clearvuedesign Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 I am trying to understand the best way to import a location map to a layout... Does anyone do this all the time?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Screenshot the map and paste it into the layout as a picture. Crop and use cad tools for any other info you need on top of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJPotter Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 You get a location map on one's computer screen, then use a cropping tool to save it as an image. Then save your captured image to your project folder on your Hard Drive. Then open your project's layout and then using the import command "Import Picture" to place on the layout. DJP 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Just now, DavidJPotter said: You get a location map on one's computer screen, then use a cropping tool to save it as an image. Then save your captured image to your project folder on your Hard Drive. Then open your project's layout and then using the import command "Import Picture" to place on the layout. DJP David and I were both responding at the same time and after looking at both posts something we both didn’t mention that will help if you don’t use the snippet or grab screen (on phone so can’t see your signature to see if PC or Mac). Both versions have built in snipping tools as well as Chief itself. In both windows and Mac OS you can set the snipping tool to copy on to your digital clipboard and then you just go back to Chief and Ctrl+V or Cmd+V to paste it onto the layout directly without having to save anything to your hard drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJPotter Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 The point of saving an image to your project's hard drive folder is that if you ever wish to share a layout and plan file you are better served to use the "Back up Entire Plan" command in the "File Menu" and also using "Back up all referenced files" so when a person opens your layout and plan file on their computer, they do not get numerous Error Messages about "referenced files being missing". Also any image files sent to layout while on layout should be marked "Save in Plan" in the image's dialog box while on layout, otherwise if you do not share your location map image along with all associated images and plan file, the layout when opened on another PC or Mac with then have numerous blank pages where only place holders will appear where plan, camera and other images once appeared when the layout was first created on a particular computer. It is a matter of reducing one's future liabilities and reducing practices that can cause problems. DJP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshall Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I am not convinced the SCREEN GRAB is the best method. I take a screen shot of both a MAC map and a GOOGLE MAPS map, and then put into layout and it is not super clear. lLately I have been PRINTING a PDF from the two map apps..... not sure if that is the best either. For some reason mine always appear muddled. When I see this on a PC, it looks much better. Sometimes the plan checkers complain and I need to overlay CAD on the screen shot. Point is I use the screen grab and the print to PDF and then import and neither system seems super good to me. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearvuedesign Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 Thank you everyone for your help!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennw Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 As a PS to this thread. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps have a save as .pdf function which should be much better quality than a screen grab and which will allow you to import the .pdf into your plan or layout. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raltd9245 Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 On 11/7/2020 at 5:05 AM, dshall said: I am not convinced the SCREEN GRAB is the best method. I take a screen shot of both a MAC map and a GOOGLE MAPS map, and then put into layout and it is not super clear. lLately I have been PRINTING a PDF from the two map apps..... not sure if that is the best either. For some reason mine always appear muddled. When I see this on a PC, it looks much better. Sometimes the plan checkers complain and I need to overlay CAD on the screen shot. Point is I use the screen grab and the print to PDF and then import and neither system seems super good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raltd9245 Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 i kind of old school. I import pic trace over with a line drawing, add street names and site location. Then I erace the pic. Whole process takes about three minutes or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stellarblu Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 Use NearMap or EagleView for Hi-Res Imagery ($$$) To create contours use USGS LIDAR and download a DEM of you subject tract. Then use QGIS (Free and a bit of a learning curve but well worth it) rster calculator to convert the DEM to feet. Next us the raster extraction tool to extract contours. Create labels if needed. Now you can export vector dxf, pdf or a raster image and import into Chief. I'm new to Chief but have years of experience in GIS, CAD, and 3D modeling. Links Below https://qgis.org/en/site/forusers/download.html https://apps.nationalmap.gov/lidar-explorer/#/ https://opensourceoptions.com/how-to-create-contour-lines-and-labels-with-qgis/ If you want to view your model in Google Earth Pro (Desktop) then export to Collada from CA and open in GE or import into Sketchup then export to GE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now