Create Point KML File
Create CSV file (complete directions)
- In Excel or OpenOffice (or even Notepad/Wordpad).
- Need at least the following fields. Name them with
less than 11 characters, only 0-9, A-Z, and "_" (underscore).
Do not use any commas, and text fields must be less than 255
characters long.
- LAT: must be in decimal degrees
- LONG: must be in decimal degrees,
negative for the western hemisphere
- NAME: optional, but the points will
have this as a text label
- ICON: optional. If present, and
the name of a GIF or PNG file present in the
directory c:\mapdata\icons,
the points will use this icon to show the
location.
- Save as CSV format (values separated by commas, although
tabs or spaces can also work)
Open in MICRODEM
- Open database. This will convert the CSV file into a
DBF file, which is the standard for GIS. The LAT/LONG will
be in the DBF. You can also create a point shapefile
on the Report tab. This
is the more standard GIS option, but requires care because you
must keep the multiple files of the shapefile
together.
- Select Report button on database
table form.
- Quick KML/Google Earth export: should work
in most cases.
- If the database table is not in the popup,
you can turn it on the KML export options on Web
tab of options form,
brought up from Options program menu selection.
- Deliberate
KML/Google Earth export: provides you much
more control, at the price of having to make a
lot of choices.
- File will be saved in
c:\mapdata\KML,
but it is easier to save in Google Earth
Google Earth opens automatically. The allows anyone with Google Earth
to see your data in a simple, intuitive interface. They can combine your
data with the Google imagery, vectors, and any other KMZ files.
- Simple edits in Google Earth.
- Save as KMZ file (right click in table of contents, and
select save as). This is the KML file and any associated
images, in a single compressed file that avoids broken links.
Last revision 5/11/2012