Bentley Systems, Inc. has connected MicroStation to the Google Earth service. As a result, for the first time, users can view and navigate 2D/3D models of infrastructure projects in the context of the Google Earth environment.
MicroStation is Bentley’s desktop platform for the design, construction and operation of the world’s infrastructure, including buildings, roads, bridges, power plants, telecom networks and much more.
In commenting on the Google Earth connection and the value it brings, Ray Bentley, lead developer, said, “The Google Earth connection is fantastic for our users, who work on major assets placed on or in the earth. 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.”
Added Joe Croser, global marketing director, Bentley platform products, “The most exciting thing about the Google Earth connection 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 situ.”
Through this connection, MicroStation users can publish 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 and navigated in the context of this rich geographic imagery with associated content, including buildings, transportation systems, boundaries, bodies of water and census information, to cite just a few examples.
Moreover, the MicroStation files placed in the Google Earth environment can contain links to more detailed data that users can review locally. This information can be provided in a variety of formats, including, for example, Excel spreadsheets, Word and PDF documents, additional DGN and DWG files and URLs—enabling diverse project information to be shared through the Google Earth interface.
Source: Bentley Systems, Inc.
