GOOGLE EARTH TO SKETCHUP... IS IT POSSIBLE

3DModellers

I am developing a sketchup model. It is actually of a certain place in New york. I need to model the streets and the surrounding buildings. Its ok if the model of the buildings is in box form like the ones we have in google earth. So,i thought the best way would be to download them straightway from google earth to sketchup.

But the problem is that there is no option in google earth to convert these buildings in sketchup format. Does anyone have a better idea about this?

3DModellers

ehaflett .. but what i need is the box type unnamed grey buildings.

Gaieus

As "ehaflett" said, it is not possible. There might be several reasons why this is so but that's Google's consideration.

The 3D models there are in kmz format which is really just a simple zip file that contains the model info files as well as the exact location, orientation, elevation, textures etc.

SkecthUp cannot even import this format - and I guess there is a good reason for it by Google but that's again "their business". Not to speak about the fact that from GE you cannot even obtain these files for download.

Sorry man, that's fact and no-one can help you with it.

Chris Fullmer

There is a method using a 3d capture utility. There should be some old posts on the process here. I'll see if I can find it.

Chris

Chris Fullmer

ok, I found a message about this in an old archive of posts. This was originally posted by Lewis Wadsworth after I told someone it was not possible:

@unknownuser said:

Actually, you can grab the buildings, along with the terrain that appears in Google Earth. It's a little tricky, but nothing requiring rocket science. This particular technique only works, as far as I know, with a PC, and you will need the applications GLIntercept and OGLE:

http://glintercept.nutty.org/download.html
http://ogle.eyebeamresearch.org/download

What you do with these programs is literally to intercept the OpenGL instructions to your video card from Google Earth, and then convert them to a standard mesh. Obviously, for this to work you have to have Google Earth running in OpenGL mode, not DirectX. Also, as noted in the OGLE instructions:

"Some applications do not seem to want to function (i.e. they crash!) with GLIntercept if the real OpenGL32.dll is in the system location. If you are having wierd problems, try the following:

Copy the sytem dll (most likely C:\WINDOWS\system32\opengl32.dll) to your app's directory (name it opengl32.orig.dll or some such)

Set GLSystemLib = "opengl32.orig.dll"; in your gliConfig.ini file."

Google Earth is one of the applications that require that procedure; if you don't copy the system dll into the GE directory, GE will simply not work at all (if you have placed the GLIntercept files in the GE directory). Follow this and the other directions with GLintercept and OGLE very carefully. The end result will be an .obj file that includes what was visible in your screen in GE, along with some odd artifacts. To get this file into SketchUp, you'll have to translate the .obj into something SU opens. Some modelers seem to have difficulty with .obj files created by OGLE, notably 3DS Max. But I have been able to open them just fine with Rhino (and re-export them as .dwg files to SU), and you might try any of the various free translators floating around on the web.

Several things to consider: first, when you intercept OpenGL from GE, you should be looking straight down onto the GE location you want, otherwise your resultant model will not be aligned to the real z-axis. Also, the intercepted model will not have any scale related to real world distances. The way I get around this is to place in Google Earth, prior to using OGLE, a cube of known dimensions (like 100' x 100' x 100') somewhere close to the area I want to capture. When I finally get my captured mesh file into SketchUp, I use that cube to reset the model's scale to reality.

I've attached a .jpg of Boston from GE (note my red 100' cube in the foreground), and a rendering of the cleaned-up SketchUp model of the same area I made using Google Earth and OGLE (and Rhino, to translate the .obj file). The texture on the harbor is a copy of the texture SketchUp imported directly from the same Google Earth location.

I have seen quite a few digital models of Manhattan that were obviously extracted from Google Earth using just this technique. It is probably worth considering Google Earth's licensing restrictions and Google & friends' copyrights before you use a model of a city pulled from Google Earth for any professional purposes.

Lewis

This is another post by Paul Zee:

@unknownuser said:

Junk software:

The OpenGl Extractor, in conjunction with the "Eyebeam" solution, is one of those 'half-ass' programs that barely/rarely work, and require a relatively distracting set-up and maintainance.

Don't bother writing Eyebeam either, if they even bother to respond, you'll be treated like a fool if you ask them why it barely works. (Shoot the messenger/duck the issue type attitude.)

It's a sloppy compile, barely works, and only on about 10% of the systems we tried it on. (We're being generous!)

It also has a very suspicious function... more on this when we know (or care) more.

There's much better "real" software out there for ripping Google Earth... and more coming very soon. Seek and you shall find.

3D Ripper DX works much better for this, and they actually answer support questions and Emails without a condescending "We're smarter than you idiots" tone, or "you must be a moron if you can't get this to work... it works great for us!"

Blender can also do this... (the process is much more straightforward) and again their support is also professional and in depth.

Additionally, I'm aware of at least two programs in the pipeline which will make this junk software a non-issue.

Eyebeam/OGLE: Should stick to feverishly making their little "Dungeons and dragons" nerd figure toys, and leave the real development to someone who knows how to actually write an app that works as advertised every time, for everyone, not just 3% and "everyone else must be a moron".

(What reality/reliability do you expect from the "foam sword and dragon" crowd??! haha)

I'd love to be able to start a whole blog just to pat myself on the back, for doing 3% work!!! Must be nice!

Peace

Gaieus

Thanks Chris - one learns something every day...

True though that it seems to be a tiresome and rather tricky method.

3DModellers

Gaieus... but isnt it true that the latest version of google sketchup provides some tools for importing *.kmz

Gaieus

Well, at least my latest SU can (natively) import these file types: skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, dem, ddf.
SU 5 imports the same file types.
I have an obj importer plugin and I can imagine other plugins, too.
Basically kmz is a zip file with a kml file in it - this tells GE where the model is and how you should look at it (tilt and everything) then a folder with a collada (dae) file in it with the model details and all the texture files (images) you used in the model.
Both the kml and the dae files are of xml format.

Now to be able to import them into SU, you need to find out how to import these files.
Say the kml is not a big problem; all the latitude, longitude and altitude info is written in there and you can just set them as locations.

The dae file is also "readable" - just a little bit longer to redo...

I'm not a computer specialist and practically have never really been interested in importing these things so I don't know further details.

For my city for instance I have all the autodesk survey data with all the buildings in place (2d) so I could reproduce anything exactly in place if I wanted.

3DModellers

Gaieus
Is it possible that I find such a survey in AutoCAD 2D for New York city which I could use to elevate buildings

Pritam

Gaieus

Pritam,

I don't know.
I live in Pécs, Hungary and I have no clue what is available in NY.
Even this is not available for everyone - I just happen to work for the township here at the moment.

linea

Chris

As we have just started to provide a GE building modelling service, I have really carefully read the GE license agreement and emailed Google staff to ask questions. I think that this method could be illegal. It would be good if Craig D or Brad could find out for us all.

IMO it seems a bit unethical. OK, Google modelled NY, so no individual is being exploited if you create a 3d massing model of Manhattan (but it might be illegal). But the vast majority of other modellers are modelling GE stuff on a client - per building basis at a local level. In one shot this software can create a city model that represents hundreds of hours of work, therefore exploiting all those individuals.
Surely this software will be used not just by architecture students but for commercial means.

GE modeling is a very hard service to sell anyway because so many willing modellers do it for free, but from the research that I have done, I believe that there is a growing professional demand for it. The risks that this software poses could really deter commercial clients.