Finding and Exporting Google Earth Coordinates for survey

SketchUp Pro
,
1

I’m looking for a way to display geolocated coordinates (driven from Google Earth), so that we can load them into GPS equipment and go stake them out. From what I gather, sketchup uses WGS 1984, but the only coordinates I’ve been able to get are based off from the axis that I set. Ideally I would like to use the Point Gadget extension or some equivalent, place that on areas of interest, and be able to get the grid coordinates from them. Any help is appreciated.

2

Ah, nevermind, I found a great plugin that works perfect for this. http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=737. Real pain trying to figure out where to install it though. Here’s the process for that: http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000029.

3

Anything from that site is likely old and not packaged correctly.

You can simply use the Attribute Inspector plugin to view the “GeoReference” attribute dictionary.
[url]Page Not Found | SketchUp Extension Warehouse

You can use Ruby to retrieve the values from the dictionary.

x = Sketchup.active_model.get_attribute("GeoReference","ModelTranslationX")

or

dict = Sketchup.active_model.attribute_dictionaries["GeoReference"]
unless dict.nil?
  dict.each {|k,v| puts "#{k} = #{v}" }
end
4

Dayton:
Sorry if you already know this but your comment about loading and staking coordinates raised a question for me.
You need to be careful what coordinates you use or make sure your data is corrected for any possible datum shift. For example 0 long in the WGS84 datum no longer goes thru Greenwich and older property plats may use a different datum. In fact it is my understanding Trimble now transmits datum shift info over the phone lines so survey crews can get real time info vs having to go back to office to transform GPS data. In addition property plates are independent of elevation giving beraing and distance only to property makers. That means you do not measure down or up slopes.
Just some thoughts for you.

5

Thanks Dan and Mac. I’ll have to check into trimble’s real time
corrections. We’ve always sent our data off to Opus once we have a point
taken in the field which can take some time to get back. This should serve
our purposes for now. Appreciate the help.

6

And, more on using Ruby…

There is the Geom::UTM class:
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/developer/docs/ourdoc/utm

… and each model has a Sketchup::ShadowInfo collection instance:
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/developer/docs/ourdoc/shadowinfo

7

With this you can place text tags which display L,Lo coordinates and then export the coords to CSV file.

Coords-Tag from Datum v3.4 by TIG

8

The Coords-Tag from Datum seems to be a useful extension but it crashes
every time I try to use it. I’m running Sketchup 2015 Pro, and installed
it using the extensions dialog within preferences in Sketchup. I can see
it within my extensions tab but every time I go to use the Add-Coords Tag
function, it bug splats. Maybe I’m doing something wrong.

9

Hi @Dayton

That’s odd. I’m running SketchUp 2015 Pro (PC) and have no problems with the extension.
Let’s ask the author @TIG for his advice.

In the interim, it would help to post a clear description of your steps leading up to the crash.

10

@Dayton
Yes please detail the steps leading to the splat, it works fine for me, and @Geo and many others, so something is adrift in your particular set up.
Also can you please list all other loading Plugins… in case these a weird clash… [unlikely].
If you have the Ruby Console open are there any messages before the splat ??