Generate Google Earth Curves with AutoCAD

I talked a while ago about Plex.Earth Tools for AutoCAD, An interesting tool that aside from importing, Create mosaics Georeferenced images and To digitize accurately, you can also do various common routines in the surveying area. This time I want to show the generation of contour lines from Google Earth.

Perhaps the fact that it was built by a Civil Engineer involved in technologies, Plex.Earth does just what technical users expect from Google Earth from the AutoCAD side, with support for more than 2,000 coordinate systems.

What version of AutoCAD

Plex.Earth works from the AutoCAD 2007 version to AutoCAD 2012, for both 32 and 64 bits.

One of the interesting things is that it has no limitations to be a basic version, to Difference CivilCAD which occupies a full version. Although I clarify, that CivilCAD can generate contour lines but not import georeferenced image or digital model from Google Earth.

Ways to import dots

You have at least 4 ways of importing points:

• From the grid (on Grid): For this, it is only required to indicate two points in the drawing, the ends of the rectangle. The great advantage of this case is that the grid will be rotated orthogonal to the line.
• With a defined area (On Area): For this, in AutoCAD we select a polyline, regardless of the shape, it will extract it and the grid will be orthogonal to the geographic north / south.
• From Current View: This will bring up the entire box of our view in AutoCAD
• From an area defined in Google Earth: Similar to the second, with the difference that the area is defined in the Google Earth deployment

Once the criterion is defined, it is possible with the letter S (Settings) or with right button to choose the type of objects that we hope to import:

• Points
• Curves directly
• The digital model as surface

Then we indicate how often we want the grid, and before doing that, it asks us if we are sure. Obviously, for massive quantities your world could take a while, but this is one of the most valuable features, which would do What it tries to do Microstation and Civil3D where the image comes in black and white and without grid precision.

Next, we indicate how often we want the main and secondary curves. Also in which layers we expect the objects.

Curve generation

The color of the curves will depend on the layer, see how curves are generated using the grid or the defined area as a contour.

The data inside can be combined with field surveys, and besides generating contours and surfaces, you can also calculate volume differences between two surfaces or with a flat surface.

In my opinion, the best application for AutoCAD that really interacts with Google Earth, simply leaves in diapers applications like ContouringGE which in itself was complicated to install. A good investment that it produces, if our field is topography or design.

Plex.Earth can be Download for free, In a trial period of 15 days.