Cad2earth

AutoCAD drawings → Google Earth, in one step.
DWG / DXF in, a clean, georeferenced KMZ out.

Convert AutoCAD DWG / DXF drawings into a KMZ that opens correctly in Google Earth. It uses free, open-source tools and runs as a Claude Code skill or as standalone scripts.

Estate plans, field boundaries, irrigation layouts and survey drawings usually live in AutoCAD, in a projected coordinate system (UTM, Arc 1960…). Google Earth wants lon/lat KML. This tool:

• finds the drawing's coordinate system;
• reprojects the drawing;
• turns closed outlines into real polygons named from their labels;
• keeps each CAD layer as a folder;
• styles everything;
• checks the result fits Google Earth's import limits.

DWG ──LibreDWG dwg2dxf──▶ DXF ──GDAL + dxf2kmz.py──▶ KML ──zip──▶ KMZ

Features

• Finds the CRS for you: reads the georeference embedded by Civil 3D (UTM84-36S → EPSG:32736), or takes --epsg. Includes notes on UTM zones and Arc 1960 vs WGS 84 for East Africa.
• Real polygons: closed polylines become polygons with area in hectares, and hatches become filled areas. Contours, pipes and roads stay lines.
• Fixes messy drawings: snaps boundaries drawn as separate pieces into one polygon (--join-layers). Removes duplicates, sheet frames, title blocks and dimensions, and repairs invalid polygons.
• Readable in Google Earth: folders by theme → CAD layer, colours from the drawing, and labels as names. Block inserts (valves, pumps…) become symbols, and contours are hidden by default.
• Fits import limits: simplifies invisibly (0.5 m) and warns above Google Earth's 250k-vertex / 10k-feature "Import as map features" limits.
• Honest report: prints JSON covering:
  • the source CRS and why it was chosen;
  • features per layer;
  • everything skipped or joined, and why;
  • the WGS 84 bounding box;
  • the vertex count.

Try it in one minute

git clone https://github.com/silaselisha/Cad2earth.git && cd Cad2earth
bash scripts/qgis-python.sh scripts/dxf2kmz.py examples/sample.dxf sample.kmz --epsg 32736 --join-layers '^FARM BOUNDARY$'

Open sample.kmz in Google Earth: a made-up 1,400 ha estate near Kericho, Kenya. Or download examples/sample.kmz directly.

Install as a Claude Code skill

git clone https://github.com/silaselisha/Cad2earth.git ~/.claude/skills/cad2earth

Then, in any Claude Code session, ask, e.g., "convert Desktop/ESTATE BOUNDARIES.dwg to kmz". Claude follows SKILL.md:

1. inspect the drawing;
2. work out the CRS;
3. convert;
4. verify the location on satellite imagery;
5. report what could not be converted.

Requirements

	Windows	Debian / Ubuntu	macOS
GDAL + Python	QGIS (bundled)	sudo apt install python3-gdal	brew install gdal && pip install gdal==$(gdal-config --version)
DWG → DXF	bash scripts/get-libredwg.sh tools/libredwg (portable download)	sudo apt install libredwg-tools	brew install libredwg
Shell	Git Bash	bash	bash

Only DXF input? You don't need LibreDWG.

Usage

DWG2DXF=$(bash scripts/get-libredwg.sh tools/libredwg)       # Windows: downloads; Linux/macOS: finds it on PATH
"$DWG2DXF" -y -o in.dxf in.dwg
bash scripts/qgis-python.sh scripts/inspect_dxf.py in.dxf     # units, extents, embedded CRS, geometry per layer
bash scripts/qgis-python.sh scripts/dxf2kmz.py in.dxf "Out.kmz" --kml

Option	Default	Purpose
--epsg N	from the drawing	source CRS (projected, metres)
--join-layers RE	none	layers whose open pieces form one boundary ring
--snap M	40	max gap (m) snapped when joining
--line-layers RE	contour, pipe, road, stream…	closed shapes on these layers stay lines
--hidden-layers RE	0, elevation, contours	exported but switched off
--skip-layers RE	Defpoints	left out
--simplify M / --simplify-hidden M	0.5 / 2	simplification in metres
--far M	100000	drop details drawn far from the map (e.g. at the origin)
--kml	off	also write the plain .kml

Opening the result

• Google Earth Pro: File → Open (not Import).
• Google Earth web: Projects → Import KML → "Import as map features". The report warns if the file is over the limits; otherwise use "Import as a data layer".
• QGIS, ArcGIS, Google My Maps also read KMZ.