The "User's Guide" is available (Press the ’User's Guide' button in the system file).
You can learn the basics in about an hour. The rest of this website is for reference. Refer to it as needed.
Data Area
Place datasets in this area.
Datasets must have two data items: latitude and longitude.
Any language can be used for data.
The upper and lower cases in alphabets are ignored in processing, but retains the difference in the display on the map.
The first row is for dataset names.
The range of a dataset is from the column with its name to the one just before the next dataset name.
The fourth row is for data item names.
Latitude and longitude are essential data items. There is no limit to the number of the other data items. The order of the data items, including latitude and longitude, is entirely of your choice.
The data item names for latitude and longitude must be "Latitude" and "Longitude", respectively.
Names for other data items are of your choice. Note that some special characters (#, &, *) are not usable.
The rows starting from the 5th row are for data item values.
Each row represents each place. When this table is regarded as a database, each column (data item) corresponds to a field or attribute, and each row corresponds to a record or instance.
There is no limit on the data size. However, Google Earth Pro cannot open kml files if their size exceeds 5MB. This file size is determined by the number of the records used and the setup of map contents.
Comment or blank rows can be inserted at any row.
Enter the sign '$' in the first column for comment rows.
Data missing is acceptable. Even data without coordinates can be included, although the places cannot be mapped.
The buttons 'Move Rows' and 'Insert Rows' are effective in this area, too.
The second row is used to indicate data items which are to be displayed in balloons.
The balloon display is a feature that shows related information when a placemark is clicked on.
Use this row to set the order of data items in which they are displayed. The item with the smallest number comes first. Numbers other than integers can be used. Each data item in the balloon is displayed in the format "Item Name: Value".
The third row is used to specify the display style when using the item's values as place labels. If unspecified, the display style will be 'item name: value'.
For specification, the character '#' is used as a placeholder for values.
To display just the value without an item name, simply '#' is used. The format 'Elevation # m', for example, may be used for the elevation item.
The display style of values follows the format within the dataset. It is not changeable in the thrid row.
Structure Area
Use this area for naming a kml file to create, assigning a dataset and laying out map elements.
In the succeeding rows, place map elements necessary for the file in columns C and E. ==> For details, refer to the 'Elements' page.
Map elements consist of the following types: folder, place, note, path, viewpoint, and tour.
A folder element hosts other elements. Those in a folder can be shown or hidden together on the map.
Place, note, and path elements show information on the map.
Unlike other elements, place elements are designated in column G as elements of folders.
A note element is a special place element meant for showing messages to kml file users.
There is no need to give meaning to the display position.
View and tour elements provide viewpoints for the map.
The latter viewpoint moves within the map 3D space to visit and fly around target places.
Each map element must be named and its type must be specified in the cell to its right.
Names of map elements of a type cannot be the same each other.
A view element entitled "Initial View" must be included in every kml file.
Link elements are also used in columns C and E. They are not map elements and work only in this place..
They connect other subordinate elements to folders and can make folder hierarchies deep.
The role of Column G: assignment of target places
Column G is used to assign places in the dataset as map elements.
(Enter a dataset name, instead, in the row where a kml file name is entered in column B.)
Data item names and comparison operators are used for assignment. For example, the entry 'Area=Ohio' assigns all the places with the value of data item 'Area' being 'Ohio' as target. If column G is left blank, all the places in the dataset are targeted.
There are exceptions for the value of year, month, day, hour, and minute. The assignment is possible even if there is no such item with that name, if there is an item with that information.
For example, supoose there is a data item containing date information named 'Discovery Date'. Then, the entry 'Year=2020' assigns places with their discovery year being 2020 as target. If there are multiple items with date information, the data item in the leftmost column is used.
One of the following comparison operators can be used:
=, != (inequality), >, >=, <, <=
Enter "adhoc" in column G for folder and tour elements to include places that are not in the dataset.
It will make two blank rows in the Style area for the entry of locations of places.
Add more blank rows as needed, enter locations and recreate the kml file.
Style Area
Use this area to specify the display style of map elements. No entry is needed intitially.
The style for newly introduced map elements are set automatically when the kml file is created.
Check the result on the map, edit the style if needed, and recreate the kml file.
For place elements, the label color and size, and the shape, color, and size of the symbols can be specified on a basis of the folder that hosts them.
There is an exception (refer to the 'by~' assignment below.)
The place elements have the following options in addition:
Timestamp on place marks (refer to the 'time' assignment below.)
For note elements, the label color and size, and the shape, color, and size of the symbols can be specified.
If needed, the position of symbols can be specified by entering latitude and longitude in columns Q and R.
For path elements, the thickness and color of paths can be specified.
For vew elements, latitude, longitude, height, azimuth, and tilt angle can be specified.
For tour elements, the distance to the target places when flying around them can be specified. Taget places can also be directly denoted by entering latitudes and longitudes in columns Q and R.
The 'by~' assignment
The 'by~' assignment enables to apply different styles by the values of an assigned data item.
This assignment is effective in columns K, L, M, N, O. An data item name follows 'by'.
For example, 'byArea' in column N enables to change symbol colors by the values of data item 'Area'.
The 'by~' assignment to take effect by pressing the "Create a kml file" button.
It will enlist all the posible values of the data item in column J and make the initial display settings in the column of 'by~' assignment.
For year, month, day, hour, minute, 'by~' assignment is feasible even if there is no such data item with that name, if there is a data item with that information. For example, the 'byMonth' assignment in column N enables to assign colors to symbols according to month values if a data item with month information is available. If there are multiple items with that information, the data item in the leftest column is used.
The 'time' assignment
The addition of 'time' after '◉' or '▣' in column M makes place marks timestamped.
This enables the dynamic display of place marks according to the stamped time values.
This assignment is for GPS data only and a data item named 'Date/Time' is requisite.
==> For dynamic display of symbols, refer to the description entitled 'About Animation' in the Notes sheet.