ExceltoMap | History

Ver.5-00 (02 Feb. 2025): Automated the initial style setting. System is renamed as ExceltoMap.

Ver.4-24 (01 Jul. 2024): Opened the system to the publich for the first time on this website.
Ver.4-00 (10 Apr. 2023): Major revision in the data format (the data and control were separated.)

This system is based on the techniques developed for the following research (Ver. 1-3).

Hirofumi Hirakawa, Gohta Kinoshita, Daisuke Sakata, Takahiro Murakami, Toshio Kurumada, Kohji Uraguchi, Go Abe and Mariko Sashika 2015. How far have reduction and expansion progressed? The latest distribution of the native sable and introduced Japanese marten in Hokkaido Honyurui-Kagaku (Mammalian Science) 55: 155-166. (Pdf file - 1.6 MB)
Hirakawa, H. and Y. Nagasaka. 2018. Evidence for Ussurian tube-nosed bats (Murina ussuriensis) hibernating in snow. Scientific Reports 8: Article number: 12047 (Open Access Link)
Wildlife Monitoring Network in Hokkaido: Archive (The Forestry & Forest Products Research Institute website)

Issues to address

Enable to assign locations by location ID.

Recent updatesLatest Ver. 5-21: 10 September 2025

Ver. 5　

After Ver. 5-00

Ver. 5-23 (19 Sep 2025): Fixed a bug that some numerical data are construed as date/time data.
Ver. 5-22 (12 Sep 2025): Changed balloon format to enable URL or link description.
Ver. 5-21 (10 Sep 2025): Fixed a bug in counting button numbers in sheets.
Ver. 5-20 (09 Sep 2025): Fixed a glitch in the Fold/Unfold button function.
Enabled the use of multiple datasets.
Ver. 5-19 (31 Aug 2025): Fixed a bug in map elements included in folders hosting both folders and links.
Ver. 5-18 (28 Aug 2025): Enabled to handle numeric and date-type folder names.
Enabled to handle inputs in degree-minute-second format.
Ver. 5-17 (17 Aug 2025): Changed the default order of colors for placemarks and labels.
Ver. 5-16 (10 Aug 2025): Added an option for a tour to visit a place but not fly around it (Reference) .
Ver. 5-15 (08 Aug 2025): Bug fixes.
Ver. 5-14 (14 July 2025): Minor updates.
Ver. 5-13 (09 May 2025): Bug fix in the tour radius setting. Addition of buttons to the data file.
Ver. 5-12 (05 May 2025): Bug fix in the display of balloon information.
Ver. 5-11 (03 May 2025): Bug fix in the initial colour application and the mark-labels separation.
Ver. 5-10 (30 Apr 2025): Added "Overview" sheet to User's Guide. Added the fold/unfold button.
Ver. 5-09 (15 Apr 2025): Changed the method for assigning balloon information.
Ver. 5-08 (22 Apr 2025): Beginner's Guide is renamed to User's Guide. Major revision on Step Guide.
Ver. 5-07 (22 Mar 2025): Enhanced error traps and messages. Minor improvements.
Ver. 5-06 (13 Mar 2025): Created Data-Only sheets. Templates are set in the Mapper sheet.
Ver. 5-05 (26 Feb 2025): Minimised the use of applescript.
Ver. 5-04 (22 Feb 2025): Minor modification.
Ver. 5-03 (15 Feb 2025): Bug fixes.
Ver. 5-02 (10 Feb 2025): Bug fixes.
Ver. 5-01 (08 Feb 2025): Minor modification.

From Ver. 4-28 to Ver. 5-00 (Significantly automated. Made it easier for beginners.)

2025/02/02: Ver. 5-00 Released as ExceltoMap.
Added the "Step-byStep Guide" sheet to the Example Data file and renamed it "Beginner's Guide" file.
Introduce a workaround for the problem that a map element of the same name and type cannot appear more than once in the structure setup (use of exclamation marks before names).
Automated the initial display assignment and enabled to create a kml file only with the structure setup.
Changed the assignment of colors for place marks and labels from name-based to cell color-based.
Changed the assignment of folder map elements from name-based (".open" or ".close") to shape-based ("ᐯ" or "ᐳ").
Stopped implicit display assigment and made all the display assignments explict.
Changed the assignment of symboles from name-based ("circle", "square") to shape-based ("◉", "▣").
Changed the assignment of balloon function from abridged form-based ("bal", "tim") to full spelling-based ("baloon", "time").
Introduced a warning at the end of kml file creation if, despite the balloon assigment, there is no order specification for data items in the 2nd row of the dataset area.
Introduced an automated initial display assignment for the "by-data item" display assignment.
Introduced the "adhoc" assignment in column G to accomodate an adhoc group of places for displaying on the map or visiting on a tour. The space is intially created for users to enter necessary locations later.
Created a template file "YourLifePlaces" and launched a different website page to provide it to the public.
21 Dec 2024: Changed the system name from kmlFileMaker to ExceltoMap. Started a major revision.

Ver. 4

Ver. 4-28: 21 Dec 2024

21 Dec 2024: Changed the system file name from kmlFileMaker to ExceltoMap.
14 Oct 2024: Bug fixes.
28 Jul 2024: The system name at downloading is changed to a preset name in initialisation for uniformity.
25 Jul 2024: Added a sheet 'About Data File'. Adjusted the font size between Mac and Windows.
12 Jul 2024: A new button 'Remove the Link' is added to the data sheet.
09 Jul 2024: A bug in Windows that some kml files cannot be automaticaly opened is fixed.
08 Jul 2024: Automatic choice of locations for a viewpoint when they are spread out beyond a single view.
08 Jul 2024: Handling the situation where target locations are distributed across ±180º longitude.
Jun 2024: Introduced measures to reduce sheet display differences between Mac and Windows.
Jun 2024: Enabled automatic launching Google Earth after the kml file creation on Windows, too.
Jun 2024: Addition of sign-like characters to the label menu as an alternative to place marks.
May 2024: Set up the default display styles. Enabled KML file creation without display specifications.
Apr 2024: The system file name was changed from kmlFiler to kmlFileMaker for the release.
Mar 2024: Introduced the concept of 'map elements'.
Feb 2024: Tour: Changed to pass through a point where both the start and end points are visible.
Feb 2024: Tour: Enabled to set the fly-around radii for each site separately.
Feb 2024: Introduced the Notes and subNotes sheets to enable to process multiple notes.
Feb 2024: Enabled to adjust colors for the 13 selectable colors.

Ver. 4-10 14 Dec. 2023
- Loaded with the function for processing GPS data.
- Enabled to handle multiple datasets in a data sheet. データセット名を指定して利用する仕組みを導入。
Ver. 4-00: 2023/04/03 Changed the system name from "kmlFiler" to kmlFileMakerZ"

Major revision. Chnaged the data sheet format. Completely separated areas for control and datasets。
Intoroduction of "ClickThisFirst" function (Later, this is developed as the note map element).
Intoroduction of "link" function, which enables to make folder layers deeper and complex.
Intoroduction of buttons for macros.
Over all, the revision enables to make a kml file with complex structure in 1 click.

Vesion 3 and earlier.

Vesions 1, 2 and 3 (in Japanese)

Ver. 3　　2016/01/18　開発版名をkmlFilerY.xlsmに変更

開発版から配布版をマクロで作成する仕組みを導入。
「補足」シートを追加
MacとWindowsの表示結果の違いを考慮して各シートを再整備
メッシュコードを与えて、メッシュ矩形を描く機能を追加。
日本測地系から直接KMLファイルを出力する機能を追加
パス描画機能を追加
矩形、パス、トラックの線の色を最終データの次行で指定する機能を追加
世界測地系メッシュコードの記述を追加。
地点記号の○と□をGoogle提供の記号に変更。
軌跡用のデータ処理を他の処理とはほぼ独立させる、大幅に高速化。
Windowsでは出力ファイル用にADODB.Streamを使用して、多言語化を可能に
Macではapplescriptを利用して、kmlファイル出からGoogle Earth Pro起動を自動化。
Tourをフォルダレベルで作成可能に

Ver. 2　　2014/09/09　開発版名をkmlFilerX.xlsmに変更

一回の操作で複数のファイル作成を可能に
視点の指定を可能に
地点記号クリックによるポップアップで、詳細情報を表示可能に
動物のGPS データから移動軌跡を描く機能を追加

Ver. 1　　2010/09/21　開発開始　開発版名 kmlFiler.xls

Excel Data Mapping System: ExceltoMap

History of the system

Issues to address

Recent updatesLatest Ver. 5-21: 10 September 2025

Ver. 4

Vesion 3 and earlier.