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Getting Started

Building Maker Getting Started Guide

Selecting a specific location

The first step to creating a building is to select a specific location. To select a specific location:

  1. Click on a place marker to zoom in to the location where you would like to creating a building. For example, click on the place marker near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Optionally, you can click on 'Available locations' drop-down list and select a city or type a location in the search box to find a location. The map zooms in on the location. The location where you can create a building is shaded in white. The cursor is shaped like a hand indicating that you can pan your view.
  2. Note: Alternatively, select the name of a city from the available locations drop-down list.

    Note: You can recreate and submit a building that already exists. However, your building must be better quality (more detail, better texturing, and so on) than the current building to be accepted to the Google Earth 3D Buildings Layer. Click on the Earth button to enter an Earth view and view all currently existing buildings.

  3. Use the pan and zoom controls (explained in Navigating in the Location Picker Map, Satellite, Hybrid, or Earth view) to locate the image of the building you want to create. A red building selection pin ( ) appears when you are at the appropriate zoom level to create your building. Four aerial photos of the area or building under the pin appear below the map.
  4. Note: You might also see any combination of colored dots and pins on top of some buildings. The pins identify your buildings, each color indicating a different state of that building. The dots indicate buildings created by others. Again, the different colors indicate a different state of that building. Refer to Map legend for further information.

  5. Move the cursor over the pin. The cursor changes to a hand with pointing finger.
  6. Click and hold the mouse button on the pin. The cursor changes back to an open hand. The pin is attached to the cursor.
  7. Move the cursor over the building that you want to create.
  8. Release the mouse button to select the building. Four aerial photos of the building appear to the left of the Location Picker view.
  9. Note: Alternatively, you can pan around the map (without moving the pin) and center the building under the pin to select the building.

  10. Click on the Start Building button to the left of the Map to start creating your building. The Editor appears.

Note: The one-block building in this Getting Started Guide is located at 615 1st St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

updated 10/16/2012

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