nearby.org.uk blog » SpaceNavigator

ViewFlip for Google Earth

Barry — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:11:12 +0000

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 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)

New Earth

Barry — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:17:36 +0000

A next version of Google Earth is out! This in the one that implements the things we got a sneak preview of with KML2.2. Unfortunatly it would have to be today, the one day I cant actully play with it, so will have to hold off any try it out propelly another day

I’ll forward you over to Ogle Earth to get the lowdown on the new features.

I just hope that the 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator not working in Photo (or Sky!) mode is just a glitch…

Smooth Zooming on a Google Maps with a SpaceNavigator

Barry — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:39:37 +0000

A quicky: Nice little tweak of the 3Dconnexion control of a Google Map demo, thanks to an undocumented parameter it turns out it is possible to enable the Smooth (continuous) Zoom function from code, so now a new demo that has it enabled

As before IE only and required all sorts of hoop jumping to enable the activeX – but hopefully it worth it – still want to try the bookmarklet approach of loading this into any map.

3DConnexion on 2D Google Maps…

Barry — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:08:41 +0000

Thanks to Frank for letting us know about the new SDK for the 3DConnexion devices, including the SpaceNavigator, I’ve been waiting for this for a while as wanted to try it for websites like Google Maps. Even nicer is the SDK includes a Javascript demo – so makes developing for Google Maps Easy!

Enough already, I want to see the Demo!

WARNING: Internet Explorer – and you might have to enable ActiveX controls to run. Do so at your own risk! I won’t intentionly do anything bad, but can’t promise that 3DConnexion won’t (but doubtful they would either) – Recommend you add Nearby to your trusted sites and then allow controls to run in the trusted zone.

Or just download the file to your local drive. (right click the above link and select Save As) and run it from a local file – didn’t have to jump thought the hoops to get it to run there!

Todo: The zooming isn’t as slick as it could be (possibly) and would be nicer to have more control of the speed. Also the silly (depending on your point of view!) warnings from IE7, which I wonder if there is a better way of loading the objects to make it more compatible.

Mountain Panorama in Google Earth

Barry — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:05:54 +0000

DigitalUrban, has for a while being working on a Panorama Viewer for Google Earth, well to prove that it doesn’t just apply to Urban settings, I have created this panorama of the Top of Snowdon , the highest mountain in Wales (and England).

Really impressive! Just in case you don’t have a SpaceNavigator to really explore, have created a few views, just double click to move around. (idea from Google Earth Blog – except I used folders, so don’t have icons).

To really enjoy the feel of the mountains, I recommend setting your Terrain Exaggeration setting to about 2.0, although having said that the included Snapshot views are designed for when TE is set at 1, as that’s probably the most common.

I should note that I scaled up the model, to make it easier to use, so it does leave a rather large blob on top of the hill! This is also only a rectilinear panorama, rather than spherical, so it will be nice if DigitialUrban can work in support for such images.

Network Link updates

Barry — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 23:33:13 +0000

Following on from the last post about the amazing 3D SpaceNavigator (PE) from 3dconnexion, it has finally inspired me to blow the dust off the experimental solution to Making a View-Based Refresh efficient when tilted?, that I blogged about a while ago.

So I’ve just implemented this on the Geograph Google Earth ‘Wide Area’ Network Link, and the Nearby NetworkLayers, (imaginative names aye?), which along with GB and Ireland Grid Lines Layers any my most used network links.

This should have no affect when looking ‘straight down’ but when the globe is tilted, hopefully the useful information should be better positioned in the foreground rather than extending into the blurry distance.

Feedback welcome…

Navigating a 3D globe the way it should be (probably!)

Barry — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 21:56:10 +0000

I have to admit when first seeing the The SpaceNavigator, on Franks Google Earth Blog, I was a little skeptical that the device could be *that* good, boy was I wrong. In fact I’ve had it just a little over an hour, and hard to put it down, (similar case here). (thanks again to Frank for pushing me into trying it)
IMHO the best part is that it makes ‘User Based’ navigation a very real possibility, it appears its been a possible with the Joystick ‘Controller’ interface for a while, but I’ve never managed to get to grips with it, like I think it should of worked. (this is using a MS Flight Stick so should be quite good, but found it easy to get disorientated*)

Mouse and Keyboard (and an option with Controllers and this device) is still ‘Earth Based’ in Google Earth, which while does make sense, I repeatedly finding myself wishing I could just rotate my viewpoint rather than the ground spot I am looking at. (If anybody is reading this my next request would be for a quicker way to switch GE between the two modes)

Anyway back to exploring the Earth….
*This might be partly due to 3DConnexion making a design decision not to implement Roll. (having said that would like to see it as an option!)

P.S. It seems its not easily available in the UK yet, but the 3Dconnexion’s EU shop do ship to the UK.