Google Earth Tutorial: Tours
Geobrowser
The following are notes on my GTI
presentations on how to create Tours in Google Earth. If you have questions
please add a reply to this post and I will respond as soon as I can (if someone
else doesn’t answer first!) - JB
(1) What is a Google Earth Tour?
A Google Earth Tour is an option that allows a user to record their navigation in GE’s 3D browser as a KML file that can be played/saved. This is NOT a multimedia video file, i.e., it can’t be played outside of Google Earth (or similar software that recognizes the same code).
(2) Playing Google Earth Tours
When a tour file is generated or opened, the following control bar appears in the bottom left corner of the 3D browser window:
The left-hand buttons allow the user to rewind, play/pause, forward the tour.
The
slider and counter show progression along the tour. It can be used to “jump” to
any portion of the tour.
The right-hand buttons allow for play-looping and saving the current tour as a
KML file. The latter is necessary if a tour has just been recorded using the
Google Earth interface because it is not automatically “saved”.
(3) Generating Automated Tours
The simplest method to generate a tour uses previously created Point-Placemarks or Paths. These items can be highlighted in the sidebar and then a play button at the bottom of Places pressed (see red circles in images below):
(a) “Flying” Tours
Pressing the play button will generate a tour that jumps from Placemark to Placemark (or any other KML object in an active folder) until it reaches the snapshot view of that Placemark. Depending on the preferences set, the tour might pause at that location for a set time and/or open a description balloon. It them jumps to the snapshot view of the next Placemark.
Example: FlyingTour.kml
It is not necessary for the Placemark to be visible for the tour to work.
To adjust preferences:
Tools -> Options -> Touring (on PC)
Under When creating a tour from a folder the following can be set:
- Time Between Features (how quickly the
tour flies from snapshot view to snapshot view)
- Wait at Features (how long the tour
stays at a given snapshot view before moving on)
- Show balloon when waiting at features
(when the tour reaches a KML object, the description balloon will appear if it
exists and this box is checked)
Pressing the play button will create a tour that drives along a line. It is not necessary for the Path to be visible for the tour to work.
Example: DrivingTour.kml
To adjust preferences:
Google
Earth -> Preferences -> Touring (on Mac)
Tools
-> Options -> Touring (on PC)
Under When creating a tour from a line the following can be set:
- Camera Tilt Angle (angle of tour
viewpoint relative to nadir; 0 degrees looks directly down)
- Camera Range (distance between path
and tour viewpoint)
- Speed (the relative speed of the
tour)
(4) Generating Freeform Tours
Although simple to generate, freeform forms are restrictive in the forms of movement possible and the fact that the preferences settings apply universally, e.g., either all balloons open on a flying tour, or none.
However, tours can also be created with all navigation and visibility of features/balloon under the user’s control
The three simplest methods to start recording a freeform tour are:
(i) Use the menus (Add -> Tour)
(ii) Click on the icon (videocamera) in the toolbar
(iii) Right-click on the folder in the Sidebar and select Add -> Tour
Two buttons and counter will then appear in the bottom left corner of the 3d browser. When the left red dot (left-hand) button is pressed recording is started all navigation within the 3D browser is recorded.
Pressing the microphone (right-hand) button will recording sound (through a built-in or external microphone) in addition to the navigation in GE.
To stop recording press the left-hand (now red with white dot) button. The play controls described in section 2 now appear. Note: At this point the tour can be saved using the button with a floppy disc icon; it will not automatically be saved.