I want to make Explorer content, but how can I avoid the manual import kml/kmz action?

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Edwin de Kuiper

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:22:58 AM4/21/20
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Hi,

I want to make content, a journey about a topic. I can make a kml/kmz file and import this in Google Earth. Unfortunately the user has to import this file manually.

Earth "Explorer" content is fundamentally KML, but the coding used to create these interactive experiences in Explorer, are not publicly documented unfortunately.
 
I can't link to 'explorer' content, because it been vetted by Googelers. 
 
... but for third party content, user would have to download KML file from a site. Then the user has to goto Google Earth Web, enable import of KML if needed, and then manual import. 

How can I make this automatically, just like the explorer content in Earth?

I hope someone will answer this.

many thanks in advance!
Edwin
 
 

Josh Williams

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Apr 21, 2020, 1:52:00 PM4/21/20
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Hello Edwin,

Your post has some great points and I share many of these issues. I have overcome some, not all, of these by using Earth Projects. This allows for a shared url that users can easily open*. Here is the Earth Outreach YouTube playlist for anyone who is interested. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLW-qoCMKQszhiNgcqMkzGJBNiolHyv1D

Earth Projects are not kml. Yes, you can export a kml, but that file is not the same as the project. That stated, Earth projects do not have all of kmls bells ans whistles; folders and ground overlays for example. And yes, Voyager stories are kml with features that not available for Earth Projects. (Lacking Features described later)

I also agree that there are some kml, <gx:xxx>, tags that are not currently documented, but most of the quiz voyager story linked in your post is not new kml. In fact, the changes people see is a little HTML, CSS, with a bit of JavaScript; components of a web page. They are more sophisticated then an  early 2000 websites, but they get a lot of help from material design lite. For that voyager story linked in your post, probably the only undocumented kml features are show, hide, and maybe a FlyToOrbit here and there. 

These quizzes are not easy to make in kml; or in Earth Projects. While creating the buttons and panel are relatively simple, keeping score requires a huge number of placemarks. For example, an eight question quiz can turn out to be over 1,100 placemarks; if you want to keep score with styled "A" "B" "C" map pins. If you don't want to keep score you can create these "interactive experiences" using custom HTML in Google Projects with much greater ease. Not that it is initially easy, but most of my 9th graders could probably figure it out if guided.


Here is a blog post on how to do this: https://geteach.com/blog/2020/01/03/custom-html-info-boxes-google-earth-quiz-tutorial/ . Again, not really much kml; just HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript. I am aware this is not a perfect solution, but good enough for my classroom.

Feel free to scroll down this other post if you are interested in seeing some "off" template Earth Projects: https://geteach.com/blog/2019/12/01/explore-create-share-with-google-earth-creation-tools/

As aforementioned, there are still a number of kml features, like folders, time, ground overlays, screen overlays, import from sheets/.csv etc. that I wish Earth Projects could better support. Here are links to two kml stories that are not possible to do well using Earth Projects. I, like you state, share the kml from drive; hoping the user knows how to import kml.


Then panels are easy...the # of points/polygons, creating <style>ing for imported features, not messing up the Table of Contents, and the use of ground overlays are what is problematic. In addition to leaving feedback in these forums, I always try to use the feedback option within the menu of he web app. I am pretty sure the team has heard better kml support; ingesting kml into Earth Projects, but it always helps to have more voices:) I also share your feelings about making all these option, features, collections, more robust at the same time creating an easy user experience; allowing the greatest number of people to explore, create, and share.

Lastly, I believe the enable import kml is no longer an issue. I want to say that it is enable on by default with the last update.

Sorry this got a little long,
Josh

*There might be some issues with sharing Earth Projects if your GSuite Edu account does not allow sharing outside from outside domain*

Edwin de Kuiper

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Apr 21, 2020, 4:35:02 PM4/21/20
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Hi Josh, thank you for your longer answer ;-))

I found something interesting and annoying thing.

When I create a project from Google Earth (browser) in Google Drive, I do will get an more-or-less explorer and distributional story. For example: 


Now you don't have to import a kml as a user. good so far.

But... 
You can't import kml/kmz files in a Google Drive project. The Google Drive project is nog a file and is not portable... what is happening here?
Therefore its hard to manage.

any idea?
someone?

Edwin




Op dinsdag 21 april 2020 17:22:58 UTC+2 schreef Edwin de Kuiper:
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