Add Geo-Location in SketchUp

ID: FQ-0000171

Applies to:

• SketchUp2CAD Translator Plug-in for RealCAD
• SketchUp Pro 2016
• SketchCAD

Question

I would like to position my model on my city so the shadows are accordingly.

How do I add Geo-Location in SketchUp?

Answer

Using Google SketchUp, you can set the location and directional orientation by importing an image from Google Earth:

There are 2 different methods to geo-locate your model:

Add Location via Google Maps

1. Go to Window > Model Info, then select Geo-Location
2. Go to In SketchUp, click Add Location. The Add Location dialog box opens.
3. Search for or zoom in to your desired location.
4. Clicking Select Region will bring up selection pins.
5. Drag and drop the pins to enclose your region.
6. Click Grab, and SketchUp imports that area.
7. The SketchUp model is now set to the same latitude and longitude as the location you chose. The imported terrain image is aligned with the axes in SketchUp (the solid green axis points north and the solid red axis points east). The time zone in SketchUp is approximated based on the coordinates. Because some actual time zones lines zigzag rather dramatically, the automatically calculated time zone for some locations may be off by an hour. In a few cases, the variance can be even longer.

Set Manual Location

Knowing the latitude and longitude, you can manually set the location of your model

1. Go to Window > Model Info, then select Geo-Location
2. Enter the Country, Location, Latitude and Longitude values, then click OK

As for locations and time zones here is a list of common cities in Australia and a few from around the world and their longitude, latitude, and time difference UMC/GMT

Adelaide SA,138.36,-34.56,9.5,

Albany WA,117.52,-35.00,8.0,

Albury NSW,146.53,-36.03,10.0,

Alice Springs NT,133.52,-23.42,9.5,

Auckland,174.45,-36.52,12.0,

Ballarat VIC,143.51,-37.34,10.0,

Bangkok,100.30,-13.44,7.0,

Beijing,116.26,-39.55,8.0,

Bendigo VIC,144.17,-36.46,10.0,

Bombay,72.51,18.56,5.5,

Boronia,-123.00,234.00,10.0,

Brisbane QLD,153.01,-27.28,10.0,

Broken Hill NSW,141.27,-31.58,10.0,

Broome WA,122.14,-17.58,8.0,

Buenos Aires,-58.30,-34.40,-3.0,

Bundaberg QLD,152.21,-24.52,10.0,

Burnie TAS,145.55,-41.03,10.0,

Cairns QLD,145.46,-16.55,10.0,

Canberra ACT,149.08,-35.17,10.0,

Capetown,18.28,-33.56,1.0,

Caracas,-66.56,10.35,-4.0,

Carnarvon WA,113.40,-24.53,8.0,

Cebu,123.56,10.17,8.0,

Ceduna SA,133.41,-32.08,9.5,

Christchurch,172.37,-42.32,12.0,

Daly Waters NT,133.22,-16.16,9.5,

Darwin NT,130.50,-12.27,9.5,

Echuca VIC,144.45,-36.08,10.0,

Geelong VIC,144.21,-38.10,10.0,

Grafton NSW,152.56,-29.40,10.0,

Hobart TAS,147.15,-42.50,10.0,

Jakarta,106.45,-6.08,7.0,

Kalgoorlie WA,121.28,-30.45,8.0,

Katherine NT,132.16,-14.28,9.5,

Kowloon,114.15,22.20,8.0,

Kuala Lumpur,101.42,3.08,7.0,

Launceston TAS,147.10,-41.27,10.0,

London,-0.10,51.30,0.0,

Manila,120.59,14.36,8.0,

Melbourne VIC,144.58,-37.49,10.0,

Mildura VIC,142.10,-34.11,10.0,

Moscow,37.42,55.45,3.0,

Mount Gambier SA,140.47,-37.50,9.5,

Mount Isa QLD,139.29,-20.44,10.0,

New York,-73.50,40.40,-5.0,

Newcastle NSW,151.46,-32.55,10.0,

Oodnadatta SA,135.27,-27.33,9.5,

Orange NSW,149.06,-33.17,10.0,

Paris,2.20,48.52,1.0,

Perth WA,115.51,-31.57,8.0,

Port Augusta SA,137.46,-32.30,9.5,

Port Hedland WA,118.35,-20.18,8.0,

Port Lincoln SA,135.52,-34.44,9.5,

Port Moresby,147.10,-9.28,10.0,

Queenstown TAS,145.33,-42.05,10.0,

Rockhampton QLD,150.32,-23.22,10.0,

Rome,12.30,41.53,1.0,

Sale VIC,147.04,-38.07,10.0,

San Francisco,-122.27,37.45,-8.0,

Seoul,127.00,37.30,9.0,

Singapore,103.50,1.20,8.0,

Sydney NSW,151.13,-33.55,10.0,

Tennant Creek NT,134.11,-19.39,9.5,

Tokyo,139.45,35.40,9.0,

Townsville QLD,146.49,-19.16,10.0,

Wagga Wagga NSW,147.22,-35.07,10.0,

Winnipeg,-97.10,49.53,-6.0,

Yulara NT,130.55,-25.10,9.5,