I have recently had to help one of my clients figure out why after Importing Google Earth Image and Surface, he was not able to view the draped image in object viewer and also create a rendered image for visualisation. On further investigation it seemed that he was not the only one and I have come up with a couple of ways to work-around this issue and will discuss this in a way that I would approach it.

ALWAYS ENSURE HARDWARE ACCELERATION IS TURNED OFF

I have found some unwanted results when viewing draped images, and this seems to resolve it every time.

So if you have not yet imported Google Earth images and surfaces, here is a quick run through to get you started…

Before Importing Google Earth images into Civil 3D you should ensure you assign the correct coordinate system first using the Settings Tab from Toolspace.

Once the coordinate system has been assigned, the next step would be to ensure the drawing UNITS are set up.

Type UNITS in the command line and ensure the measurements are meters.

Next we need to import the Google Earth surface and Image. This is done from the Insert TAB from the RIBBON. Ensure you have Google Earth open in the background. If the Image is tilted in Google earth you will get problems, so always ensure you type the letter “R” in Google Earth to re-orient your view North and have it fly to an orthographic TOP view.

In Civil 3D, pick Google Earth drop down and choose Google Earth Image and Surface.

You are prompted on the command line to choose a coordinate system or use the coordinate system assigned to the drawing.

Click Enter to accept the drawing coordinate system.

Select the Surface from the drawing and then choose to Drape image from the Context sensitive Ribbon.

Next you will switch to a SW Isometric view using the Viewcube.

With the surface still selected > right-click and choose Object viewer to see if the surface has draped successfully. (ensure you have turned of Hardware acceleration)

Close Object viewer.

The Greyscale Image that has been imported can easily be replaced with a colour image by pointing to it from the xref manager. It will help if you save the image first in Google Earth to a location on your computer. Choose the screen size option (if you have the Pro version of Google Earth installed you will have Premium options to increase the amount of pixels, however this does not match the screen size, so some external editing to match the size will be required if you go with the premium option)

Rendering the Image (1)

Type Render in the command line

If you get a scenario where the surface you are rendering appears Black you need to do the following.

Right click the View Cube.

Change from Parallel to Perspective, then zoom extents. You might find switching between these three options (a couple of times) will sort it out as this is a workaround and not a fixed solution. Using the Navigation Wheel you will need to navigate to your surface. The navigation wheel has a center button that will allow you to create a new center point overriding the current perspective point in your model. Using the zoom button from the navigation wheel makes zooming allot easier than using the middle mouse button. This will take some getting use to but I encourage you to get the hang of it to help in future.

Use ZOOMFACTOR System variable and choose between 3 – 300 for zoom sensitivity if you are using the middle mouse button.

Center the image, then using the zoom from the navigation wheel resize the image to fit your screen.

If you type render now you should have a rendered image appear.

Use the System Variable RPREF to access the advanced render settings tab to be able to render in a viewport rather than a window.

The finished result should look something like this.

Rendering the Image (2)

Type Render in the command line

If you get a drawing where the Image appears very small in the bottom left corner or you just get a grey surface rather than the image. When draping the Image from Google Earth, a new render material is created from the image, and the render material is applied to the surface (so you want to check that this is correctly applied) another reason this may happen is because the units were not assigned before importing the Image (discussed earlier in this Blog)

To fix this do the following;

First type MATERIALS to open the materials browser in Civil 3D, double click the appropriate material assigned to the surface.

This will open the materials editor. Choose to edit the image.

Using the Scale option, replace Width and Height to read 39.370. This conversion results from a simple conversion factor (1m = 39.37inches)

This should cover most of the issues that I have stumbled on, however I will keep an eye out for any further issues that may arise.

To find out more about any of the Google related products for conceptual design you should visit our website and follow the link to our training courses.

http://www.excitech.co.uk/training/training_courses.asp

We run numerous training sessions here at Excitech and whilst, as an authorised training centre we have to gather feedback from all attendees after they have attended training, we always encourage feedback throughout the course to ensure that we are meeting expectations, so it was really appreciated to find this little sketch on the whiteboard after the final break from my latest training session today.

Thanks to all who attended and I hope you enjoyed attending the course as much as I enjoyed delivering it.

The course was Revit Architecture essentials, obviously…

As part of a planned series of User Groups and technical Forums, Excitech held an Infrastructure User Group meeting in Enfield on May 11th, 2010.

The purpose of the User Group was to bring together engineers and technicians who work in Infrastructure Design in order to show the latest software solutions and for everyone to share their experience of using the solutions in practice.

The day was kicked off with an overview of the latest 2011 versions of AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D, with Jack Strongitharm of Autodesk showing off his Civil 3D skills once again!

Robert Issott of Arups presented the user case study, and judging from the feedback we received everyone was really impressed with what he has been doing with Civil 3D.

Particularly impressive was the Bradford Mirror Pool project which shows just how versatile Civil 3D can be with a bit of lateral thinking. Our thanks to Robert for stepping up to the mark to give this presentation.

We finished the morning off with a look at some complementary solutions, such as Autodesk Dynamite VSP, Navisworks and the Civil 3D bridge modelling toolkit.  Steve Rudge, who has recently joined Excitech as our Senior Consultant for MEP and Plant solutions, gave an overview of Plant in the Environment using Plant 3D. This was an excellent presentation and served to highlight the fact that there are other solutions that could be considered for designing utility plant in conjunction with Civil 3D.

After a brief lunch, we started the afternoon with a look at Autodesk LandXplorer, a great product which entered the Autodesk portfolio last year, and is used for developing and presenting Digital City models

.

Lawrence Hooker, our resident structural and mechanical guru gave another great presentation on Collaboration and Design Data workflow. Here he looked at how we can better integrate some of the Autodesk products, sharing data between Civil 3D and Revit, and Civil 3D and Inventor.

Jack Strongitharm once again took the stage with some really useful Tips and Tricks, showing how Civil 3D can link dynamically with MX using the Genio import/export tool and data shortcuts. He then showed off the new borehole import tool, and ended with a look at creating surfaces for visualisation.

After coffee it was the turn of Pierre Vogel, one of our Application Specialists, who showed off his expertise in Civil 3D and all things Google. He showed us how to use Google Earth with Civil 3D, exporting Civil models and importing Google Earth images and surfaces. He followed that up with a stunning presentation on using Google Earth as a mapping and GIS tool, which really showed what can be achieved with this free mapping service.

To round the day off there was a brief discussion and feedback session, where we discussed what was shown and what users would like to see in the next event.

I’d like to thank everyone who take time out of their busy schedules to attend this event. I hope that you found the day interesting and worthwhile, and we look forward to seeing you all again at the next one.

Excitech have recently launched a new video portal to highlight the enhanced functionality of the Autodesk solutions portfolio, which provides access to a wide range of short focussed demonstrations of each solution in the main industry segments.

The video portal can be accessed via the following link: http://www.excitech.co.uk/2011w

Once you have selected the relevant industry from the link at the top of the page, you can choose to filter the list of available videos either by product:

Or by type, such as the ‘New Features’ of the latest release:

When you click on the topic you are interested in, one of Excitech’s many specialists will present the relevant functionality in the side panel; which can also be expanded to full screen for added convenience:

For those of you with smartphones, such as the iPhone, the mobile version of this portal will provide easy access to this information on the move, so you can get the information that you need while getting to work in the morning!

This portal will be updated with new videos regularly on additional products, features and future subscription enhancements, as they are made available; so please sign up for the video update notifications using the link at the bottom of the page!

Enjoy!!!

Autodesk today announced the release of the next round of product updates across their entire range, including AutoCAD 2011, Revit Architecture 2011 & Inventor Professional 2011 which includes a vast array of improved functionality and performance enhancements.

For further information on each of these solutions please follow the link below and select the relevant product for your own specific market discipline:

Autodesk & AutoCAD 2011

A number of people have asked me if it’s possible to handle OS MasterMap COU (Change Only Updates) with Map 3D. I have often advised that it is best to get your GIS department to deal with it! Failing that there are some third party apps that can manage this for you.

However, if Map 3D is your only platform and you haven’t the budget for more software, there is a workflow that you can use. This method will work if you have got your OS data in SDF format. The COU files from the OS are in the same format as the MasterMap .gz files – so you can import them into Map 3D. The image below shows the original OS data connected via SDF, and the red imported COU .gz file on top. Here you can see a lot of the polygons have been changed. Often it’s only the attributes that have changed, so don’t be alarmed if it seems like everything has changed!

The first step is to export the COU data into a new SDF file, and then connect to it. Make sure you have at least exported the TOID attribute with the polygons.

With both your original file and the COU data connected, you can create a table join between the two data sets. Select the original OS data layer in Display Manager, and then call up the attribute table. From the Options button at the bottom of the table you can Create a Join..

In this example we will select the COU data source for the Table to join to, and match the TOID fields from both data sets. Make sure you select the “Keep all record on the left” option.

With the data from both sources joined, you can easily see from the table which items have been updated. You might be tempted at this stage to try and filter the data to show all the records that match the COU file and then select the data to delete it.

However, if you try this you’ll probably get a message like the one below – it is very slow checking out a lot of features in one go, and it’s not the best way to handle this.

Instead, we can select the layer with the joined data in Display Manager, and export to a new SDF file. Connect to this new SDF file. This will give us a new data source with the fields from both tables included. Notice in the image below we have the original TOID field, and the joined COU TOID field.

Notice that some of the COU TOID fields have Null values – these represent the polygons that haven’t changed. We now need a way to isolate these. We can do this by using a query to filter the data. Select the layer in Display Manager and right click, then select Query to Filter Data. (Note that you could also do this as you connect to the data using a query to add to the map).

The query condition I used was NullValue("Cambridge COU|TOID", ‘0′) = ‘0′

The NullValue part is a conversion – if the property (in this case the attribute field ‘Cambridge COU|TOID’) is a Null value, then it will return the second portion which is a text value of ‘0’. I can then test to see if this matches ‘0’ to filter the data set to show only those polygons where the field is empty.

The map will now show the data you need to keep – the polygons that haven’t been updated in the COU. The image below shows the queried data together with the imported COU data in Map 3D.

The final step is to export the layer again as a new SDF file, and then export the COU data to the same SDF, choosing the append option.

You now have the unchanged OS data combined with the COU data in a new SDF file.

Excitech’s HQ, the Design Technology Centre, is now on Google Earth in 3D, using a mixture of photography and visualisation.

How we achieved this and the tools which we used may be of value to you as you seek to increase the profile of your organisation and its design projects as well as communicate your design intent to project partners, clients and maybe even planners.

Imagine building a 3D model of your company or better yet your own home and then having the ability to post this 3D model to Google Earth for the entire world to see. This service is available through Google Earth and SketchUp. This blog entry will step through the process I followed to create a 3D Textured model of Excitech Ltd.  which was then added to the Google Earth Layer for everyone to see.

Image 1  -  Excitech Ltd. offices inside the Design Technology Centre found in Google Earth (just search for “Excitech”)

How it was achieved:

I started my project and used Google SketchUp to model the building based on photographs taken from our company (Design Technology Centre) I did not have a great camera so I decided to involve my training manager to see if he could capture some shots of our building for me to use.  The process followed is called “Photo Matching”. This technique requires a couple of images of existing buildings.  Sketchup has the ability to match the perspective view from your  photos and you simply model over it. Similar to tracing on a piece of paper, except your end result being a 3D model  (see Image 2 of a typical example) Alternatively you could use rendered images of your building if you have modelled it up in other software applications such as AutoCAD, 3DS MAX and Revit to mention a few. Photo matching is a great way to quickly model surroundings without having to get too caught up with the aesthetics or overcomplicating the process.

Now it gets a little more interesting, I took the photographs and started using Gimp to edit out all the vehicles that was parked in front of our building that blocked my view of the windows, on the day the photos were taken. I soon realised that my photo editing techniques were a bit rusty and decided to call in the 3DS Max expert from our Consultancy department. He had previously created our building in 3D with allot more detail than I had expected but the part I was interested in was the Rendered images he produced inside 3DS MAX. I Imported these rendered images as Textures for my 3D model as seen in Image 1. You will notice how I used the satellite imagery for the roof texture to make the terrain blend a little more seamlessly, when viewed in Google Earth.

Image 2  - Typical Matched Photo used to create a 3D model from

Loading the model to the Google Earth Layer was the next step. This “Layer” I refer to is controlled by Google and you can add to this layer in a number of different ways. Allot of Non Profit organisations use this Layer and I have recently seen some content posted that covers the Haiti Earthquake devastation, but that’s another discussion all together. Back to the project, inside Google SketchUp you have the ability to import Geographically referenced satellite images from Google Earth. Let me explain this a little further. Lets imagine you download Google Earth (Free of Pro Version) you type your postal address in the Google Earth search bar. Google Earth flies to your address and shows you a plan view satellite image of your site.  You then download Google SketchUp and press the “Get current view” icon form the available toolbars  This automatically imports the geographically referenced satellite image from Google Earth into SketchUP as well as the terrain data. So if you live on a mountain you will see a mountain in SketchUp after importing your view. It’s that easy! Use this Satellite image as the base for your model. Trace over your building outlines, draw a couple of shapes and before you know it you have a 3D model ready to upload. It’s that simple! Now all you do is click the “Share models” icon from the available toolbars, to load your model to the 3D Warehouse, which is a free online storage location for users to access and share 3D models. (see http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/)

You first need to sign in using your GMAIL account, if you do not have an account create a GMAIL account  and create a user profile, then start the review process. There are a couple of things you should be aware of though.

Google reviews every model that is placed on the Google Earth Layer to verify the building exist in the real world. So you will need to meet some criteria which are all covered in my Geo-modelling training course. I share tips on getting your model grounded which is absolutely essential and also ways to improve your models file size as there are some restrictions to file size. Excitech is an Authorized Training Centre of Google Sketchup and Google Earth so I suggest you find out which courses are available and start to leave your digital footprint on the Virtual Planet called Google Earth. The review procedure takes roughly 7 working days and you will be awarded a Blue Ribbon status for you model when accepted by the 3D Warehouse team. (See image 3 for a view of the 3D Warehouse Blue Ribbon status) As you start to create these 3D models people will start to recognise your work through the on line profile you created and may start to use your buildings as entourage in projects they are busy with. I can honestly say that you will find almost anything imaginable under the sun inside the 3D warehouse and is a great online resource for things like trees, buildings, people, vehicles etc.

Image 3 - Blue Ribbon status verified for 3D Model

Some other features that you will find very useful is marketing yourself in Google Earth, so to help with this you will notice when you hover over the 3D building inside Google Earth it highlights blue. When you left  click on it a “Pop up Balloon” appears. This Balloon can be populated with specific information about your organization as well  as contact details and many other key features. If you are using the Google Earth Plug-in inside your company website you can use HTML, You tube videos, Images and many other great features inside these customizable “Pop up balloons” but that is a whole other chapter waiting to be discussed.

Feel free to visit our company website to take advantage of our Google Accredited Training courses by simply following this link: Google Earth Story - http://www.excitech.co.uk/news/geomodelling_with_google_earth.asp then simply click on the Sketchup and Google Earth training courses tab to find out more about each course.

We held a few 3ds Max drop in sessions last year, these were an opportunity for an informal, 1-2-1 discussion with Autodesk’s guru Jamie Gwilliam. They went down very well with those lucky enough to secure a slot so we’ve decided to hold another on the 11th February at our Enfield office.

So, this is your chance to bag a slot before they all go – I say ‘all’, as they’re 1-2-1, there’s actually only five available, so be quick!

The idea is you can discuss any issues you have with regard to workflows, techniques and best practices. This applies whether you’re an existing user of 3ds Max or Max Design or just interested to see how Max can help your business. It would also be really helpful to bring along some examples of your latest projects on a USB drive.

So don’t be shy, this is a rare opportunity for a free of charge, 1-2-1 discussion, with one of Autodesk’s top 3D gurus! Either contact your Excitech Account Manager or you can register by clicking here!

Paul

If you have installed Google SketchUp 7.1 and found some BUGSPLATS then I would say “you’re not alone!” With new features and added functionality often comes a minefield of errors waiting to surprise you as you make new breakthroughs in your daily designs.

Today there is new Hope! and it’s called “Maintenance 1″

Of course you should be aware that this has been made public a while ago so do not wait, get it installed immediately to relieve yourself from those annoying “bugs” The Maintenance 1 only fixes bugs and does not add any new features.

You can download the latest update when you follow this link: http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=43176

You can read the release notes that will tell you a whole lot more about the bugs that has been fixed as well as the known errors that still exist by following this link: http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=141303

Here at Excitech, there’s little time to attend team-building events. As you’re aware, a fairly typical session will involve a staff member falling backwards off a ladder and (hopefully) into the arms of co-workers in an effort to build mutual trust. The whole day culminates with one colleague leading the others in a heartfelt rendition of ‘Cumbaya’. At Excitech, we build teams the old-fashioned way: through work!

It’s very clear to me that no single consultant can offer the breadth of software knowledge or domain expertise to cover all disciplines, project types and data exchanges. Despite this, our clients need to exchange design data to fulfil the various requirements of all parties involved in the design and construction process.

Last week, an interoperability problem that confronted a colleague was enough of a challenge to bring us all out of ’lone-wolf consultant’ mode. I already owed him a favour for agreeing to deliver his expertise in an online ADB-Revit customer presentation earlier this month, so we both set to work on it.

According to Revit orthodoxy, the export should have gone like this:

1. Link CAD file into Revit Site (host) file.

2. Use True North and Re-locate Project Position (Manage Ribbon) to coordinate datums in host file with imported CAD file. Pin CAD file to prevent unintended displacement.

2. Acquire co-ordinates from CAD file. The Revit Site file is now geo-referenced and uses shared co-ordinates.

3. Create toposurface from imported contours or Civil 3D surface.

4. In preparation for linking each model file to the Site file, duplicate Internal Location, rename (say, Site Position A) and make current in each model (as below). In Revit, a Location stores the site position and orientation of a linked model and allows you to publish these data from one Revit file to another.

4. Link Revit Models to Site file and position these linked files correctly on site.

5. Publish coordinates to each linked model.

6. Export to AutoCAD DWG using shared co-ordinates.

7. Open in AutoCAD and Pronounce the word ‘SIMPLE’ with Meerkat intonation!

In an earlier blog, Dave Bosworth stepped us through this process (http://www.technology4design.com/?p=625) using the Revit 2010 Survey Point and Project Base Point.

At the customer site, this export didn’t work. The screen froze at 50% during the export to DWG using shared co-ordinates.  I tried the customer’s Revit file  on a test computer at Enfield and the same thing happened. Perhaps the model was too large, or maybe there were known limitations on the use of this feature. To compound this issue, we can never know exactly how the customer has adjusted the file, but we still need to fix the problem.

In collaboration, we logically reviewed alternatives to DWG export. We finally settled on the new 2010 Building Site Export feature.

1. We saved the Plan View to a separate Revit file.

2. As explained before, we opened this new file and established a new Location.

3. We inserted this file into the original and published the CAD co-ordinates into it. So, when we opened the Plan View Revit file, it displayed the correct N/E co-ordinates.

4. We exported this Revit file in ADSK Building Site format.

5. I’d like to now say that I used my extensive knowledge of Civil 3D to import the ADSK file, but I can’t. Although, I tried the Civil 3D Import Building Site feature, I could only see the Building Footprint in plan. Civil 3D is not my forte, so I asked Dave Bosworth, our Civils/GIS expert to help me out.

He indicated that I needed to customise the Building Site Style to make the Building Model visible in plan.

So thanks to everyone involved, the problem was solved. All of this proves that ‘there’s no I in TEAM’, but… I was first to blog about this, and there’s definitely an I in WINNER!