I’ve been trying to do this for a long time now and I had just given up deciding that it was impossible, but I just came across a document that suggests otherwise. Hopefully someone can tell me what I’m doing wrong.
When I export a very simple geolocated box in SketchUp to KMZ and import it into Google Earth the box gets way bigger and moved locations.
Here’s the file of the box:
Here’s what it looks like when it uploads to Google Earth:
It is possible that something has changed on the GE side of things. As far as I know, we do not export to KMZ file now any differently than we have in the past.
sorry just saw your comment Eric. I’ve only been trying it with the web version today. As far as I’m aware the web and desktop versions are supposed to be the same? I’ll try now
Eric-S, do you know if there is anyway to share a map w KMZ files uploaded to it? Maybe the better way to word it is do you know if there is a way to upload the model that I am viewing in Google Earth Desktop version into a space online that is publicly viewable?
Unfortunately I haven’t come across anything that works seamlessly like you’re describing. As you know, you can share the KMZ file and have someone else open it in GE Pro. Or you can import a much larger or higher res terrain/aerial information plus open source buildings and then upload your model to 3D Warehouse or embed into a custom page for someone to spin around themselves.
See simple test here of what I’m referring to. This was created with open source buildings+terrain with imported Google Earth Aerial and then saved to 3D Warehouse and embedded into my website.
I have the same issue from the browser version, both out of scale simple objects and the same creeping blob in the MANY versions I am trying to sort this out.
This looks like the bug with the Collada file reader in Google Earth that was (is?) present in some Google Earth versions.
The symptom was that the model appeared 1.) at a huge scale (and due to this also offset), 2.) skewed/distorted with many sharp-edged shards, 3.) mostly dark towards black shaded triangles.
I don’t remember the resolution, but I would suggest to try whether it helps (on a simple test model first):
avoid scale/skew transformations on all groups/components be applying the scale/skew to the definition (right-click → Scale Definition)
or explode all groups/components
(or a different Collada version, but SketchUp has no choice for that, older SketchUp versions exported a different variant of Collada)
(or it may require another version number of the Google Earth application)
I was totally on the edge of my seat with this post! The same thing has happened to me and I’ve tried a million different KMZ files, browsers, and both Apple and PC’s to no avail. THey shouldn’t offer the option to upload a KMZ file on the web version of GE if it doesn’t work. I have searched high and low. By now to not have a way to embed tours/buildings from GE to your website seems just crazy.
Just a point of clarification… Google Earth is owned and operated by Google… we are Trimble. Google USED to allow us to upload files into their site, but have cut off the service… We agree, it is a bummer that does not work, but there is nothing we (Trimble) can do about it.
