Archive for the ‘network-link’ Category
Friday, May 8th, 2009
There is a tool on nearby for taking a multi destination route - and loading it into Google Earth. It was also used to load directions into a “My Map”, but thats basically redundant now, but as the script just converts the directions to a KML file, there are many useful things that can be done with it…
Such as plotting an altitude profile with gpsvisualizer.com***, but to make it even easier, have added a button to the page, that links direct to the form on gpsu with the data prefilled as well as the ‘add altitude’ option enabled.
Enjoy! (Oh and let me know if there are any other interesting destinations would like to load the KML file into!)
Multi Destination Routing Toolkit
*** which Adam recently added the functionalty to add alitude automatically - previsoully a problem as the KML files from Google maps dont include altitude
Posted in Experimental, Google Maps, Nearby, network-link | No Comments »
Friday, August 1st, 2008
A while ago released a Compass Overlay, which (hopefully) makes reading directions of the navigation control easier. Well this new version does the same, but its (mostly) correct for the Magnetic Direction!
Magnetic Compass correct link this time!!
Note: its positioned to fit the navigation control of Google Earth 4.3, not the separate compass, which has only recently begun working for me… Updates a few seconds after stopping moving.
Now have a way to determine the magnetic variation at a location have some other ideas for using this in Google Earth, eg magnetic bearing along a line, but this is a starting point. For example in the uk the variation is often too small to be really seen on the tiny control.
Thanks to heywhatsthat.com for the pointer to a webservice that gives the variation.
Update: Rather embarrassingly just noticed the link above was wrong! It was to a static compass. The link above has been updated, and it should now rotate! Sorry for confusion… (always wondered why this didnt get much traffic!)
Tags: compass, Declination, direction, magnetic, variation
Posted in Google Earth, KML, Nearby, network-link | No Comments »
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
Did someone mention a chart plotter? If so have a look-see:
Google Earth: Map Plotter
Its hot off the presses so don’t know what options it will need yet, just used three example zooms levels - other options would include the mobile map style. (You can change it by altering the link in Properties)
Also its standard Google Maps, as that is all the API offers. Ideally would be proper flight plan data, but would need a Static Map API to work.
Note: The map is centered on the camera position (so is ideal for the Flight Simulator) - and while it can be used in other modes it wont make much sense. If interest could make one that shows the center of the view itself.
Disclaimer: this is entering the gray area of what is possible with the Static Maps API, so might get pulled, etc.
More flight sim tools
Posted in Experimental, Flight Simulator, Google Earth, Google Maps, KML, network-link | 7 Comments »
Saturday, July 26th, 2008
Behold a new network link from nearby.org.uk:
Google Earth GPS
Once you have chosen a destination point, a small arrow will be shown in the bottom right of your Google Earth window, which points towards your destination! Ideal for use in the flight simulator, where you can play follow the arrow.
Note it only updates every 5 seconds, and comes with all sorts of disclaimers such as don’t use in life or death situations.
Tags: arrow, direction, GPS, pointer
Posted in Experimental, Flight Simulator, Google Earth, KML, Nearby, PHP, network-link | 7 Comments »
Friday, May 23rd, 2008
Google Maps doesn’t include a method to save ‘Driving Directions’ easily into MyMaps. Fortunately they do include KML import/export for most features, so can export the route as KML then reimport it into a My Map.
I’ve moved the meat of this post to a Thread on the Google Maps Group, better for Google to be hosting it 
Tags: directions, Google Maps, KML, my maps, save
Posted in Google Maps, HowTo, KML, network-link | No Comments »
Saturday, March 1st, 2008
Following part 1 yesterday, have now plotted some maps per individual service.
Flash Earth Layer
Conclusions
- Google Earth does request a link for the initial view on startup - that point in the Atlantic.
- I guess North American installs have two slightly different default placemarks; has it changed, or maybe Canada gets a different one?
- But that doesnt explain the lines from there - people must have their links set to periodically refresh?
- Germany likes FlashEarth (or rather people like looking at Germany with FlashEarth link enabled)
- Many people leave the links open even when not in use - e.g. the British Isles links show worldwide usage, notably over Russia.
- MGRS notably has high usage in two areas.
- The Far east likes to know what direction they facing.
Update: In a total forehead slapping momont realised these unprojected whole world images, are exactly what is used in GroundOverlays, so the the pages now include links to view the higher resolution images directly in Google Earth, duh!
Example: View In Google Earth (don’t forget to try adjusting the tranparency slider!) [Update, to fix broken link, sorry!]
Tags: Coverage Maps, Google Earth, maps, Network Links
Posted in API, Coverage Maps, Experimental, Google Earth, KML, Nearby, PHP, Web Services, maps, network-link, online maps | No Comments »
Friday, February 29th, 2008
As some may know this site serves a number of Network Links for Google Earth, for a long time I have thought it would be fun to map the data from that, but finally got round to trying it. This is still work in progress, so the current images are very much easly tests, but shows promise, hopefully can make some better visualizations - maybe even as KMZ
‘Lookat’ point v1: (click for 145k version)
View In Google Earth (don’t forget to try adjusting the tranparency slider!)
Shows some interesting patterns, there are a number of lines on the map, and definitily appears to be flight lines, I suspect this is from people leaving tours on loop, and a fudging a networklink to refresh periodically. Not sure how else to explain such repeatable loops - can a large number of visitors really be all following the same route? I’ll investigate this more in follow up map(s).
But WHAT is that point in the middle of the Atlantic?
Update: this is from about 900k hits from aug-nov ‘07 - still processing the rest of the data!
Update 2: More maps here, all maps seem to to show the same overall pattern which is slightly puzzling, eg the IPs graph suggests that many users are following these flight lines.
Posted in Google Earth, Nearby, network-link, online maps | 3 Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Now that Google have just announced a brand spanking new NON JS Maps API, to be able to display maps with a simple img tag, similar to the Chart API. Well I thought it would be fun to re-purpose the
FlashEarth code to create a network link to display Google Maps in a popup balloon on Google Earth. Not totally sure the utility, but sure is fun (until the novelty wears off!)
Open in Google Earth
Hopefully needless to say the map inside the balloon is static and non draggable.
Update to clarify: You get to draw 1,000 maps daily, which is probably plenty, but go over that and the maps will stop working for you.
Update: as alluded to in the official post, you can use the static API to load a quick map, while the rest of the page loads, then at the last minute change it into a dynamic map. A series of demos showing various ways of lazy loading!
Tags: Google Earth, Google Maps, img, non-js, static
Posted in API, Experimental, Google Earth, Google Maps, KML, Web Services, network-link | No Comments »
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
Remembering back to the good ol’ pre SpaceNavigator days, when Google Earth was stuck in ‘Earth Based’ mode, and I created ViewFrom, have created a new version that uses the <Camera> functionality to do it more accurately, but at the same wrapping it in a networklink for ease of use…
- ViewFlip (recent GE 4.2+ required)
… open opening this you should get an arrow in the middle of view. Click it and choose to either Flip! (swap position*) or Look Around (which gives you a folder of viewpoints to look out from the point of the arrow). So a sort of basic ‘User Based’ movements, which really (IMHO) should be part of part of the default GE installation - without needed addons.
*There is a few oddities with this - but mostly works. Also you will get a bunch of features in your Temporally Places - GE doesn’t seem to be able to load a KML that just changes the view (which there is no need to show in the Places there are no features)
Update: 25th Jan, Thanks to a suggestion from Frank Taylor the “lookaround” groups are now available at multiple altitudes, nothing new to download, its all done by magic. (let me know if other heights would be useful)
Tags: view user-based
Posted in Google Earth, KML, SpaceNavigator, network-link | No Comments »
