Title: Draping a Google Earth Image Over a Surface Model
Created: 2011-07-27
Last modified: 2024-04-09
Starting with Carlson 2010, it is possible to extract geo-referenced imagery from Google Earth. Since Google Earth saves images in the JPG file format, a conversion process is needed to create an uncompressed TIF format to be used in the Surface 3D FlyOver command. The process outlined below is one method that can be followed:
From the Settings menu, click Drawing Setup to establish the proper coordinate system for the project.
From the Settings menu, click Carlson Menus â GIS Menu.
From the Images menu, click Place Google Earth Image. A JPG image (i.e. BaseMap.JPG) will be saved to the hard-drive and inserted into the drawing.
Once the image has been placed into the drawing, a corresponding "world file" will need to be created. From the Images menu, click Image World File â Create by Image in Drawing. Select the Google Earth image in the drawing. An associated JPW (i.e. BaseMap.JPW) file has been created.
The JPG file and its accompanying World File (JPW) need to be converted into an uncompressed TIF and an accompanying World File (TFW). Use Windows Explorer to copy the file and rename the JPW extension to that of TFW (e.g. BaseMap.TFW).
Use a converter program such as the free and open-source Bulk Image Converter to convert the JPG into an uncompressed TIF image (e.g. BaseMap.TIF).
Once converted, the TIF image can be draped onto a surface model using the Surface 3D FlyOver command.