Transparent Buffer to Google?

[MEG]

I have polylines that I've buffered 1 mile and has a transparency of 60% in MapInfo.

 

I want to send this to a customer for use in Google Earth.  I want it to have a transparency in Google Earth so the customer can see the "earth" underneath.

 

Has anyone done this process, either using the (MapBasic) Google Earth Utility or another process?

 

Thanks,

 

MEG

[Kristi]

Hi Meg,

 

Could you please try to change the transparency in Google Earth (right click on your buffer map in the Places panel on the left > Properties > Transparency > change from clear to opaque > Ok)?

 

Kristi

---

From: MEG <mgros...@gmail.com>
To: mapi...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:47 PM
Subject: [MI-L] Transparent Buffer to Google?

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[MEG]

Kristi:

 

Thanks for the response.

 

The PROPERTIES for that layer doesn't have a TRANSPARENCY tab.  I only have DESCRIPTION,  STYLE, COLOR, VIEW and REFRESH.

 

Actually none of my layers have that option/tab.

 

MEG

[Kristi]

Hi Meg,

 

It's not on the tab, but above the tab. Please find enclosed the screenshots. I'm using Google Earth v6.1.

I'm not sure whether there is the transparency option for each version or not.

 

Kristi 

---

From: MEG <mgros...@gmail.com>
To: mapi...@googlegroups.com

Cc: Kristi <kris...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, 10 May 2012 9:21 AM
Subject: Re: [MI-L] Transparent Buffer to Google?

[MEG]

Kristi:

 

Thanks for the file.  The screenshots were helpful to see my error.

 

 

You were using an image file.  I was using a KML file. 

 

 

I'd tried an image. However, when I create my buffer as an image in MapInfo, the image has a white background.  Is yours like that or is there a way to remove that?

 

Thanks,

 

MEG

[Kristi]

I'm sorry, I thought before that you were using an image file. If you were using a KML file, it should not need to change the transparency as because you can change the region style of the buffer just using Border Style without Fill Pattern in MapInfo? So when it is sent to Google Earth, it seems like the vector style in MapInfo as the screenshot attached. Is it correct?   

 

Yes, the image has a white background. Personally, I don't know how to remove that. Probably, there is any advice from anyone in this list?

 

Kristi

---

From: MEG <mgros...@gmail.com>
To: mapi...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Kristi <kris...@yahoo.com>

Sent: Thursday, 10 May 2012 10:55 AM

Subject: Re: [MI-L] Transparent Buffer to Google?

[MEG]

Kristi:

 

Yes, I realize I could use a buffer with no fill.  However, I believe the fill is helpful especially if the user zooms in on the map.  WIth the transparency, the user can still see they are in the "buffered" zone.  Using it without a fill patern doesn't provide that "immediate" feedback.

 

So to restate, it appears if a buffer is written out as a KML, it can't be created with transparency attributes.

 

So if an image file is used, a white background is added to the buffer.  This would be very usable if the white background could be removed.

 

I appreciate your interest in helping.

 

Hopefully someone will have some advic and direction.

 

MEG

 

[Ed]

Hi,

you could also open up the KML file in notepad and anywhere that you
have <color>FFxxxxxx</color> for each polygon, change to
<color>7Fxxxxx</color>.
Changing from FF to 7F will change the internal transparency of that
color.

So do a replace all in the file of
<color>FF to <color>7F
and see if that helps.

this would allow you to send the file to the customer and not have to
ask them to change the transparency themselves as it would be embedded
in the file.

rgds
ed

Regards
Ed

[tastrax]

I might be missing something here but I would suggest a fill with an
OPACITY of 50% set in the KML (under properties). Not sure if mapinfo
can create this on the fly - might need to be a manual change in GE.

From the KML Specs....
Color and opacity (alpha) values are expressed in hexadecimal
notation. The range of values for any one color is 0 to 255 (00 to
ff). For alpha, 00 is fully transparent and ff is fully opaque. The
order of expression is aabbggrr, where aa=alpha (00 to ff); bb=blue
(00 to ff); gg=green (00 to ff); rr=red (00 to ff). For example, if
you want to apply a blue color with 50 percent opacity to an overlay,
you would specify the following: <color>7fff0000</color>, where
alpha=0x7f, blue=0xff, green=0x00, and red=0x00.

Cheers - Phil