Exporting RockPlot2D Charts to Google Earth (KMZ)

RockPlot2D File | Export | KMZ (Google Earth) Charts
or
Utilities | Grafix | 2D Utilities | Export | KMZ

Use this program to save an existing chart diagram (Rw2D image) into a Google Earth KMZ (Keyhole Markup Language - Zipped) file.  The result is your RockWorks diagram draped on the ground or floating horizontally in Google Earth. Examples include stereonet diagrams, rose diagrams, frequency histograms, etc.

! Since charts don't have any geo-referenced spatial information, you'll need to define longitude and latitude coordinates for their placement.

Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Tips

Menu Options

• Rw2D Input File: (Grafix menu only.) Click to the right to select the name of the Rw2D file containing the chart diagram to be exported to KMZ format. This file must have already been saved in the RockPlot2D window.  See Saving RockPlot2D Images. 
  
  
• Coordinate Type
  • Single Midpoint: Choose this option if you want to define a single point for the chart. The image will be oriented with the horizontal axis extending from west-to-east, and the vertical axis extending south-to-north.
    
    • Longitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal longitude coordinate for the center of the diagram. Be sure that western longitudes are entered as negative values.
    • Latitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal latitude coordinate for the center of the diagram. Be sure that southern latitudes are entered as negative values.
    • Dimensions (meters): Here you need to specify how wide and tall the diagram is to be, in meters, as displayed in Google Earth.
      If it's important to keep the same aspect ratio as you see in RockPlot2D, you'll need to apply the same ratio to these values. For example, for a round rose diagram (without annotation), you will enter the same value for width and height. For a rectangular histogram diagram, you'll enter a width that's larger than the height.
      • Width: Click to the right to type in the left-to-right dimensions, in meters, for the chart as displayed in Google Earth.
      • Height: Click to the right to type in the bottom-to-top dimensions, in meters, for the chart as displayed in Google Earth.
  • Corner Points: Choose this option if you want to define the coordinates for the lower-left and upper-right corners. This method allows you to orient the image any way you like.
    • Point 1
      • Longitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal longitude coordinate for the lower-left corner of the diagram. Be sure that western longitudes are entered as negative values.
      • Latitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal latitude coordinate for the lower-left corner of the diagram. Be sure that southern latitudes are entered as negative values.
    • Point 2
      • Longitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal longitude coordinate for the upper-right corner of the diagram.
      • Latitude: Click to the right to type in the decimal latitude coordinate for the upper-right corner of the diagram.
        
        
• Elevation:Use these settings to define where the chart will be placed vertically in Google Earth.
  • Drape (Clamp to Ground):  Choose this option to lay the chart on the ground surface in Google Earth. 
  • Float (Absolute):  Choose this option to float the chart above the ground surface in Google Earth, as a horizontal plane. 
    • Elevation (meters): Click to the right to type in the absolute elevation at which the image will float. (This does not represent elevation relative to the ground, but elevation relative to sea level.)
      
      
• Transparent Background: Check this option to have the background color in the image be set to fully transparent, as shown on the left in the example below.
  Note that you can also apply transparency to the diagram as a whole once it's plotted in Google Earth.

Step-by-Step Summary

1. Figure out the coordinates for the chart diagram.
2. From RockPlot2D:  If necessary, open the Rw2D file containing the chart diagram you wish to export (see Opening Plot Files) or save the current plot if it's untitled (see Saving RockPlot2D Images). 
3. Select the File | Export | KMZ (Google Earth) Chart command from the RockPlot2D menu.
   - OR -
   From the Utilities menu, select the Grafix | 2D Utilities | Export | KMZ (Google Earth) menu option.
4. Enter the requested menu options, as described above.
5. Click the Process button to proceed.

The program will create a KML file containing the image. It will create a KMZ (zip) file containing the KML file. The Google Earth KML and KMZ file names will be assigned automatically.

5. If RockWorks displays the KMZ name in a popup window for your reference, you can confirm:
   • Automatically load file into Google Earth: Be sure this is checked if you want to display the output at this time.
   • Show this message every time a KMZ File is Created: If checked, this window will be displayed each time a Google Earth output is created. Uncheck this if you prefer not to see this window in the future.
     (Both of these settings are also available via the Preferences menu.)
     
     
   • Click OK to continue or Cancel to cancel the operation.

The resulting diagram will be displayed in Google Earth, if requested.

Tips

• You can use use the Layers pane in RockPlot2D to turn on/off the items you do/don't want to have displayed in the output. Be sure to save the changes.
• You can also use the Crop tool to crop the portion of the image that you wish to export. Be sure to save the changes under the same name, or a new name.
• If you've deleted items from the chart for export purposes - say, removing a rose diagram legend - you can use the Rockplot2D View | Set Diagram Extents menu option to reset the extents of the picture.
  
  

  Back to Export menu

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