Surprise, Surprise, Surprise … Autodesk Guts Google Earth From AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013
In working with the newly released AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, it surprised me to find out that Autodesk gutted Google Earth functionality from this latest C3D version. After not finding the formerly available Google Earth commands in the Import Panel on the Ribbon Insert Tab, I searched on Google for an explanation (ironic, isn’t it?).
What I found was the following Autodesk forum post by an AutoCAD Civil 3D Senior Product Manager:
While I’m not thrilled by getting an explanation that Google Earth utilities are not included in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013, and I’m happy to know that Autodesk will post any potential announcements (if any) on “various channels including Autodesk Labs, Facebook, Blogs and the Civil 3D Discussion Group”, it’s not as effective and open as an explanation clearly posted on the Autodesk, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Product Page!
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What’s Your Opinion Regarding Autodesk Gutting Google Earth in AutoCADCivil 3D 2013?
So I ask you the following questions (please leave your comments below):
- Should Autodesk have been clearer in letting subscription purchasers and new purchasers of AutoCAD Civil 3D know that Google Earth functionality is not included in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013?
- Did you use Google Earth data in earlier AutoCAD Civil 3D releases and will miss this functionality?
- Or, could you care less, as you rarely if ever used Google Earth data?
Comments
2 responses to “AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Guts Google Earth”
Clearly, Autodesk has some work to do. Autodesk must up with the future of their products and the necessary adjustments that go along with their customers. As the saying goes, a rolling stone gathers no moss. Autodesk has not been rolling much lately. In the lyrics of “The Rolling Stones”, “hey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloud”, there may be a harbinger for Autodesk. I wish for Autodesk that they remove their collective heads from the proverbial cloud that has been a magic carpet ride for so many years, and insert it into the only cloud that can help them now; the only cloud where computing and competing in the industry are now possible. – Scott D. Warner, R.L.S.
The Google functionality was one of the features I was looking forward to in Civil 3D 2013. I am a return Auto CAD user from quite a few years ago and I am relearning. I primarily do Floodplain Engineering and I expect to use Civil 3D 2013 to prepare surfaces and cross section for export/import into HEC-RAS. This is of primary importance to me and my job. The Google earth was one of the tools that I was looking forward to as a source of data which included visual terrain data which is important to the development of both the hydrologic and hydraulic models. I work as a floodplain engineer for a local municipality in Pima County, Arizona. Right off hand are there any more surprises that I may encounter as I learn to uses the surface and cross section functionality of Civil 3D 2013? I am looking for a good user forum to join in my endeavor to gain proficiency in AutoCAD.