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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

Level curves with autocad

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

Level curves with autocadOnce 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.

Level curves with autocad

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.

Curve-of-level-with-autocad3

Level curves with autocad

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.

Golgi Alvarez

Writer, researcher, specialist in Land Management Models. He has participated in the conceptualization and implementation of models such as: National Property Administration System SINAP in Honduras, Management Model of Joint Municipalities in Honduras, Integrated Cadastre-Registry Management Model in Nicaragua, Territory Administration System SAT in Colombia . Editor of the Geofumadas knowledge blog since 2007 and creator of the AulaGEO Academy that includes more than 100 courses on GIS - CAD - BIM - Digital Twins topics.

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6 Comments

  1. In the left menu there is a dialog box where you write the word contour lines and you will have the articles related to the topic. Also above, in the top menu you can search for “all about topography” there are many topics listed.

    Greetings.

  2. I WOULD LIKE THAT IF YOU CAN SHARE ME SOMETHING OF LEVEL CURVES THANKS I AM ING. CIVIL AND I AM INCURSING IN THE TOPOGRAPHY

  3. excellent page, I really have served many tips that are given here. I am a civilian and before I had used the autodesk land desktop. At this moment I am beginning to familiarize myself with the civil 3D 2012 and little by little I am understanding things, although I am missing a lot. I would like to know if they have information on how the calculation of modified topographies is, until now I have only come to create surfaces, profiles and cross sections.

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