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3D Maps


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There has been discussion about moving to Mojave on the mac side.  I have made the move and thus far nothing adverse to report.  Except one mac specific thing.

 

Older MacOS versions, like El Cap, had a real 3D implementation in their maps app.  As someone who mainly works in alterations and additions to existing structures, this was highly useful.  Not for site measurements but for context and study of site surroundings.  The 3D implementation was I believe based on aerial lidar.  That's a guess, but I suspect many have come across the technology as there are companies out their promoting lidar as a way to do 3D surveys of existing buildings.  (It's got big flaws, but some other time).

 

Now as far as I can tell (and I've contacted Apple tech support and they were not able to refute what I'm saying here) Apple has abandoned this 3D mapping while still calling an aspect of the maps 3D.  It is false and cowardly.  What they now offer as 3D mapping is a 2D satellite view that they project on a plane and show in 2 point perspective.  Always slightly off the azimuth so when you look from a different compass point you get the same, now incorrect, hint of the sides of things.  I'm old enough to think as I did in the old days:  they subbed it out to the dark side.

 

Intrusive planning submittals are pretty common here in CA.  Using the 3D arial maps in those submittals really added to their impact and utility.  So I have upgraded one machine and not yet the other.  The old 3D mapping approach was a valuable addition to my architectural work.  The new one is grossly dumbed down.  I have three options:

 

1.  Upgrade the second machine and lose a useful capability.

2.  Keep one machine on an older OS (awkward, it is the main drawing machine).

3.  Find another way to have access to 3D aerial imagery at low cost.

 

Does anyone have any awareness of how to solve no. 3 on a budget?

 

Many thanks,

 

Donald

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