HOME get Google Earth free software for using KML and KMZ files
GULF COAST PHOTOGRAPHS
NOAA IMAGES OF KEY BIRD LOCATIONS featuring brightened photosGULF COAST PLACES
Right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) to save KML and KMZ files
on your hard drive before using them in Google Earth
Fresh Marsh in Louisiana in 1997 KMZ by TNC based on LDWF & NWRC polygonsIntermediate Marsh in Louisiana in 1997 KMZ by TNC based on LDWF & NWRC polygons
Brackish Marsh in Louisiana in 1997 KMZ by TNC based on LDWF & NWRC polygons
Saline Marsh in Louisiana in 1997 KMZ by TNC based on LDWF & NWRC polygons
Katrina Levee Breaches KMZ by TNC based on 2005 LOUISIANA HURRICANE IMPACT ATLAS
Draft Louisiana Protected Areas KMZ file by TNC from various federal, state, and local agencies
Louisiana Breeding Bird Atlas no KML or KMZ files, but the book is still available
Seabird Colonies in Louisiana in 1997 KMZ file by TNC from LOSCO data
Bird Sites hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita no KML or KMZ files (see next item)
Bird Sites hit by Katrina and Rita KMZ file by TNC with links to enhanced photos
New Orleans flooding after Hurricane Katrina, 05 September 2005
KMZ file by FEMA and distributed at http://bbs.keyhole.com
New Orleans flooding after Hurricane Katrina, 14 September 2005
KMZ file by FEMA and distributed at http://bbs.keyhole.com
WHY GOOGLE EARTH?
It lets you show people special places. Google Earth provides the detailed base-map, and you provide the placemarks, routes, polygons, etc. If I want to show you where I went last month, I create a KML or KMZ file and e-mail to you or post it on a Web site. When you receive it, you may move it to a folder for KML and KMZ files. When you double-click the file, Google Earth will zoom in to show you my locations. The file can include labels and Internet links that, when clicked, show Web sites, pictures, or descriptions. To create original KML and KMZ files, you need a software utility, typically working in conjunction with GIS software. To modify existing KML and KMZ files, you open them in Google Earth, then right-click (Windows) or control-click (Macs) their entries in the Google Earth Places window pane, and choose Edit... If the entries are hierarchical, changes to the higher levels may affect everything below. To save your changes, you right-click (Windows) or control-click (Macs) the entries in the Google Earth Places window pane, and choose Save As... thereby creating a new KMZ or KML file. KMZ is the zipped version of KML for faster network transfers.
HOW TO GOOGLE THE EARTH
A SIMPLE PROCEDURE FOR DISPLAYING KML AND KMZ FILES IN GOOGLE EARTHyou may figure out something better!
Presumptions:
You have installed Google Earth get Google Earth
You have created a folder somewhere on your hard drive called "googleplaces" or whatever
1. Open your favorite browser - you're already here if you're reading this
Windows users can open Google's browser: Help menu > Google Earth Community
2. Go to http://www.manybirds.com/googleearth.htm
you're already here if you're reading this
3. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macs) any kml or kmz file listed above
reveals pop-up menu
4. From the pop-up menu, choose Save the linked file
save it to your googleplaces folder
5. Look in your googleplaces folder to make sure each file ends in .kml or .kmz
if not, rename to remove .txt that the Mac's Safari browser adds
6. Also check to see if each file has a Google Earth icon
like the one sitting on your desktop, but with KMZ or KML embedded
7. Double-click on any one of your kml or kmz files
Google Earth will probably reset its view to display the file's contents
8. Find the new entry in Google Earth's Temporary Places section under Places
Google Earth disconnects the file in your googleplaces from the entry in Places
9. When you quit Google Earth, you are asked about your "unsaved items"
if you say yes, the entry is moved out of Temporary Places to My Places
if you say no, the entry disappears - you can do the above over again later
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PROBLEMS USING MAC OSX
Safari displays large images at full size, so you have to scroll mucho. Firefox browser turns cursor into toggle magnifying glass, letting you click to zoom in and out as desired. The Safari browser adds ".txt" at the end of the KMZ or KML file, forcing you to remove it before you view it to Google Earth. Rename the file so that it ends in ".kmz" or ".kml". Then, the icon will change to Google's icon, and double-click will install a copy of the file in Temporary Places of Google Earth.
If you're viewing ManyBirds in the Safari browser and you click a KMZ or KML file, Safari will display random text instead of adding the file to Google Earth. You must control-click the link and choose "Save Linked File to the Desktop".
Google may open Safari when you do: Help menu > Google Earth Community. You can switch the default browser by opening Safari, then Safari menu > Preferences > General tab > Set Web Browser > choose Firefox.
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IDEA FROM THE GOOGLE EARTH COMMUNITY
If you are trying to post or open a KML or KMZ file that has been created by Google Earth and running into difficulties, please make sure that the proper MIME types are set correctly. If this is not set, these files could attempt to be opened as .zip files or as simple .txt files.
You can correct any MIME type errors by setting the httpd.conf file to:
Application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml kml
Application/vnd.google-earth.kmz kmz"
Never mind that I have no idea what's the httpd.conf and how can I change it.
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IDEA FROM THE GOOGLE EARTH COMMUNITY
Application/vnd.google-earth.kmz kmz
I added this mime type and fixed the browser having trouble handling kmz files.
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IDEA FROM THE GOOGLE EARTH COMMUNITY
Tip: Auto-open Safari links in Google Earth
01/12/06 06:11 PM
Based on the tip at Mac OS X Hints I whipped up the following file which allows Safari to automatically open links to Google Earth files: Save Safari fixer in your Home > Library > Preferences folder, relaunch Safari and Google Earth links will open automatically. Also make sure that you have "Open safe files after downloading" checked in Safari's prefs.
This didn't work for me.
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USEFUL LINKS
to get free Google Earth softwareThe Nature Conservancy
©2006 by ManyBirds