![Google Earth Circle Maps - Advanced](earthapps_circles_adv_sm2.png)
RockWorks | Utilities | EarthApps | Points | Circles | Advanced
This program:
- Reads a listing of data from the Datasheet Editor: XY locations and (optionally) size declarations, measured values, colors, and label content.
- Creates a KML output file in which the point locations are represented with hollow or filled circles, using the color, scaling, and labeling options you specify.
- Creates a KMZ (zip) output file, containing the KML file.
- Loads the KMZ file in Google Earth.
This is the most flexible (and complicated) circle map option.
See also: Circle Maps - Simple, Circle Maps - Proportional
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Menu Options
- Input Columns: The prompts along the left side of the window 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: 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 and Units for more information.
- Y: Column that contains the Y coordinates for the points.
- Radii: Defines the size of the circles.
- Fixed: Click this option to plot all of the circles at the same size.
- Radius (Meters): Defines the size for the circles, expressed in meters.
For example, an entry of 10,000 would create circles that have a radius of 10 kilometers. If you'll be displaying a small area in Google Earth, you should make this smaller than if you're displaying a large area.
- Variable (Defined by Column): Click this option for variably-sized circles, based on actual values listed in a datasheet column.
- Column: Defines the name of the column in the datasheet where the radius values are listed.
! Be sure you have the radius units (meters, kilometers, etc.) defined in the datasheet. See Defining your Datasheet Coordinates and Units for more information.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Proportional: Choose this option for the size of the circle to be scaled automatically by the program, based on quantitative values listed in the Datasheet Editor.
- Column: This setting defines the column that contains the measurements upon which the circles will be scaled.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Minimum Radius (Meters): Defines the radius for the circles, as expressed in meters, for the sample sites with the smallest Z value measurement (as read from the column defined above).
For example, an entry of 1000 would create circles that have a radius of 1 kilometer for the site(s) with the minimum value.
- Maximum Radius (Meters): Defines the radius for the circles, in meters, for the sample sites with the largest Z value measurement (as read from the column defined above). Sites with intermediate Z values will be scaled proportionally between the minimum and maximum radii.
- Perimeter: Defines the colors and thickness of the circle perimeter.
- None: Choose this option to exclude the perimeter line from the circles.
- Fixed: Click this button for all circles to have the same outline color.
- Color: Defines the color for the circle outlines. The current color is displayed to the right.
To change the color, click on the color sample and choose a new color from the drop-down list
- Variable (Defined by Column): Click this button for circle perimeter colors to vary based on actual colors defined in the datasheet.
- Column: Defines the name of the column in the datasheet where the colors are listed.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Proportional: Choose this option for the outline colors to be assigned automatically, using a cold-to-hot color scheme, based on the min-max range of the values for the site listed in the Z column defined below.
- Column: Defines the name of the column containing the measurements upon which the automatically-colored circles will be based.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Thickness: Defines the thickness for the perimeter circles, in pixels.
The curent setting is displayed to the right, click on the value to type in a different number. Rule of thumb: 1.0 = thin lines, 3.0 = thick lines.
- Fill: Fill settings for the circles.
- None: The circles won't be filled with color. Be sure you've defined a perimeter color, above.
- Fixed: All circles will be plotted in the same color.
- Color: Defines the color for the circles.
The current color is displayed to the right. To change the color, click on the color sample and choose a new color from the list.
- Variable (Defined by Column): The circles can be colored differently, based on actual colors listed in the datasheet.
- Column: Defines the name of the column in the datasheet where the colors are listed.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Proportional: Choose this option for the fill colors to be assigned automatically, using a cold-to-hot color scheme, based on the min-max range of the values for the site listed in the Z column defined below.
- Column: Defines the name of the column containing the measurements upon which the automatically-colored circles will be based.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Include Labels: Insert a check here to label the site in the Google Earth side panel and in the map.
- Label Column: Defines the column that contains the text to be used for the labels.
Click on the current name displayed to the right, to choose a different column name from the drop-down list.
- Color: Defines the color for the labels.
Click on the current color, displayed to the right, to choose a different color.
- Scale: Defines the size of the labels. Default = 1.
Rule of thumb: 0.5 will create small labels, 2.0 large labels.
Step-by-Step Summary
- Access the Utilities data tab.
- Create a new datasheet and enter or import your location names and coordinates, and any of the optional fields, into the datasheet.
Or, open one of the sample files and replace that data with your own. (In this example, the sample file = "RockWorks17 Data\EarthApps Samples\Circles_Advanced_01.rwDat")
![](earthapps_circles_adv_fmt2.png)
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 | EarthApps | Points | Circles | Advanced menu option.
- Enter the menu options as described above.
! Tip: If you're working with one of the sample .rwDat files, you can load its specific menu settings by (1) clicking on the Menu button at the top of the window, (2) clicking Load from RCL, and (3) browsing for the .rcl file with the same name as the .rwDat file you're working with.
- Click the Process button to continue.
The program will create a KML file containing a map in which the point locations are represented with circles, using the scaling, coloring, and labeling 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 automatically.
- 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 map will be displayed in Google Earth, if requested.
Back to Point Map Summary
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