Plugin for importing large GE terrain areas into Sketchup?

Aerilius

What we'd need is to make sure to pan exactly much enough...

You are funny, the API has no method for that

And if there was a possibility, it would be a very ugly, evil hack ("Don't be evil"). But maybe some ruby scripter just needs to have a creative moment...
The problems to solve is:

we don't know the zoom factor
we don't know the window size
we don't know the size of the selected rectangle
we can't evoke the "grab location" (the user would do it manually)

@aceshigh said:

what if you could have the logo only in the large image

We should be careful when interpreting the TOS. Several individual terrain patches consist of individual image files - and each one needs to have a copyright hint (probably Google has no specific rule for the distance where the logo appears, but rather it could be disallowed to remove the logo in any way).

Gaieus

When we grab a piece of terrain (or even before; when we select it), is there any way to tell the co-ordinates of the corners of that rubber band rectangle? (If not, any further discussion is futile of course but I was hoping).

Actually Vue can grab a GE region and then add a surrounding region to that (more detailed) central region and create an editable terrain this way. I just hoped that a "more native" (i.e. Google) application can do at least as much as a completely external app.

AcesHigh

so VUE can import directly from GoogleEarth?? With the textures? And how big an area can it import?

Gaieus

No textures I guess (Guess!) as it would be quite different from what Vue is for. But maybe textures. I do not exactly know as I do not use Vue - we should ask Pete (I only read this in a tutorial or was it a video?).

Plex

I second!

It is almost painful that one needs to jump hoops to use GE with Sketchup. I use pretty good product with AutoCAD that works fine for the purpose intended (plex.earth tools from plexscape.com), so it should be expected that after purchasing SU8 Pro and GE Pro you should have tolerable work-flow. Even C4D has plugin.

AcesHigh

@plex said:

I second!

It is almost painful that one needs to jump hoops to use GE with Sketchup. I use pretty good product with AutoCAD that works fine for the purpose intended (plex.earth tools from plexscape.com), so it should be expected that after purchasing SU8 Pro and GE Pro you should have tolerable work-flow. Even C4D has plugin.

being able to select a large area, and Sketchup automatically importing several pieces and mounting the puzzle should be a must. If possible, also select areas of "focus", so in those areas Sketchup will import smaller, higher res pieces. If possible, already drapping the most detailed pieces over the larger, less detailed ones, and joining the higher detailed terrains (more triangles) with the less detailed ones (less triangles), in the borders only, of course...

AcesHigh

Im still sweating here... had to import like a hundred different pieces from GoogleEarth... and now I am having to CUT the pieces (because several of them overlap in some place or other). This is terrible... I use Zorro to cut the pieces but it is IMMENSE work!

Hanstania

I also miss a more advance plugin when it comes to grabbing terrain!

mitcorb

These are just ideas that came to mind as I read the thread:
I had thought that either TIG, or thomthom, or possibly Pixero had dealt with this issue and had come up with a "stitcher" of some sort? And it seems that maybe "brookefox" had discussed the same issue?
I did do a search in Plugins Index. Maybe my keywords weren't right.

AcesHigh

actually, after my requests, some interesting plugins were created that really helped me with my project. Too bad the threads arent linked...

but check here
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=40627&hilit=terrain+mesh

here are SdMitch plugins... check the Terrain Tools plugin, which is basically his two terrain plugins plus an extra function.

mitcorb

There you go. I did not think of using "terrain" an obvious keyword variable.

Kenny

There was an application called Google Map Buddy which would automatically stitch together GE files to allow very high resolution images to be created from Google Earth. You would however have to import them and project them onto the terrain manually. Unfortunately Google took exception to it and made the software writer take it down (http://www.augmentedrealitysoftware.co.uk/gmb.html). It might still be available if you (ironically!) do a Google search though.

AcesHigh

If any plugin wizard is bored without nothing to do, importing really large terrain areas (or automatically importing several small detailed areas) is a feature still missing on Sketchup.

Juantxo

I just added a feature in Skelion plugin to add large terrain mesh. It uses NASA’s SRTM Elevation data. The bad news are that it is a pro feature and there is no good interpolation, so in some areas like Tibet you can appreciate the errors.
No image terrain imported.

In the image you can see maximum area of SketchUp and the mesh exported with Skelion.