Imagery no longer available ... WTF?

mozzie

So, after a couple of months not using SU, I get into my version of SU8 Pro and it no longer has access to the GE imagery. Now, I realise I'm a hold out for using S8 Pro, but I don't use it enough to justify the annual fee based Trimble version and I can work with its foibles (a couple of ruby bits I wrote + some sketchucation hero rubies).
<rant>
BUT I depend on the access to GE terrain, and when that's gone, my licence is useless. I originally paid for Pro so that I could have this function, use it commercially, and amortise the cost over a few years. Trimble's model might be great for architects, but it wasn't for me. And now I get some message that "3D warehouse is no longer available on this version" and it seems, neither is Earth imagery. Am I missing something or are Trimble being bloody minded about us square pegs?

Now, I don't expect things to go on in perpetuity, but the removal of this functionality is fairly arbitrary, and given that the infrastructure remains in place (Google Earth) ... an unnecessarily heavy handed. There will be some who say "Shut up cry baby! Its free enterprise. Leave this professional software to the real users who love the Trimble way".
But its sad, because from the get go, the Sketchup experience was otherwise, even during the Google years.

In my day job, I work in education, where SU has some credibility; can't say I'll be an advocate any more.
</rant>

Any suggestions on good substitute software?

juju

this has been covered before, I wish the admins would make a sticky of it...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=62489

The main reason, as I understand it, for this is because Trimble acquired Sketchup from Google, part of the deal was support from Google for a limited time for features introduced under their ownership. Since Google Earth is not a Trimble product further development and linking to the brand doesn't work. That period has passed and, as such, so is the linked functionality.

Have you tried Google Earth Pro (it's free now, by the way) to see if you can get the info you normally imported automatically?

Hopefully you don't use MS XP anymore, MS stopped support for it, that doesn't mean that MS is a bad company, just that it is a legacy software that doesn't warrant support any longer.