Google Earth

I'm a huge Google Earth fan, so this week's assignment was pretty fun.  We learned how to convert ArcGIS maps and layers to KML files that Google Earth can use. Above is an image of my population density map from last week's assignment layered onto Google Earth's map.  We have the ability to turn on and off individual layers and adjust transparency as well.  I found the way Google Earth handles the legend from ArcGIS a bit strange (only have 9 positions that we can place it in), but otherwise the conversion was pretty painless. Google Earth seems to manage the projection just fine.

The second part of the lesson was creating a Google Earth tour across southern Florida.  Overall, this was pretty straightforward, though Google Earth did seem to be a bit "erratic" with knowing when layers were turned on and off during the recording and playback of the tour.  I think I eventually got it working correctly, starting with the dot map on, turning off to zoom to the Miami area, back on while zooming to Tampa Bay, off when looking at St Pete and Tampa, and then back on for the finale.  Overall, fun and pretty easy, though it can be hard to smoothly move the camera around when looking at city details.  They need to add some sort of "steady cam" feature for us amateurs.