Google Earth Icon Maps

RockWorks: Google Earth Icon Maps

RockWorks | Utilities | Earth | Points | Sample Point Icons

This program:

Reads a listing of data from the Datasheet Editor: XY locations and (optionally) unique symbols, size declarations, and label content.
Creates a KML output file in which the point locations are represented with icons, using the scaling, labeling, and hyperlink options you specify.
Creates a KMZ (zip) output file, containing the KML file.
Loads the KMZ file in Google Earth.

Data Columns: These prompts tell RockWorks which columns in the input datasheet contain the required data.
Click on an existing name to select a different name from the drop-down list. See a sample data layout below.
- X (Easting): Column that contains the X coordinates for the points.
  These can be Eastings in meters or feet, decimal longitudes, etc. See Defining your Datasheet Coordinates for more information.
- Y (Northing): Column that contains the Y coordinates for the points.
Icon Attributes
- Icons
  - Fixed: (Easiest) Click in this button to use the same icon for all points. Click on the Icon sample to choose a different symbol for the point locations.
  - Variable: (Defined by Column) Click in this button if you have symbols listed in the datasheet for each XY point, as shown in the data example below.
    - Column: Select the name of the column in the current datasheet that contains the raster symbol to be used to represent each site in Google Earth.
- Size: Use these settings to define how you want the icons to be scaled.
  - Fixed: (Easiest) All icons will be plotted at the same size. Click on the current Size setting, to the right, to type in a new size for the symbols. Default = 1.
    Rule of thumb: 0.5 will create small symbols, 2.0 large symbols.
  - Variable: (Defined by Column) Choose this option for the icons to be sized differently, based on size declarations listed in the datasheet.
    - Size Column: Select the name of the column in the current datasheet in which the size for each icon is listed.
  - Proportional: (Scaled Relative to Data Column)Choose this option for the icons can be scaled automatically, based on measured values listed in the datasheet. For example, sites with high concentration values would be represented with larger icons, proportionally, than sites with low concentration values.
    - Data Column: Select the column that contains the measurements upon which the icons will be scaled.
    - Minimum Size: Defines the radius for the icons, as expressed in Google Earth units, for the sample sites with the smallest value measurements (as read from the data column defined above).
      Rule of thumb: 0.4 will create small symbols, 2.0 large symbols.
    - Maximum Size: Defines the radius for the icons for the sample sites with the largest value measurements (as read from the data column defined above).
- Altitude: Use these settings to define the altitude at which the icons will be plotted.
  - Fixed: (Easiest) All symbols will be plotted at the same elevation. Type in the altitude relative to the ground at which each symbol is to be plotted.
  - Variable: (Defined by Column)Choose this option for the symbols to be plotted at the elevation defined in a data column.
    - Altitude Column: Select the column in the current datasheet that contains the altitude values.
Labels: Insert a check here to label the site in the Google Earth side panel and in the map. Click on the tab to access the settings.
- Label Column: Select the column that contains the text to be used for the labels.
- Color: Click on the color box to choose the label color.
- Size: Defines the size of the labels. Default = 1.
  Rule of thumb: 0.5 will create small labels, 2.0 large labels.
Hyperlinks: Check this to include additional data with the symbols in the output file, which can be displayed in Google Earth by clicking on the point symbols. Click on this tab to access the options and their data sources. In the example from Google Earth shown here, the extended description popup includes: the Label (first bold line), Descriptions (next three lines), an Image, and a Link (below the image).
- Descriptions: Check this to include extended descriptions. RockWorks pulls the description text from one or more columns in the datasheet. If you use multiple columns, they must be adjacent to each other.
  - Start Column: Select the first column (left-most) in the current datasheet which contains the text for the extended descriptions.
  - End Column: Select the last column (right-most) in the datasheet containing text for the descriptions. If you only have one column for description text, set the End Column to the same as the Start Column. All information from the start to the end columns will be included in the descriptions..
- Images: Check this if you want to include images in the description popups.
  - Image Column: Select the name of the column in the current datasheet where the image names are listed.
- Links: Check this if you want to include a hyperlink in the description.
  - Caption Column: Defines the column where the link text (what you actually click on in Google Earth) is listed.
  - Link Column: Defines the column where the URL link content is listed.
Group Name: Type in the name to assign to the icon map, which will be displayed in the Google Earth data tree.
Output Options: Click on this tab to define the output file and display settings.
- Output File Name
  - Automatic: Choose this option to have RockWorks assign the name automatically. It will use the name of the current program plus a numeric suffix, plus the ".KMZ" file name extension.
  - Manual: Click this option to type in your own file name. The extension is ".KMZ".
- Display output within Google Earth: Check this box if you want to display the output at this time in Google Earth.
  ! Note that the actual program which will be used to display the KMZ file is determined by your Windows settings.
  - Use Custom View: If unchecked, the starting viewpoint for the map will be determined automatically. If checked you can set a custom view.
    - Longitude, Latitude: Type in the longitude and latitude coordinates where the viewpoint will be.
    - Heading: Type in the 0 to 360 degree bearing from the viewpoint to the map.
    - Tilt: Type in the angle downward from the viewpoint to the map.
    - Range: Enter the distance in meters from the viewpoint to the map.

Access the RockWorks Datasheet program tab.
Create a new datasheet and enter or import your location names, coordinates, and other data into the datasheet.
Or, open one of the sample files and replace that data with your own.
! Click the Example button at the top of the window to load a sample file that is installed with the program.

Here is an example of how a data file might look. Note that only the X and Y columns (Longitude and Latitude here) are required.

Longitude and latitude coordinates must be in decimal format. If you're using another coordinate system, be sure you've specified the Units and the Projection Settings as appropriate.
Select the RockWorks | Utilities | Earth | Sample Point Icons menu option.
Enter the program settings as described above.
Click the Continue button to proceed.

The program will create a KML file containing a map in which the point locations are represented with icons, using the scaling, labeling, and hyperlink options you specify. It will create a KMZ (zip) file containing the KML file. The Google Earth KML and KMZ file names will be assigned as you specified.

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

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