CADtoEarth - AMC Bridge LLC€¦ · · 2016-11-18... linking modeling environments withChapter 6: Cesium toolsium, Google Earth ... • Import a section of a surface from Cesium

ENGINEERING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT MADE EASY

Copyright © 2016

AMC Bridge LLC. All rights reserved.

CADtoEarth

For Autodesk Fusion 360

User's Guide

March 14, 2016

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Contents

Chapter 1: Getting Started 4

What is CADtoEarth 4

Sign Up for a free CADtoEarth account 5

Chapter 2: CADtoEarth Plug-in 8

Introduction 8

Access 8

Log In command 8

CADtoEarth Pane command 13

Get Surface command 14

Get Drawing command 17

Export Model command 19

Export Image command 21

About command 24

Chapter 3: CADtoEarth Web Application 25

Introduction 25

CADtoEarth web services 25

Access 26

Chapter 4: Google Earth Tools 26

3D Models tab & Storages 26

Control Models tab 29

Surface & Drawings tab 32

Options tab 34

Upload Model tab 35

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Convert to 3D PDF 36

Export to Cesium 38

Chapter 5: Google Maps Tools 39

Images tab & Storages 39

Control Images tab 40

Drawings tab 41

Upload Image tab 44

Chapter 6: Cesium tools 45

Appendix A: Contact Us 46

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Chapter 1: Getting Started

This guidance document describes the formal steps of how to use CADtoEarth plug-in

for Autodesk Fusion 360 with CADtoEarth web application. It provides a help material

which is intended to assist in using of all application functions.

What is CADtoEarth

CADtoEarth is a family of innovative add-in applications for the most popular CAD

packages, linking modeling environments withChapter 6: Cesium toolsium, Google Earth

and Google Maps.

CADtoEarth for Autodesk Fusion 360 offers a wide range of abilities, including an

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ability to:

• Import a section of a surface from Cesium or Google Earth into Autodesk Fusion

360 modeling session as a mesh.

• Import a pre-drawn sketch from Cesium or Google Earth into Autodesk Fusion

360 modeling session.

• Import the information about building layer from Cesium or Google Earth.

• Place 3D structures on the imported mesh within Autodesk Fusion 360 modeling

session and then upload them back to Cesium or Google Earth.

• Perform the similar operations with 2D objects between Autodesk Fusion 360 and

Google Maps.

Manage 3D models in CADtoEarth web application:

• Change altitude, scale, rotate and move 3D structures.

• Choose 3D structures for auto-placement.

• Share 3D structures with other users.

• Upload *.kmz models into the personal storage.

• Make 3D *.pdf from own 3D structures.

Sign Up for a free CADtoEarth account

It is required to sign up for a CADtoEarth account to be able to link up CAD

environment with Cesium, Google Earth and Google Maps services.

Note: To simplify the creation of the account no personal information is required.

However, with an email address it is possible to recover the account in case if credentials

were lost.

The account is completely free, follow the next easy steps to register – just a web

browser and an Internet connection are needed.

• In the browser address bar type: http://www.cadtoearth.amcbridge.com

http://www.cadtoearth.amcbridge.com/

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• Click on the Join link on the Login page displayed in the browser

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Registration page

Enter User Name and Password into the form and click Join.

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Chapter 2: CADtoEarth Plug-in

Introduction

The CADtoEarth plug-in extends the functionality of Autodesk Fusion 360 and

establishes a bi-directional connection between CAD environment and such virtual

globe and map services like Cesium, Google Earth and Google Maps.

Plug-in features the following functions:

• Export of 3D model to Cesium or Google Earth.

• Export of 3D model view and subsequent placement of it onto Google Maps.

• Import of the Earth surface from Cesium or Google Earth that might be useful for

architecture design purposes if rough data on ground elevations is needed.

• Import of the sketched curves from Cesium, Google Earth and Google Maps that

might useful for the object outlines capturing.

Access

After CADtoEarth plug-in is installed, the CADtoEarth toolbar appears under the 'Add-

Ins' tab of the Autodesk Fusion 360 ribbon toolbar:

The CADtoEarth toolbar contains a set of commands:

• Log In command

•

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• Get Drawing command

• Get Surface command

• Export Image command

• Export Model command

• CADtoEarth Pane command

• About command

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Log In command

CADtoEarth implements a client-server system, where the plug-in is a client that sends a

request to the server that returns a response. To communicate, login to the plug-in with

your account credentials.

Click Log In - Login dialog will appear:

• Click on the Don't have an account? link to sign up for a one.

(See: Sign Up for a free CADtoEarth account)

• Enter your user name and password if you already have an account.

• Check the Remember me option to automatically login to the CADtoEarth plug-in

every time Autodesk Fusion 360 is launched.

• Click OK.

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Otherwise login through Facebook or LinkedIn.

To authorize with Facebook, click on the Facebook button and Facebook Login dialog

will appear:

Enter email or phone number and password for your account on Facebook and click Log

In.

To authorize with LinkedIn, click LinkedIn button and LinkedIn Login dialog will appear:

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Enter email and password for your account on LinkedIn and click Allow access button.

The logged in user has the full access to the CADtoEarth features.

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CADtoEarth Pane command

Run this command to open the CADtoEarth pane. It will display the CADtoEarth web

application in the web-browser:

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For more information about starting work with the CADtoEarth task pane, refer to

Chapter 3: CADtoEarth Web Application

Get Surface command

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One of the unique features of CADtoEarth is an ability to import certain part of the Earth

surface into CAD application. Launch Get Surface command from the CADtoEarth

toolbar.

Once the command is launched, a part of Earth surface captured using the CADtoEarth

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task pane tools will be imported into the currently opened Autodesk Fusion 360

modeling session as the Mesh object. (See: Surface & Drawings tab)

If some curves were sketched on the Google Earth prior to surface capturing, those

curves will be brought along with the surface. This might be useful for bringing the

outlines of buildings along with the surfaces they are located on.

The information about the buildings that are located on the imported part of a surface

also can be brought into the currently opened Fusion modeling session as a set of

BRepBodies.

Information on geographical binding will be imported into the currently opened

Autodesk Fusion 360 project also, so if it is published back to Google Earth, it will

appear at the same geographical location.

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Get Drawing command

Another unique feature of CADtoEarth is an ability to import curves sketched on Google

Maps into the CAD environment. Launch the Get Drawing command from the

CADtoEarth toolbar:

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Once the command is launched, the curves captured using the CADtoEarth task pane

tools will be imported into the currently opened Autodesk Fusion 360 modeling session

as a Drawing object. (See: Surface & Drawings tab)

The curves will be imported along with the information on geographical binding, so if

the model that was built using the imported curves is published back to the Earth it

would appear at the same location and would be oriented the same way.

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Export Model command

The Export Model command should be used to export the currently opened model in

Autodesk Fusion 360 to Cesium or Google Earth and upload the resulting file to the

CADtoEarth cloud service. Once the command is launched, a form with several options

appears:

• Triangulation level group of options provides the ability to specify which level of

detail will be used during the export.

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• Latitude and Longitude fields can be used to bind origin of the model to some

geographical location. If location of the model is unknown, these fields may be

left empty.

• Check the Export surface option to export the surface object back to the Earth.

• Check the Upload a model on server after export option to automatically upload

the generated file directly to the CADtoEarth cloud service, where it can be

manually placed to any location on Earth.

• Enter the model name and click OK.

• Leave the Upload a model on server after export option unchecked to save the

resulting *.kmz file on computer without uploading it to the CADtoEarth cloud

service.

• Choose the destination server, where to upload your model.

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Note: You can upload the resulting *.kmz file later via CADtoEarth web application.

(See: Upload Model tab)

Once the model has been uploaded to the server, it can be placed on the Earth surface

using the Load model button to the right of the model’s name (See: 3D Models tab &

Storages) or converted to 3D PDF format (See: Convert to 3D PDF).

Export Image command

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Use Export Image command to save the current model view as an image and upload it to

the CADtoEarth cloud service where it can be placed onto the maps. Once the command

is launched, the Save As dialog appears:

• Enter the name for an exported image into the File name text box.

• The image will be saved in the chosen folder and automatically sent to the server.

Once the image has been uploaded to the server, it can be placed on the maps using the

Load image button to the right of the picture's name.

(See: Images tab & Storages)

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About command

Run this command to open the CADtoEarth plug-in About dialog.

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Chapter 3: CADtoEarth Web Application

Introduction

The CADtoEarth web application offers a wide range of capabilities, including an ability

to:

• Capture the certain part of Earth surface from the Cesium or Google Earth.

• Sketch in Cesium, Google Earth and Google Maps environments.

• Use a personal storage for every CADtoEarth account, where the 3D models and

Images will be placed.

• Use a set of tools to manage 3D models: move, rotate and scale 3D structures to

fit the surrounding area.

• Share 3D models with other CADtoEarth users.

• Choose the models to be placed at startup, it’s useful for working with a set of 3D

models.

• Generate .pdf file with 3D model(s).

CADtoEarth web services

The web application provides an access to Google Earth and Google Maps services.

Easily switch between the web services using the Cesium, Google Earth and Google

Maps buttons at the top of the startup web page.

Use the Search box to quickly find the destination place.

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Access

Access the CADtoEarth web application using the following link:

http://www.cadtoearth.amcbridge.com

Right now, CADtoEarth supports the following web browsers:

• Internet Explorer 9.0 or newer (32-bit only)

• Mozilla Firefox 21.0 or newer (32-bit only)

• Google Chrome 27.0 or newer

Chapter 4: Google Earth Tools

3D Models tab & Storages

After exporting, the 3D structures will be uploaded directly to the CADtoEarth server.

To review the uploaded models:

• Open the CADtoEarth task pane.

• Switch to 3D Models tab under the Google Earth page.

Now there are two file storages with uploaded 3D models. Private storage contains a list

of models that were exported or uploaded by the current user. Shared storage contains a

list of public models that were shared by the other CADtoEarth users.

http://www.cadtoearth.amcbridge.com/

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Note: By default, the models exported from the CAD environment will be stored to the

Private storage.

The complete set of actions for every 3D model includes:

• Load model - the command places selected 3D model onto the Earth surface. If

there are built-in coordinates for the model, you will be offered to use them.

• Move to Shared Storage - the command moves selected 3D model to the

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Shared Models list.

Note: The models in Shared storage are visible to everyone.

Note: One user can share only up to 5 models.

• Move to Private Storage - the command moves the selected 3D model to the

Private Models list.

Note: this operation can be performed only for the current user’s models.

• Remove File - the command removes the selected 3D model from the

CADtoEarth cloud service.

Note: this operation can be performed only for the current user’s models.

Note: the model that is already placed on the Earth from the list can’t be removed. To do

this, to unload the model from the Earth.

(See: Control Images tab)

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Control Models tab

Use Control Models tab to manage the 3D structures that have been already placed on

Earth. Use the Control Panel to scale, rotate and move the model in order to fit the

surrounding area:

Control Panel allows user to change the settings for the selected model and save to the

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resulting configuration.

The complete set of actions supported by Control Panel includes:

• Scale Slider –scale the selected 3D model.

The range interval is from x0.1 to x6.

• Orientation Slider – rotate the selected 3D

model. The range interval in degrees is from -180º to 180º.

• Altitude Slider –control the altitude of the

selected model. The range interval is from -965m to 965m.

Move panel helps to change the location of the model to fit the surrounding area:

• Right Button –moves the selected 3D model to the West.

• Up Button–moves the selected 3D model to the North.

• Left Button –moves the selected 3D model to the East.

• Down Button – moves the selected 3D model to the South.

Click Save to save the resulting configuration for the selected 3D model.

Click Reset to restore to the default configuration of the selected 3D model.

Check the Place on startup option to enable the auto-placement of the 3D model.

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Unload Button removes the selected 3D model from the Earth.

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Surface & Drawings tab

At the Surface & Drawings tab set up the parameters of the exported surface and sketch

some curves, which might be useful if rough data on ground elevations or capturing

some object outlines is needed:

The complete set of supported actions includes:

Mesh slider – controls the accuracy of the captured

surface.

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Save 3D Building layer information enables user to get the building layer in 3D

representation along with the surface.

Drawing Mode is a specific mode that allows creating some curves that can be obtained

along with the surface. To be able sketch a curve, turn the Drawing Mode on by clicking

the button under the 'Drawing tools' group.

Note: switching between the Google Earth tabs is disabled while the Drawing Mode is

turned on! To turn it off, click the button under the 'Drawing tools' group.

Once the Drawing Mode is turned on, the Drawing tools commands will become

enabled. Drawing tools panel provides the following set of actions:

Create Button – the command begins a new polyline.

Undo Button– the command removes the last line from the current sketch.

Close Button – the command closes the current polyline.

Unload Button – the command removes all polylines.

To capture the surface with any additional information, click Save, and the surface will

be exported.

Switch back to the CADtoEarth plug-in and import the surface.

(See: Get Surface command)

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Options tab

Use Options tab to choose the information which is displayed on the Earth and choose

the visual style (3D/2D) for the objects.

The set of supported options includes:

• Border layer – provides information about the political borders;

• Road layer – provides information about the roads;

• 3D Building layer – provides 3D view for buildings;

• 3D Terrain layer – provides 3D view for terrain.

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Upload Model tab

Upload Model tab provides uploading files in .kmz format to the storages.

Note: KMZ is a file format that is supported by Google Earth. Google Earth can open

such files directly and display the content. It’s possible to upload the *.kmz models and

place them along with the models exported from Autodesk Fusion 360.

To upload a model:

• Click Browse... and select a *.kmz file from computer.

• In the Access type drop-down list choose the destination storage.

• Click Upload. The model will be uploaded to the chosen storage.

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Now it’s possible to switch to the 3D Models tab and place the uploaded model on the

Earth.

(See: 3D Models tab & Storages)

Convert to 3D PDF

Use Surface & Drawings tab under the Google Earth page to convert the resulting 3D

view into 3D PDF format:

Click Make PDF button and the surface with placed 3D buildings will be converted into

3D PDF format.

The resulting file will be returned in a minute asking for download.

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Note: Only 3D Models generated by the family of CADtoEarth Plug-ins could be

converted into 3D PDF format. We do not guaranty the COLLADA files generated by

other tools and uploaded using the cadtoearth.amcbridge.com web site will be visible.

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Export to Cesium

Use Export to Cesium tab to convert the resulting 3D model to Cesium suitable format.

For more details about Cesium refer to: Chapter 6: Cesium tools.

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Chapter 5: Google Maps Tools

Images tab & Storages

After exporting the images of models they will be uploaded directly to the CADtoEarth

server. To review the uploaded images:

• Open the CADtoEarth task pane.

• Switch to Images tab under the Google Maps page.

Now there are two file storages with the uploaded Images. The Private storage contains a

list of images that were exported or uploaded by the current user. The Shared storage

contains a list of public Images that were shared by other CADtoEarth users.

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Control Images tab

Use Control Images tab to manage Images that have been already placed on Google

Maps:

• Use the Control Panel box to change the opacity of the selected image.

• To change the position, drag an image with the left mouse button pressed.

• To rotate, hold the right button and move the mouse. Drag an image corner to

resize.

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Drawings tab

Use Drawings tab to sketch some curves. It might be useful to capture some object

outlines:

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Drawing Mode is a specific mode that allows creating some curves that can be exported

from Google Maps. To be able to sketch a curve, turn the Drawing Mode on by clicking

button under the 'Drawing tools' group.

Note: switching between the Google Earth tabs is disabled while the Drawing Mode is

turned on! To turn it off, click the button under the 'Drawing tools' group.

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Once the Drawing Mode is turned on, the Drawing tools commands becomes enabled.

Drawing tools panel provides the following set of actions:

Create Button – the command begins a new polyline.

Undo Button – the command removes the last line from the current sketch.

Close Button – the command closes the current polyline.

Unload Button – the command removes all the polylines.

Click Save, and the sketched curves will be exported.

Switch back to the CADtoEarth plug-in and import the Drawing.

(See: Get Drawing command)

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Upload Image tab

Use Upload Image tab to upload *.jpeg, *.gif or *.png format images to the storages.

Upload the images and place them along with the views exported from Autodesk Fusion

360.

To upload an image:

• Click Browse... and select an image from computer.

• In the Access type drop-down list choose the destination storage.

• Click Upload. The image will be uploaded to the chosen storage.

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Switch to the Images tab and place the uploaded image of the model on Maps. (See:

Images tab & Storages)

Chapter 6: Cesium tools

Cesium tool provides user with the most of Google Earth tool’s features. Now we are

supporting both tabs, and it is possible to choose a plugin for saving a model in Add-ins.

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Appendix A: Contact Us

AMC Bridge has a global footprint with offices and development centers in North

America and Ukraine. Our North American headquarters in Waltham handles all Sales,

Administrative and Business inquiries. Most of our software developers are located in

our state of the art offices in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, Khmel'nitskiy, Ukraine and

Sumy, Ukraine.

Please let us know how we can help you, and we will get in touch with you as soon as

we can. We are always open to new challenging projects, requests and suggestions.

Feel free to use wide experience of AMC Bridge team to find out all features and

intricacies of software development process. Contact us any time and we will do our

best to turn your ideas into reality.

AMC Bridge North America Headquarters:

303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451, USA

Tel.: +1 866-575-4791

Fax: +1 973-895-5376

For all online inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Technical Support: [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you.

Documents

CADtoEarth - AMC Bridge LLC€¦ · · 2016-11-18... linking modeling environments withChapter 6: Cesium toolsium, Google Earth ... • Import a section of a surface from Cesium