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Bentley connects MicroStation to Google
Earth.
EXTON, PENNSYLVANIA, USA —
Bentley recently announced that it has developed software
to import MicroStation design file data into Google Earth,
a free program that combines satellite imagery, maps and the
power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information
at a user's fingertips. For the first time, users can view
2D and 3D models in the exact geographic environment where
they will be constructed.
Google Earth allows a user to type an address into a search
bar. The program then zooms in on that location, showing a
satellite image of the area. It can also superimpose a road
map over the satellite image. The new MicroStation functionality
allows users to import design file data into Google Earth,
giving MicroStation users the unprecedented ability to quickly
see projects in the geographical context they will be in.
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| Google Earth showing
the Bentley headquarters in Exton, Pennsylvania. |
"The Google Earth connection is fantastic
for our users, who work on major assets placed on or in the
earth," stated Ray Bentley, lead developer. "The
feedback regarding the connection has been great — beta
users around the world are inspired by their new ability to
view this work inside the Google Earth environment."
MicroStation users can export their DGN and DWG models of
infrastructure assets being designed, approved or maintained
directly to the Google Earth environment. Here, the models
can be viewed in the context of the rich geographic and demographic
data available in Google Earth, including near-by buildings,
highways, roads, geographic boundaries, bodies of water and
census information.
Essentially, a user exports a design file into the Google
Earth file format (KLM file), including all level, reference
and saved view information. Then, from within Google Earth,
users can manipulate any of these just like they can in MicroStation.
For example:
- All included levels available to the
MicroStation user are carried over into the KML file (KML,
or Keyhole Markup Language, is an XML-based language for
managing three-dimensional geospatial data in Google Earth)
so the Google Earth user can easily turn levels on and off.
- Saved views in MicroStation are transferred
to the KML file, so the Google Earth user can easily move
through pre-configured perspectives in the model.
- Embedded links within a MicroStation
file will be automatically exported as Google Earth Placemarks,
which allow the Google Earth user to quickly navigate to
supporting project data.
- MicroStation GeoGraphics coordinate
systems are automatically exported to the real geographic
locations in Google Earth.
- MicroStation raster imagery can be
exported to Google Earth to replace or augment the Google
Earth imagery.
Moreover, the MicroStation files imported
into Google Earth will maintain any links to Excel spreadsheets,
Word documents, PDF documents, URLs and additional DGNs and
DWG files - enabling diverse project information to be viewable
in the Google Earth interface.
Joe Croser, Global Marketing Director for Bentley's platform
products added, "The most exciting thing about [MicroStation's]
Google Earth [functionality] is that it facilitates richer
visualization for everyone involved in a project — from
designers on through to the public. I like to think of it
as 'grounding design' by placing the project [in its natural
position]."
Bentley SELECT subscribers can download the new connection
software now for use with MicroStation V8 2004 Edition. The
capability is delivered with MicroStation V8 XM Edition.
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