The Add Location feature in SketchUp helps make adding and managing geo-location imagery and data easy. Here, we'll cover how to import imagery, view terrain, locate your model, and delete imagery in SketchUp for Desktop. Importing Map Imagery To get started, select File > Geo-Location > Add Location... from the Menu bar.

SketchUp's Add Location feature helps you geo-locate your model to a precise location. This feature imports map imagery and terrain data. SketchUp stores your geo-location data as latitude and longitude coordinates in your model. These coordinates are then used by SketchUp, or other applications, to enhance your model. Add Location can only geo-locate your model on Earth. Sorry folks, Mars isn't an option. The capabilities of Add Location vary depending on what version of SketchUp you are using.

There are a handful of issues that can come up with Online Features in SketchUp; Can't connect to web tools; 3D Warehouse, Extension Warehouse, Add Location and Licensing. There are a few techniques that may help resolve this issue. Update your default browser to a modern web browser SketchUp no longer supports Internet Explorer as it was retired by Microsoft in 2016. The default browsers that work best with SketchUp are Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, as well as the more recent versions of Microsoft Edge. Updating your browser version might help.

SketchUp has a few features that require an internet connection, and with that can come some unique errors. These features include: Add Location 3D Warehouse Extension Warehouse Take a look at Problems connecting to the Internet if you are online but can't connect.

Previewing a SketchUp model in Google Earth is great way to see how your model looks in the context of its surroundings. You start the process in SketchUp, where you optimize the model for viewing in Google Earth. Because Google Earth and SketchUp models can both use a lot of your graphics card’s processing power, your model needs to be as light as possible.

With SketchUp's Shadows feature, you can make your model cast a basic shadow or see how the sun casts shadows on or around a geolocated model. When you're casting real-world shadows, SketchUp's calculations are based on the following:

If your model is geolocated with the Add Location feature and you want to display it in Google Earth, you may need to take a few extra steps. Here’s a quick overview of the tips and tricks that help your model looks its best in Google Earth:

Does the terrain that you want to model exist somewhere outside your imagination and in digital form? Hurrah! You can just import it! Well, sort of. Also, after you import terrain, you usually need to edit it. At minimum, you likely need to clean up the imported data by reducing the number of faces to improve your model's performance, tracing contour lines, or a few other tasks covered in Editing and Fine-Tuning Terrain. But for now, enough of the sour details.