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Verifying a Coordinate System using Google Earth

Updated October 18, 2017


This article applies to:
  • Terrain 3D
  • Terrain Forestry
  • RoadEng Civil
  • RoadEng Forestry

A quick and easy way to check that a file is correctly geo-referenced, is to export it to Google Earth. Google Earth is a free web based 3D mapping software (see www.google.com/earth for more information).

To complete the following steps, you will need to have Google Earth installed.

First, we will make sure you have a Google Earth export specification (KMZ); this depends on the Normal.iop file in your <Defaults and Layouts> folder.

  1. Home | Web Mapping button.

  2. Google Earth tab, select All Features.

Figure 1: Web Mapping Specifications

  1. Press the Update Google Earth button – this will save a geo-referenced Google Earth file (.kmz).This also should run Google Earth and place your roads at the correct geographical position as shown in the figure below.

Figure 2: Google Earth Export

  1. Close Google Earth.

  2. Close the Web Mapping dialogue.

  3. File | New. Do not save the changes. Continue to the next example.