Empowering Design with Satellite Map Tiles in Automapki 1.4.0
The recent Automapki Application release 1.4.0 introduces the capability to insert web map tiles directly into DWG drawings, enabling users to create satellite or aerial background images for the selected working area. This feature provides every AutoCAD, BricsCAD, or ZWCAD user with new possibilities to design and draw on top of any supported web map provider, such as:
- MapQuest: Offering detailed road maps and satellite imagery.
- Open Aerial: Providing high-resolution aerial photographs.
- Open Street Map: Featuring user-generated street maps and geographical data.
Streamlined Storage: Saving and Reusing GeoTIFF Images
Based on the user-defined working area, Automapki software automatically:
- Downloads Overlapping Web Map Tiles: Collects map tiles from the selected web map provider.
- Merges and Wraps Tiles: Combines the downloaded tiles into a single image and aligns it with the currently selected geographical coordinate system.
- Creates a GeoTIFF Image: Produces a georeferenced TIFF image and inserts it into the current drawing model space.
The satellite background GeoTIFF image is saved to the specified local path, allowing for easy reuse in other DWG-based projects.
Efficiency and Limitations: Merging Web Map Tiles in Automapki
While downloading web map tiles is straightforward and quick, merging the tiles to create a single GeoTIFF image is more resource-intensive, depending on:
- Available Memory: Higher RAM capacity improves processing speed.
- Processor Power: Faster CPUs enhance the efficiency of the merging process.
- Overall System Performance: A robust system reduces the time required for image creation.
Due to these demands, the Automapki add-on limits the number of map tiles in the final GeoTIFF image to 400. However, it does not restrict the number of images that can be attached to a DWG drawing.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Features in the Next Automapki Update
The current version of Automapki (1.4.0) is available for a free 5-day trial within AutoCAD, BricsCAD, or ZWCAD. The next update promises to introduce even more exciting features, including support for user-defined WMS (Web Map Service) web maps, further expanding the range of background imagery options at your disposal.