Google earth advanced tours-updated 2-2012 (2)

Sharon Thornton- Instructional Technology- Pg.1

Google Earth Advanced: Creating Tours

Decide on the purpose of your tour: See idea sheet. You will create 4-6 place marks for your tour. Each stop is a separate place mark. Step 1: Create a Folder for your Tour. (All placemarks will go inside this folder.) Note: You can also make a folder (inside this folder) if you want to add images.

Name your tour Add a description if you like. This could be notes to your students with directions or information whoever else is viewing the tour.

Click OK

Right Click on My Places

icon in the Places Panel on

the left side of your screen.

Select Add>Folder


Important Note: This tour can only be played on the computer that it was created on at this point. You will learn how to save your tour to share with others later. Step 2: Fly to your first location.

Locate the Search Panel on the left. Type in your first location in the Fly to Window as shown on the left. -Click on the magnifying glass or press the Enter Key on your keyboard to fly there. Note: If you are not specific enough, it will list other places it thinks you may want in the search window below from which you have to choose.

Google Earth will fly to that location. Now zoom in to the place you want to add your first stop.

Step 2: Add a Place Mark to that location.

Right Click on your Tour Folder.

Choose Add>Placemark.


Click OK

The Eiffel Tower is located in France.

Step 3: Name your place mark and write a description if you like. Adding Breaks: You can add a line or paragraph break in text to separate them. Here is the code for breaks.

 Line break

 Paragraph break and inserts and is equal to two line breaks 

I put a paragraph break at the end of my sentence below. I can also add directions to turn on layers.

Edit the location of your place mark. You can also click on the place mark and move it around to the

exact place that you want it to appear. Or click on the Altitude tab to adjust.

Step 4: How to Edit the Place Mark Properties

Note: All place mark editing is always done in this window. This includes adding text, pictures, websites and videos. If you close this window, you can still edit this place mark later.

Right click on the place mark in your places pane on the left.

Choose properties

Add directions to turn on layers.

Open Geographic Web Layer

Check Panoramio


Change the place mark icon properties Click on the yellow push pin icon in the top right hand corner of the place mark properties window.

Choose a different icon: Just click on the icon that you want. You could also click on Add Custom Icon… and add your own. Change the icon color: Click on the square next to color at the top. Make the place mark larger or smaller. Use the up and down arrows next to scale to change the size. You will see what the place mark icon looks in Google Earth as you are changing the properties. Click OK when you are finished

Change the Font Label properties Click on the Style, Color Tab as shown Change the font color and size of the label. You can also change the icon color and size here, but you can’t change the icon in this window. Click on Altitude tab to change place mark also. Click OK


Using Code to form the Font inside your place marker balloon

Task Code Results Bold Text The Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower

Underline Text The Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower Italicize Text The Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower

Font Color <fontcolor=blue/> The Eiffel Tower

Change the background color of your place mark balloon

Change the back ground color of your balloon <body bgcolor=gray>

Find the number of your custom colors <body bgcolor=X> <body bgcolor=#6633CC>

STOP: Now add at least 3 more place marks before you continue. Edit each of these place mark icons and information.

Now let’s go back to the first place mark and learn more ways to edit and add content.

Step 5: Instruct others to select layers to see specific content in your placemark.

Important: If you want someone to look at pictures surrounding your placemark, you will have to instruct them to turn on that layer. Just because you have a layer turned on, does not mean they will have this same layer checked inside their Google Earth software.

*Turn on Layer- Panoramio pictures Click on the + Sign in front of the Photos layer. Check the box next to Panoramio. You will now place a camera icons on the screen that will bring up a photo when student’s click on it.


Make sure to zoom in close enough to see the layer. Have fun: Check the 3D Buildings layer Now you can see inside the Eiffel tower. *Hold shift key down and scroll with your mouse to tilt view.

Street View: You can also have students drag the peg man to see a street view of the area if you like. You’ll have to instruct them inside of your tour information. Note: Make sure that the street view is available first at that specific location.

Zoom into your location.

Click on the Pegman icon on the

far right and drag him to the

nearest street that lights up blue.

They can look around in this view

Like they are actually walking on

the street

Click on Exit Street view when

they are finished.


Step 6: Add content to the inside of your place mark 1. Add a Website URL link to your place mark balloon A. Pasting the URL website directly B. Add html code Right Click on your place mark and choose Properties

A. Paste the URL address directly into the Description window without any code Results: You will actually see the website address in the balloon that you can click on

Disadvantage: Some URL’s are very long, making the balloon look cluttered.

B. Add link using html Code. Insert the following code into the Description window:

<a href="type link here">type words you want to appear</a> the code is to add space.

Results: the words “Read about the History” are the hyperlink. None of the URL is shown. See example below.

Click OK when finished.


Viewing the website from the place mark balloon Click on the place mark so the balloon is open like the screenshot up above on the right.

You can also add questions or give directions In your place mark balloons Write them directly into the description window

Type questions that they must answer by visiting the website you posted.

Give directions for students here on what you want them to do.

You could also tell them to turn on a layer to see more information:

Example: Turn on the Weather layer and student can see the temperature and a 5 day forecast. Click OK when finished.

Example:

Here on the right I added questions for students to answer

On this computer, the

website came up at the

bottom.

To view in a separate

window, click on the last

view.

To close the website, click

the X.

Click OK when finished.


2. Add (Embed) an image inside your place mark balloon A. Directly from the Internet B. From a picture saved on a computer, CD or flash drive

Find Copyright safe images: http://technologyintegrationshthornt.pbworks.com/w/page/25673492/Pictures

A. Add an image directly from the Internet

Search on the Internet for the picture you want.

Right click on that picture and choose Properties

Highlight the Address (URL) Tip: Tripple click to make sure you get the entire

address of the image.

Copy the address

-Right click copy or -Control “C” on the keyboard.

In Mozilla Firefox- choose Copy Image Location.

http://technologyintegrationshthornt.pbworks.com/w/page/25673492/Pictures


Now go back to your place mark properties window in Google Earth. If you closed the properties window, just right click on your place mark in your Places Panel. Choose Edit>Properties.

Now insert the following code: Code paraphrased by me: <img src=paste the address that was copied>

Real Code: <img src=”source.jpg”> See this example. Click Ok

Resize the Picture: Insert this code: Jpg”, width=300>

<img src= "URL" width=400> (The height will change proportionally!

Notice how the picture now shows up inside the place mark balloon. Remember, you can type after the code you typed to put a paragraph break if you are going to add anything else after this picture.


Add a Picture from the Hard Drive

First find the properties of your saved picture. Do a right click on your picture that you want to use. Select Properties as shown here on the left.

Highlight and copy the location. Once you paste it into Google Earth properties window, you will also have to come back and copy the picture name at the top. Here it is EiffelTower.jpg Paste this to the end of your code. The code will look like this: <img src="C:\Documents and Settings\ShThornton\Desktop\EiffelTower.jpg">


Insert the following code in the properties window. (see previous page) <img src=”source.jpg”> Example: <img src="C:\Documents and Settings\ShThornton\Desktop\EiffelTower.jpg"> Click OK.

When I open the place mark I now see this new picture that I added from my computer. 3. Embed a Video into your place mark

A. Paste the URL website of the video. This becomes a clickable link from the place mark balloon. B. Embed the video using Code right in the place mark balloon.

A. Copy and paste the URL website into your place mark.

When you click on this link in the place mark, it will launch the Internet site so you can watch the video.

Locate the video online. Find the URL address. Highlight and copy it. Paste this into your place mark.


B. Embed the Video using Code

Here you can see I typed: Watch the video on the history of the Eiffel Tower.. and then I pasted the embedded code.

Results: When I click on the place mark, this embedded video is ready to play right from within this window.

Locate the video online. Find the embed code Highlight and copy it.


To Play the Tour 1. You can open the folder and just double

click on each place mark. It will fly there and then open the balloon to see the contents.

2. Double Click on your tour folder to open

the contents. Click on the Folder Play > button at the bottom Note: Make sure all of your place marks are checked.

It will fly to your 1st place mark. You will see the tour player show up at the bottom of your screen now.

Click on pause. Click on the Eiffel Tower place mark to see your place mark balloon with information.

Resume the tour. Once it lands on your second place mark, click on pause and double click the next place mark to see the contents just like above.


Save this Tour as a KMZ File This is Google Earth’s file extension

This will allow the tour to be emailed to someone or saved on the school’s network drive for students to open while in the computer lab.

Right click on the Tour Folder. Choose Save Place As…

Navigate to the place you want to save. You could save this tour in the student documents folder for your students to access in the computer lab. Click Save.

Now anyone with Google Earth can open this file and it will launch the Google Earth application and the tour will come up under Temporary places.

Set up Touring Behavior Click on Tools>Options… in the top menu bar

Click on the Touring tab as shown below.


Here you can set: The Touring Speed Pause Time in wait at feature. If you want you can check “Show balloon when waiting at features”

Create a Narrated Tour http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorials.html#

Embed Google Earth Tour into your website through Embed KML or Embed Tour Gadgets Embed your Google Earth tour into your website using the Embed KML and Embed Tour gadgets.

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_kmlembed.html http://www.gmodules.com/ig/creator?synd=open&url=http://code.google.com/apis/kml/embed/tourgadget.xml

Import Importing Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data in Google Earth

Google Earth can import GPS data in two ways: through a direct connection to your handheld GPS device, or through a GPS file, such as a .gpx file, downloaded to your computer by other third-party software like GPS Babel. http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_importgps.html

Import GPS data from a hand held device

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorials.html

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_kmlembed.html

http://www.gmodules.com/ig/creator?synd=open&url=http://code.google.com/apis/kml/embed/tourgadget.xml

http://www.gmodules.com/ig/creator?synd=open&url=http://code.google.com/apis/kml/embed/tourgadget.xml

http://www.gpsbabel.org/

http://www.gpsbabel.org/

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_importgps.html


http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_importgps.html#gpsdevice

Extras: Add a photo or Image Overlays to the outside of your place marker Quick Video Tutorial: http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorials.html#

1. Add an Overlay

Browse to find your image as shown on the left. You can click on the tabs to change the properties. Under transparency: You can drag the bar to make your image more transparent if you like. Click OK.

Click on the Add Image

Overlay button

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_importgps.html#gpsdevice

http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorials.html


This is what the overly looks like below.

Add a Photo Overlay Edit or Change the properties the same way as overlays.

This is what the photo overlay looks like. It looks like we are visiting the Eiffel Tower.