Overlay SketchUp in Google Earth 3D

[Teal Pete]

I built a model of an entire neighborhood in SketchUp: houses, trees, topography, etc. I would like to be able to display it in 3D in the context of the surrounding neighborhoods, but when I import the SketchUp model as a KMZ into Google Earth, my model conflicts with the existing buildings and vegetation on the site. If I turn the existing buildings and trees off (3D Buildings > Photorealistic) in Google Earth, it turns the hi-res topography off with it.

Is there a way to import a SketchUp model into Google Earth so that the land area where my model exists is cropped out from the Google Earth model?

I also have access to Photoshop, so if there is a solution to this issue involving Photoshop, I should be able to utilize that method. However, I already tried overlaying an exported image from SketchUp onto an exported image from Google Earth - using the same Scene/Placemark Snapshot - for both images, but the images do not align due to what seems to be a difference in camera lens settings between the two programs. I scoured the internet, but could not find a way to view/alter the camera lens settings in Google Earth in order to match them in/to SketchUp.

I also tried the Match Photo tool in SketchUp, but the dialog box and pins are incredibly difficult to use. For a model like this that is not a simple, rectangular building and needs to be rendered on all sides in 2D, Match Photo is not a feasible solution.

Any ideas?

[pbacot]

Can you overlay a GE image with your model (and no hi-res topography) and the regular GE image in Photoshop? Seems like what you were trying to do but both images would be in GE.

[mozzie]

I'm not sure what you want to achieve, but one possible solution is to save a GE image at the highest resolution (File -> Save then use the Map Options to turn off all except Scale; Resolution Maximum) and import that into SU as an image. You can then use the Scale on the image to scale image properly.

You can then place your model in SU, covering the GE image of your buildings.

If you want this to include terrain/ elevation, it's doable but more complex. See my earlier post for some of the details.