Hello im a french student so excuse my use of english.
I would like to know if there is a way to export any 3D models from Google Earth except the ones that are available on the 3D Warehouse. I've done my research and found a bunch of tools and software who were created a while ago but now they seem to be inefficient.
Exemples: 3D Ripper X, Open GLX Tractor, OGLE (The OpenGLExtractor)…
Those softwares where able at the time to capture 3d rendering and datas from google earth and other 3d generator that you could import into 3d modeling programs.
My purpose is to import them into a 3D modeling software (sketchup or others) and export them as .stl or .obj to try to 3D print some of these models.
I looked on many forums and videos over the web but none were able to answer my question. Generally people will speak about the 3D Warehouse from Sketchup to download buildings and others models who are created by users but nobody is actually able today to extract any model generated by Google Earth. Google Earth offers the possibility of extracting kml. data but when you go into sketchup (i didn't try on any other 3d software) and import the file you get an error message: "failed to import". Maybe the final answer would like to code a proper software but im not a programmer and my knowledge in informatics is near from 0.
I also tried to downgrade versions of each software but either on Google Earth or Sketchup it wont work.
I know that when these software were actually working a bunch of people used them in geographical or architectural purposes like in this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18QbZyuy2JY.
The thing is im using a mac (no bootcamp or anything like that) so I can't see if this is still actually possible on 3ds max. However I do have the possibility to use a PC running windows (not my computer).
I tried with someone to use the 3D Ripper DX while running Google Earth but it didnt even showed the capture option on the top left corner and when pressing the capture key nothing was to be found in the output directory.
I also realised i was focusing mainly on G.Earth but maybe other 3d earth modeling software allow you to capture their models but I don't think they are as complete as Google Earth is.
So i'm wondering if there is a way to capture and extract the generated 3d of Google Earth except from these software.
Thank you
Best Answer
3D Ripper DX still works. I just used it today using the required things. I made a thread about it... You need a certain version of Google Earth, 3dsmax 2009 worked for me. I was able to extract models still.
http://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/69935-tutorial-on-how-to-extract-3d-models-from-google-earth-to-get-dimensionsproportions-of-building/