The Google Earth settings
- Select "Google Earth Pro" from the menu bar.
- Select "Setting" from the drop-down menu.
- Open the "3D View" tab.
- Open the "Navigation" tab.
- Set the "Elevation Exaggeration" to 1. Check "Use high quality terrain"and "Use 3D imagery".
- Turn off the option "Automatically tilt while zooming".
The use of the side bar
The side bar is located to the left of the map.
If not shown, click the leftmost icon above the upper-left corner of the map.
- The side bar has three sections: "Search", "Places", and "Layers".
- Places section shows the elements of the kml file with their icons and names.
- The Search section is of no use. It may be folded.
- The Places section shows the kml file name and its contents.
- The Layers section has options: Initially, check only on "3D Buildings" and "Terrain".
- Double-click one to show the element at the full scale of the map.
- Double-click Initial State to return the map to the initial state.
- The time slider also returns to the initial state.
- Double-click "Initial View" to bring the view to the initial position.
- It does not affect the state of the time slider.
- Double-click Bird's-Eye View to view the map in a tilted angle.
- Double-click Fly Around to fly around the area looking at the animal path.
- Check on or off a checkbox to show or hide the corresponding element on the map.
- Click the symbol before folders to open or close them.
- The "Overlay Charts" folder accommodates the charts created in sheet TS of file TA.
- The bottom space of the map is reserved for the display of the charts.
- In addition to the colour bar chart, two charts can be shown; one above and one below it.
- Initially, the segmented time-space-density chart is shown below the colour bar chart.
- Select Whole Track and click the icon at the right-bottom corner of the section to follow the whole track.
The use of the map
- Moving the map-view is a key to understand how animals move around.
- Click place-marks on the map to show the place ID and positioning date/time in balloon.
- Refer to the next section for techniques for controlling map views.
The use of the time-stamp function
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When the kml file is opened, the time-slider is shown at the top-left of the map window.
Two buttons sit on the slider; one on the left and another on the right.
The left one represents the start date/time; the right one the end date/time.
Slide the right button to the left. Then, all map elements except for a white line will disappear.
Those disappeared are all time-stamped, and what is left was the whole path.
Adjust the start and end times to look at placemarks and path segments for the period of interest.
Recreating animal movements using animation
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The tool (spanner) icon is located on the right above the slider.
Click it to open the "Date and Time Options" window.
Set the end date/time, say one to several days after the start date/time.
Make the animation speed lowest, check the "Loop animation" and click "OK" to close the window.
Next, click the play/pause button, located slightly to the left from the centre above the slider.
It makes the start and end buttons on the slider move from left to right (past to future).
The placemarks and paths time-stamped for the shifting period start to move on the map.
Thus, animal movements are recreated.
Press "+" button to make the animation slower; press "-" button to make it faster.