Notable Features in South Florida - Google Earth - Module 7

 This week's lab did not provide a shareable image to discuss on the blog. It was a brief introduction to creating a 'map tour' on Google Earth and converting a feature layer in ArcGis Pro into a KML file allowing it to be displayed in Google Earth. 

The first task was for us to take a provided surface water fand population dot density feature class and convert it into a displayable format for Google Earth. We simply uploaded the feature class into ArcGis Pro and used the 'Layer to KML' geoprocessing function. Once our layer was converted we saved it to our desktop and opened it in Google Earth. KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files are operate in a similar manner to XML files which are a coded language containing all of the data requisite for representation in ArcGis Pro and most digital display programs. However, KMLs only operate within Google Earth not ArcGis Pro.  When there are a series of feature elements presented in a KML file, they are 'zipped' together in an overarching container file known as a KMZ (Keyhole Markup Zip). By simply clicking the KML or KMZ file, it will automatically open Google Earth if it is downloaded on the users desktop. Ours saved as a KMZ due to the multiplicity of layers within our file. 

With our layers now populated into Google Earth, we simply nested them within the 'My Places' folder in our content tab in the program. A screenshot of our layers in Google Earth is provided at the end of this post. 

We were provided a .png image of a map legend which we simply added and directed through its properties using the 'add image' function. The next step was for us to create a map tour. Here we created placemarks, each nested within the 'My Places' folder where our layer file was stored. In order for this layer to be displayed during our tour, it is imperative that our tour video be within the same nested file as our data. 

To create a tour, one simply clicks the 'Create Tour' icon and press record. With the 3D Building display on, we then clicked on our placemarks where the program automatically travelled to and zoomed in on our desired locations. Using the cursor and keyboard arrows, we moved the screen around to show an overview of the desired area. By right clicking on the 'My Places' folder (not simply the saved video) and saving it, it created a new KMZ file which held our video.