Tutorial 1: NSW GlobeThe Basics

1 | Tutorial 1: NSW Globe - The Basics

This manual will explain how to install and get started with Google Earth and NSW Globe.

Topics

• Installing Google Earth• Downloading NSW Globe• Setting Preferences• Viewing Data• Navigating• Searching

Note: this manual uses Internet Explorer to access the relevant websites. Other browsers will work just as well – just make sure you’re using the most up to date browser version.

Installing Google Earth

1. First, install the latest version of Google Earth – Google’s free mapping application. Navigate to the Google Earth website and download the application by following the onscreen instructions.

2. Follow any installation prompts. You may prefer to uncheck installing Google Chrome if you do not require it, then click on “Agree and Download”.

If your download doesn’t start automatically, click the hyperlink then open the downloaded Google Earth file. This process may be different in other browsers, but just follow the installation instructions.

3. From here you can run the downloaded application which will then begin installing Google Earth on your system.

4. You are now ready to run Google Earth.

5. Note: If you already have Google Earth, you can check in “Help” / “About Google Earth” to make sure that you have the latest version of the application.

Tutorial 1: NSW GlobeThe Basics

2 | Tutorial 1: NSW Globe - The Basics

Downloading NSW Globe

1. In order to use NSW Globe data you’ll need to download a small file. The download link can be found on the NSW Government Land and Property Information website: http://globe.six.nsw.gov.au

2. Click on the ‘nswglobe.kml’ link and select Save As, then choose a location such as your desktop (however this may normally default to your ‘Downloads’ folder). Alternatively you can right click on the link and select ‘Save target as...’ or ‘Save link as...’, depending on your browser.

3. This downloaded KML file gives you access to all of the NSW Globe data. Go to the file location and double click on the file. The file will open Google Earth and the NSW Globe data will automatically load.

Setting Preferences

There are a number of settings you may now want to adjust to get the best performance from Google Earth.

1. Firstly, the viewing speed of the layers in Google Earth partly depends on your device’s graphics card, but it can be improved – in the menu bar, go to ‘View’ and uncheck the options for ‘Atmosphere’, ‘Sun’, ‘Historical Imagery’ and ‘Water Surface’. It is of course just as easy to turn these functions back on again when you need to use them.

2. You can turn off automatic tilting to make navigation easier. In the menu bar, go to ‘Tools’, ‘Options’ then ‘Navigation’. Under the ‘Navigation’ tab, check ‘Do not automatically tilt while zooming’, then click ‘Apply’.

Tutorial 1: NSW GlobeThe Basics

3 | Tutorial 1: NSW Globe - The Basics

3. You can also speed things up by clearing the cache, as temporary internet files gradually build up in the cache and slow down Google Earth. While you’re still in Google Earth ‘Options’, click on the ‘Cache’ tab, then ‘Clear memory cache’ and ‘Clear disk cache’.

4. Finally, you may want to adjust the ‘Elevation Exaggeration’ to create a more impressive representation of the terrain. Make sure you’re still in Google Earth ‘Options’ then select the ‘3D View’ tab. Set the ‘Elevation Exaggeration’ to 1.8 and click ‘Apply’.

Viewing NSW Globe Data

Now you are ready to begin navigating the range of spatial data available in NSW Globe.

1. When you first open NSW Globe, a pop-up window from Land and Property Information will appear with some basic info on the Globe, Tips and Tricks on using it, and Terms and Conditions of use. Have a read of the Terms and Conditions then click on the ‘X’ in the corner to close this window.

2. NSW Globe contains a variety of imagery and information about the state. On the left-hand side of the screen under the “Layers” pane the different categories of data can be seen when you expand the layer tree by clicking on the plus symbol.

3. Tick or untick the box next to a category to show or hide the information.

Tutorial 1: NSW GlobeThe Basics

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4. The Land Parcel/Lot – or Cadastre – layer is one of the most frequently viewed. You can click on the ‘i’ icons in this layer, which allows you to see more information about the Lot through links to the LPI Online Shop and to SIX Maps.

5. You can also expand these categories or layers by clicking again on the plus symbol to choose in more detail what you would like the map to display.

Navigating the Globe

1. Google Earth is a 3D viewing environment, so the navigation shortcuts are a bit more complex than normal flat web maps. You can use the mouse, the keyboard or both to move around. The icons down the right-hand side of the screen are there to help you navigate.

2. The top icon allows you to change the direction of your view and change the angle of the camera. Click and drag the ‘N’ to change your view and then click the ‘N’ for a quick way to re-orientate to north.

3. The next icon is the Pan tool, which allows you to move around the map with the arrows. Another way to pan the map is to click and drag with the left mouse button anywhere on the earth’s surface.

4. The icon below this is the Street View person symbol, which only appears when you are close to the planet surface. This works the same as in Google Maps – click and drag the person onto a road you want to view at street level. Click ‘Exit Street View’ to return to an aerial view.

Tutorial 1: NSW GlobeThe Basics

5 | Tutorial 1: NSW Globe - The Basics

3. To search by Lot, try entering 3/DP333. Or for a point of interest, try the Blue Mountains. All search results will be displayed under the search bar, and Google Earth will zoom in to display the selected result.

4. Searching for a Suburb will display its outline – and again Google Earth will zoom in to display the searched-for suburb.

To find out how to use some of the more advanced tools and get more out of the NSW Globe data and imagery, see Tutorial 2: NSW Globe – Next Steps.

5. Last is the zoom control, which you can use to change your distance from the Earth’s surface. Click and drag the slider to change your zoom level, or click on the plus and minus symbols.

You can also zoom using the mouse scroll wheel or by right clicking and dragging.

Searching

1. As well as ‘Search Google’, which automatically comes with Google Earth, NSW Globe has two search tabs that give you access to Land and Property Information data sets – Address/Lot/POI (Point of Interest) and Suburb.

To activate a search, ensure that the required tab is selected before clicking the ‘Search’ button.

2. Here we’ll use the first option to search for some examples of a Property, a Lot, and a Point of Interest. To search for a property, enter the address – 1 Prince Albert Road Sydney – then either click search or press enter.