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“The way the information is presented appeals to teachers, hobbyists, web designers—anyone looking for a way to enhance their content by using customized maps.”
—Warren Kelly, Pastor
“It could become the de-facto tutorial volume for the subject, as well as the classic reference guide.”
—Thomas Duff, Lead Developer
“This book is written so well and is so easy to follow it’s a joy to go through.”
— Daniel McKinnon, Software Engineer
KML began as the file format for Google Earth, but it has evolved into a full-fledged international standard for describing any geographic content—the “HTML of geography.” It’s already supported by applications ranging from Microsoft Virtual Earth and NASA WorldWind to Photoshop and AutoCAD. You can do amazing things with KML, and this book will show you how, using practical examples drawn from today’s best online mapping applications.
Drawing on her extensive experience with the creators of KML, Wernecke teaches techniques that can be used by everyone from programmers to real estate agents, scientists, students, architects, virtual explorers, and more.
Highlights include
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Chapter 1: A Quick Tour 1
KML: An International Standard 2
Is the KML Specification Complete? 3
A Wealth of Resources 4
Creating and Sharing KML. 4
Tell Your Story with KML. 4
Sky in KML 8
“Hello, Earth” 9
The Copy-and-Paste Trick. 13
What’s Next? 13
Chapter 2: Placemarks and Balloons 15
X Marks the Spot 16
Customizing Your KML Presentation 17
Placemarks with Points 18
Default Balloon. 18
Modifying the Balloon 19
Specifying a Viewpoint 31
Flying to a Placemark in Google Earth 35
Other Children of Placemark 39
Syntax for <Placemark> 39
Related Feature Elements 40
Packaging Up KML Files into KMZ Archives 40
What’s Next? 43
Chapter 3: Geometry 45
Chapter Overview 46
Coordinates: A Closer Look 46
Line Strings 48
Polygons 55
MultiGeometry 62
Models 64
Including Author and Source Information 70
What’s Next? 70
Chapter 4: Styles and Icons 71
Chapter Overview 72
Travels through Literature 72
Building Blocks for Styles 73
Shared versus Inline Styles 96
Style Maps for Rollover Behavior 100
What’s Next? 107
Chapter 5: Overlays 109
Chapter Overview 110
What Is an Overlay? 110
Tools for Creating Overlays 112
Basic Concepts 113
Another Way to Specify the Viewpoint: Camera 116
Ground Overlay 123
Screen Overlay 128
PhotoOverlay 133
What’s Next? 143
Chapter 6: Network Link 145
Chapter Overview 146
What Is a Network Link? 147
Why Use Network Links? 149
Client/Server Basics 149
Syntax for <NetworkLink> 153
Simple Network Link Example 157
Refreshing Network Links 159
Advanced Example: Puff Volcanic Ash Tracking Model 160
Sending Information from Client-Side to Server-Side 164
Network Link Controls 171
What’s Next? 176
Chapter 7: Dynamic KML 177
Chapter Overview 178
Key Concepts 178
Updating KML 180
Time and Animation in KML 195
What’s Next? 211
Chapter 8: Dealing with Large Data Sets 213
Chapter Overview 214
Key Concepts 215
Regions 223
Super-Overlays 235
Extended Data 245
What’s Next? 259
Appendix A: KML Reference 261
Appendix B: Sky Data in KML 321
Index 331