topic Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace? in Modeling

Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:21:03 GMT

Is there a way to overlay a Google map? I would like to trace roads and sidewalks onto my plan view.
Not sure if this is the right forum. Thanks in advance

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Erwin Edel — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:32:43 GMT

The Google Earth application allows you to save images of the satelite pictures and you can have a little scale bar allowing you to resize by estimation.

However, depending on where you live, I would say it would be easier to get vectorial drawing of those things. For example in the Netherlands (where I live and work) we have a free database for this sort of government mapping information. The GIS community ussually has good information on how to extract this information. Our office has setup a file with QGIS which loads information from a database of the national topographic charts, from this file I can save a DWG export which I can load into ARCHICAD.

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:48:54 GMT

Thank you!

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Carstenem — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 05:10:31 GMT

I got the perfect quick coffee tip tutorial for you !

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 19:59:32 GMT

Very cool. Thanks

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Bricklyne Clarence — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 23:26:24 GMT

You could also check out this site.
Good resource for a lot of large cities almost anywhere on Earth, so depending on where you live you could get anywhere from DWG plans to trace over, up to and including 3D for the surrounding context buildings (sketchup, Rhino and DXF/DWG formats) that you can import into ArchiCAD.

https://cadmapper.com/

I find it's best to use a multiple variety of sources.

With most large cities it helps to check with you local large universities or college's Geology departments that typically keep a downloadable database of the GIS Geological survey information with site contours and linework that ArchiCAD can import directly.

As mentioned, most city departments also keep downloadable digital(DWG) databases of their municipalities road, site, and even building outline files So be sure to check with them too.
And of course the easiest (or at least most accessible) is Google Earth Pro (if you have it)and Google Maps which you can download from directly from your browser (but in rasterized JPG format, so less accurate but good enough for tracing over).

Sketchup used to have the ability to extract sites (including 3D height and neighboring building 3D) directly from Google Earth, but unfortunately since they were sold off by Google and bought by Trimble, that capability has been seriously curtailed.
You can still get good site snapshots to use as a basis for modeling your site Mesh or even in place of a mesh.
It's been a life-saver for me in the past.

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Steve Jepson — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 11:45:33 GMT

The county Tax Assessor's Maps in .pdf can also be useful. Explode them if needed and you have a good start on doing some other tricks to get what you need. Did someone on already mention drawing a line of some known distance in the image, then stretching the image to fit that line where is supposed to match?

http://maps.newtown-ct.gov/

Re: Overlaying a Google Map to trace?

Carstenem — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 20:57:51 GMT

Steve wrote:
Did someone on already mention drawing a line of some known distance in the image, then stretching the image to fit that line where is supposed to match?

Yes and it is nicely shown off in my quick coffee tip above