Bogley

shaggy125 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: Image Overlay's for Google Earth

Someone here was complaining about the lack of detail in some areas of Google Earth. I have the same complaint but came up with somewhat of a solution. Iceaxe posted on the Yahoo Canyons forum a link to a site with USGS topos and black and white satellite images of the entire state. I downloaded some of the images and tried my best to match them up with the crappy images on Google earth. They aren't perfectly lined up, but really close. I've tried multiple times to upload the .kmz files for Zion NP. They are just over 2 MB each, but I just get this message every time I try to attach one:

Upload Error: Could not upload Attachment to ./files/cogswell_point.kmz.

I'm sure all the Google Earth geeks would be interested in these files, any suggestions on how to get them to you all?

Eric.

Site with photos:

http://nrwrt1.nr.state.ut.us/cgi-bin/quadview.exe

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 12657 Location: The Rubbish Bin

shaggy125 wrote: I've tried multiple times to upload the .kmz files for Zion NP. They are just over 2 MB each, but I just get this message every time I try to attach one:

Upload Error: Could not upload Attachment to ./files/cogswell_point.kmz.

Do you mean, you're trying to upload that image to this forum? If that's the case, the filesize restriction is stopping you. There's a 256kb limit for images.

But, a ".kmz" file really isn't an image. It's just the G-Earth location tool. The thing about the kmz file is, they're not that big. I guess I'll have to mess around with it to see exactly what you are talking about.

shaggy125 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject:

It's a .kmz file that is just over 2 MB. The image is embedded in the .kmz file. If I double click on the .kmz file on my machine the satellite image comes up in Google earth exactly where I placed it and saved it. Try it, from Google Earth click "add", then "image overlay". Choose an image on your machine and it place it where ever you want, then it will show the name of the image in the places window on the left. Right click the name of the image and choose "Save As". It will save a .kmz file that will be around the same size as the image. Find the .kmz file on your machine and double click on it. That's the type of .kmz file I am trying to upload, it's not a place mark, but it just keeps giving me that error.

Eric.

Iceaxe · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 7806 Location: Local Bordello

And for anyone interested here is the link I posted to the Yahoo group. This link will allow you to download all the USGS maps for the state of Utah.

http://nrwrt1.nr.state.ut.us/cgi-bin/quadview.exe?Startup

Lots of other useful stuff on the site also.

And just for the record.... here is my favorite free mapping program http://jdmcox.com. Its called USAPhotoMaps.... great program.

:cool2:

accadacca · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 7870 Location: On Your Screen

Iceaxe wrote: I posted to the Yahoo group.
What is this place you speak of? :lol8:

Iceaxe · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 7806 Location: Local Bordello

accadacca wrote: What is this place you speak of? :lol8:

Its archaic..... no pictures, no video, no HTML, no smiley faces, no avatars, no signatures......

......but worst of all......

They don't have the hot babes we got here :2thumbs:

:lol8:

shaggy125 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject:

Here are some images to give you an idea of what I did, hopefully I can get the .kmz files uploaded so you can all share in my labors.

Eric.

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 12657 Location: The Rubbish Bin

Wow! Very cool! I didn't know you could do that.

I'm going to have to try that. I can immediately think of some areas that desperately need it, like the Green Valley Loop in St. George. Also, some of the Wind Rivers, WY.

Thanks, bro.

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 12657 Location: The Rubbish Bin

Shagg, you tha man. :hail2thechief: :hail2thechief:

I have got a lot of work to do! There's so many trails that I want to "fix" on the resolution. I only wish I had the time.

Here's the first one I tested it out on. It's the Green Valley Loop bike trail, just outside of St George.

Shaggy is the Google Earth masta.

shaggy125 · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject:

Now we just need to get the upload problem figured out. We can spread the load by "fixing" areas and posting them here for everyone to download.

Shan · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 796 Location: Cache Valley

So are these B&W aerials projecting on the fly over Google Earth?
Does it have to be a special image file type to overlay?
Or do they all happen to come in the same projection to start with?

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 12657 Location: The Rubbish Bin

Shan wrote: So are these B&W aerials projecting on the fly over Google Earth?
Does it have to be a special image file type to overlay?
Or do they all happen to come in the same projection to start with?

Google Earth was very smart to give it's users the ability to add images to it. GE knew that they would not have the best resolution on every spot (for the free version anyways).

So, you can take any image, and "paste" it ontop of the GE terrain. When doing this, there's an editting period that lets you "resize" the image to fit the area, and to also move it around a bit.

The 3D terrain, or the surface texture is still GE's, but if you find the same area and paste it there, it should match up pretty close. You could even paste a picture of yourself.

shaggy125 · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:40 pm Post subject:

Yea it's pretty cool, lots of practical things you can do with it if you have the time. I did a "tour" of Choprock Canyon where it "flew" between photos embedded along spots in the canyon. I've seen the Arches NP map pasted over its actual location on Google Earth. You could paste topo maps over areas and have a 3D view of them. Pretty cool stuff, shows the potential of this program as it evolves.

Eric.

Udink · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 866 Location: Price, Utah

shaggy125 wrote: Pretty cool stuff, shows the potential of this program as it evolves.
So, when will the Google Earth porn start showing up then? :naughty:

Iceaxe · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 7806 Location: Local Bordello

I thought you guys were kinda weird.... but after I saw the Squirrel I knew you were total computer geeks. :haha: