Overview
KML and KMZ files bring parcel boundaries and area data drawn in Google Earth into PVX.AI. The import is a single guided wizard that also fetches elevation data, builds a 3D surface model, and georeferences your drawing.
Prerequisites
PVX.AI loaded in AutoCAD, and a KML or KMZ file prepared in Google Earth.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open the import wizard
On the Terrain Import panel of the PVX.AI ribbon, click Import KML/KMZ. The wizard has three steps.
2. Choose the file
On the File step, select your KML or KMZ file. Its polygons are imported into the drawing.
3. Select the area
On the Area step, click Select Area in Drawing and pick one or more boundary polylines.
4. Set the grid resolution and finish
On the Terrain step, set the Grid resolution (mesh spacing in meters, where smaller values give a finer mesh) and click Finish. PVX.AI fetches real elevation data, builds the 3D surface model, georeferences the drawing automatically, and switches on AutoCAD’s live Bing Hybrid base map.
Tips & Recommendations
- No coordinate system entry is needed. KML files carry their own geographic coordinates.
- Click Skip Terrain on the last step to bring in the boundaries only. You get 2D polygons, and 3D features are unavailable for that area.
- The live base map requires you to be signed in to your Autodesk account. If you are signed out, the location is still set and the imagery appears once you sign in.
- Use a finer grid resolution on small sites and a coarser one on large sites to keep the mesh manageable.
- Fetching elevation data uses cloud credits. Georeferencing and the base map do not.