(For more details on how to import imagery, click here)
Step 3: Import the Imagery to SketchUP
- Open SketchUP software and choose "Insert File". Select to insert the file from "Your Computer".
- Browse your local drive and go to the path where Plex.Earth saves the imagery. Choose the tile (or mosaic) of your choice.
- Define this file as image.
Step 4: Place the Imagery to the 3D Model
- Once you select to import the imagery, you will be prompted, from SketchUp, to define its place and scale. After that, the procedure will be completed.
- Follow the same procedure for any WMS \ Tile Servers, by selecting the provider of your choice from the "Import Imagery" menu of Plex.Earth.
(For more details about connecting to WMS \ Tile Servers click here)
Conclusions:
Plex.Earth can create high-quality imagery that can be easily exported to SketchUp for design and presentation purposes. With thousands of Web Map Services available through Open Data sources, containing valuable information for further editing and usability, there is a ton of context that you can add to your 3D models!