Introduction
Plex-Earth Lite offers the ability to add Google Maps Views to your drawings in a few easy steps, providing the privilege of having a clear view of your project site within seconds, which can make a huge difference when working on projects situated in remote locations. Our software enables professionals to reach safe conclusions and make the right decisions while achieving cost reduction and avoiding rework. If you have found yourself venturing into the AEC industry, you obviously realize the importance of maximizing efficiency and saving precious time and resources. This is precisely why we developed a tool that enables users to import high-quality, up-to-date imagery directly into AutoCAD drawings.
However, when working with imagery imported into your drawing with Plex-Earth Lite, you may want to temporarily hide it at times, in order to be able to pay close attention to detail regarding the progress of the digitization procedure. Here at Plexscape, we do realize the importance of developing tools that make life easier for our users, and as engineers, we have first-hand experience of the challenges that may arise across all stages of the design process. Our objective has always been to deliver the most efficient observation and drafting tools, and this is one of the main reasons why we have developed the Toggle Visibility command, which can prove to be a rather useful shortcut.
This tutorial will provide a step-by-step breakdown of the process that needs to be followed in order to add Google Maps Views to your drawings and make use of the Toggle Visibility command of Plex-Earth Lite.
Step 1: Create a Georeferenced Drawing & Add a Google Maps View
Reveal and hide imagery within seconds and have a clear view of your drawing's progress in the blink of an eye
Step 1: Create a Georeferenced Drawing & Add a Google Maps View
It is always necessary to ensure our drawing's georeference settings have been defined before adding imagery with Plex-Earth, as the software would otherwise not know where to place our preferred depictions of the project site we are working on. Plex-Earth offers two different methods of adjusting a given drawing's georeference settings, making it easier than ever to achieve satisfactory topographic precision. However, it is worth noting that in case we are dealing with an already georeferenced drawing, no further action needs to be taken, as Plex-Earth automatically recognizes the coordinate system applied. Once we have placed our drawing right where it should be, we can proceed to add a Google Maps View that will allow us to extract useful information about our project site.
The process is as follows:
1) We visit the Imagery Panel of Plex-Earth Lite and add a Google Maps View by clicking on the Google Maps View icon:
2) We are then prompted to specify the extents of the area we would like to add a Google Maps View. This can be achieved either manually by drawing a rectangle, or automatically by using the current viewport in our AutoCAD window.
A. By Rectangle
In this example, we are going to define the extent of the area we would like to add a Google Maps View with our cursor. In order to do that, we click Specify rectangle and are then prompted to choose between the two available options provided by Plex-Earth Lite. With the first option, we will need to create a rectangle, whereas with the second one we will have to pick a point in our drawing.
1) To specify the area of interest by using a rectangle, we will have to pick its first and second corner points using our cursor:
Once our rectangle's first and second corner points have been defined, Plex-Earth Lite will automatically provide a Google Maps View by applying the highest zoom level possible depending on the size of the specified area:
2) To specify the area of interest by using a point, we will have to pick its position in our drawing using our cursor:
By picking a point in our drawing, we basically inform Plex-Earth Lite to display imagery that will cover the area specified by the selected point and the current viewport in AutoCAD. Plex-Earth Lite then automatically provides a Google Maps View by applying the highest zoom level possible depending on the size of the specified area:
B. By Viewport
In this case, we will have to define the extents of the area we would like to add a Google Maps View by utilizing the current viewport in AutoCAD. We can alter our viewport according to our needs by zooming in or out in our drawing, and once done, we select the Google Maps View command found on the Imagery Panel of Plex-Earth Lite, and then click Get by viewport. Plex-Earth Lite then automatically provides a Google Maps View by applying the highest zoom level possible depending on the size of the specified area, as shown in the screenshot below:
In case we would like to alter the current viewport, we can zoom in or out in our drawing and hit the Update image by viewport icon found on the Quick View palette:
It is worth noting that both editing options described previously are available in this case as well, and can be found on the Quick View palette:
Therefore, in case we would like to redefine the extents of our area of interest using a point or rectangle, we can hit the ''or specify an area in the drawing'' command.
Step 2: Toggle Visibility
Once our Google Maps View has been added, we can extract valuable information about our project site's morphology, as well as the accuracy of our drawing's digitized elements with respect to their real-life surroundings. In case we need to temporarily hide our Google Maps View with the click of a button, and at the same time maintain the ability to bring it back later without having to repeat the procedure described above, we can use the Toggle Visibility command of Plex-Earth Lite.
The process is as follows:
1) We visit the Imagery Panel of Plex-Earth Lite and hide our Google Maps View by clicking on the Toggle Visibility icon:
Alternatively, we can type ''PXV_IMAGERY_TOGGLE'' in the command line of AutoCAD or BricsCAD.
Once we click ''Toggle Visibility'', Plex-Earth Lite automatically hides our Google Maps View:
2) We visit the Imagery Panel of Plex-Earth Lite again, and make our Google Maps View visible by clicking on the "Toggle Visibility" icon:
Alternatively, we can type ''PXV_IMAGERY_TOGGLE'' in the command line of AutoCAD or BricsCAD.
Once we click ''Toggle Visibility'', Plex-Earth Lite automatically reveals our Google Maps View:
Conclusion
Plex-Earth Lite was developed to give you a glimpse of what Plex-Earth has to offer. The Lite version of our software comes with only a few of the basic features of Plex-Earth, yet constitutes a very powerful design and visualization tool, providing drafters with valuable insights into the shape, topology, and morphology of any given project site, regardless of geographic location.
We hope that you have found this tutorial on how to view Google Maps imagery in AutoCAD with Plex-Earth Lite, helpful. Feel free to contact us at support@plexscape.com for any questions you may still have.
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Compatibility includes:
AutoCAD Version: 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016
Civil 3D® Version: 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016
AutoCAD Architecture Version: 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016
BricsCAD Pro: V22 , V21