App-GPS and KML
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In short, this application takes a GPS track recorded using your GPS and converts this to a colour coded kml file that can be viewed in Google Earth.
System Requirements
- Windows XP, Vista or later
- Microsoft .Net framework 2.0 or later.
I then use Garmin MapSource to extract my track data from my Garmin Etrex Legend into a text file, which I then read in with GPS and KML.
Walkthrough
- Enter a name for your KML. This is the name that will be displayed as the top level node in Google Earth for this track.
- Enter a Description. This field may contain some basic HTML but keep it simple since this also needs to fit into a pop-up inside Google Earth when you open the KML file.
- Now select your Data file. This file should be in the correct format as described in the "Required Data format" section below. GPS and KML can however support multiple delimiter types including custom one.
- By default GPS and KML creates an elevated track with a drop shadow. You can set the elevation of the track above the shadow.
- This feature is useful since the track uses absolute altitudes as recorded by your GPS. Sometimes Google Earth may not have a similar level of resolution and parts of your track could disappear below the surface. In this case, increase the elevation.
- The drop shadow will follow the exact same GPS coordinates as your track except that it is snapped to the surface as per Google terrain data.
- Select the Delimiter used in your data file.
- Click "create KML"
When the file is completely processed a summary window will pop up. Click on the link to open the KML file directly in Google Earth (if you have it installed). Otherwise get it free from http://earth.google.com/
What do the colours mean?
Once your file is process GPS and KML you can open it in Google Earth. The colour coding in this representation is as described in the colour bar below. Lines that are Blue indicate a section of the track where you have reached the maximum speed. Red is where you were going the slowest, with the other colours in the colour bar making up the rest.
The drop Shadow is always grey.
I was thinking of allowing people to select different colour bars, so if I get enough feedback from you asking for this, I'll add it to later versions.
Maximum Speed
Minimum Speed
Required Data file format
The data file format needs to be as follows. Note that this is very close to what I get out of MapSource. The only change I had to make to the file was to split the Coordinate column into two columns to separate out the Longitude and Latitude columns.
I am planning to add support for this in newer versions.
The shaded columns below are required columns without which GPS and KML will not function. In fact, these are also the only columns that are used by GPS and KML. The other columns do not have to be present in the Data file at all.
Known Issues
- In MapSource, you have an option to join broken tracks. This somehow has an adverse effect on the speed of that section of the track. Any joined sections seem to then equate to a much higher speed than is actually possible and often then skews the max speed counter and therefore has the effect of loosing allot of colour resolution on the output kml track.
- Altitude in the Summary box does not show the units of measurement.
- No option to change the unit of measurement in which you would like the output to be created in.
Licensing and Disclaimer
You are free to download and use this application free. I do ask that you do not forward it on to other people, but rather refer them to this page (copy the link from your browser address bar above). This would ensure that they always get the latest version of the application which would include any bug fixes that have been released.
I accept absolutely no responsibility for anything that happens to you or anyone else you know by using this application. This was a fun project which I did in my spare time (and will keep supporting in the same way).
Finally
Leave some comments (below). I would love to hear some feedback. Tell me where you have used this app, if you've used it, how useful it was. Also let me know what you did not like and what you would like me to change.