So you've already claimed your copy of the Free Surveying Company Template and you've begun your customizations. Let's just say that you'd like to now add Google Earth to a page on your new website. Here is how to do just that!
NOTE: This tutorial assumes that you have already been to the Free Surveying Company Website Template and clicked "Use This Template" and have begun customizing it inside Google Sites.
- Step 1: Signup and login to Google Sites
- This step can be skipped if you already have a gmail account
- Click the USE THIS TEMPLATE
- Fill in the required fields (that is provide a Site name, such as Earth Surveyors Select a site and who to share with (everyone in the world or only people I specify). Enter the security text.)
- Within Google Sites, click the Create Page on the top right or if you already own Google Sites account, then can choose Edit Page
- Select the Web Page radio button, give it a title and then put page under Home.
- Step 2: obtain KML/KMZ file to display on Google Earth
- Option 1: Use existing KML/KMZ file
- can use any KML/KMZ file available on the internet for testing but should eventually create your own KML file for your business.
- Example KML file you can use, shows the location of a previous version of the LSU Global Member Map https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49702/kml/MapAList-lsu.KMZ
- Option 2: create KML/KMZ file
- Can easily create a KML/KMZ file using the Google Earth Pro desktop application
- zoom to an area of interest in Google Earth
- Create a Point by clicking on the yellow thumbtack button called 'add placemark' on the toolbar
- Position the mouse over the area of interest in Google Earth, click, give a name such as "my casa"
- Fill in a basic description
- click on the thumbtack in the new pop up to change the icon to a custom image
- click ok
- Export the point as a KMZ file by right click on your new place mark, select "save place as" Click the drop down menu to select:Local disk (C:), click temp, click save.
- Option 1: Use existing KML/KMZ file
- Step 3: Attach KML/KMZ file
- The KML or KMZ file must available from the Internet, will not work if it is just stored on your local computer
- Recommend attaching the KMZ file to your Google Sites webpage. This should improve performance since everything is stored on the Google Servers
- expand the attachment area by clicking the plus sign to the left of attachments
- click browse, find local disc (C:), temp, and locate your KMZ file
- Expand the Attachments link and then click the browse button.
- Can also attached the KML/KMZ file in Google Sites. To get the URL of the attachment, just right click and choose Copy Shortcut
- Step 4: setup Google Earth Gadget
- Copy http://code.google.com/apis/kml/embed/embedkmlgadget.xmlthis URL.
- Alternative
- 1. visit the Embedded KML Viewer Gadgetwebpage
- could also click Google Earth Viewer Gadget
- Doesn't work if using http://tr.im/embedkml
- On the bottem right hand side click "View source" underneath the catogory titled "For Webmasters"
- Save the URL
- recommend open in NotePad (Start Menu -> Programs -> Accessories -> NotePad)
- paste this url into notepad and hit return enough times so you can tell the difference between this link and a future link you will soon paste underneath it.
- close the window that internet browser window that contains the source code you don't need this page open anymore.
- In Google Sites, right click onto your place mark titled "my company" or whatever wordage you choose to put in and select "copy shortcut"
- paste this URL link into the existing notepad file
- Copy http://code.google.com/apis/kml/embed/embedkmlgadget.xmlthis URL.
- Step 5
- return to Google Sites
- click on insert on the top left of the page, select more gadgets
- on the far bottem left of the pop up select "add gadget by URL"
- erase the http:// in the field it provides, and paste into it the top url you have pasted into notepad
- wait
- click add
- Where it says "KML or My Maps URL " erase all text provided and paste into this field the bottom url you have pasted into notepad, your custom KMZ
- click save on the top right
- You should now have a new gadget that shows google earth in the backround on your web page stating, "the google earth plug in is not currently installed"
- install Google Earth Plugin/API. Only required one time. Just visit http://code.google.com/apis/earth/ and click on the window to install the Google Earth Plugin. Might get a yellow toolbar at the top of the browser window, just right click on this and select install ActiveX control.
- Click, "get the google earth plug in now, click run,click run, and on the top of your web site there should be a yellow bar. Right click this bar and select,"run active x control, and select run for the last time I promise.
- the gadget should now zoom into your place of choosing congratulations.
- click save on the top right of your web page
- Step 6
- Tell your friends and family about your great success!
- After saving your site you need copy the url to notepad or just memorize it for the rest of your life so you can tell everyone where to see your new wonder
- sign out of google sites on the top right of the page
- paste in your link to make sure the page runs correctlly.
- celebrate if it does, if not, find your error.
- Step 9: edit the gadget
- If you want to edit the gadget properties, just click the gadget within Google Sites, this will bring the Properties window up, that is the same Setup your gadget window from Step 8. Note, do NOT edit the HTML file
- If you want to edit the gadget properties, just click the gadget within Google Sites, this will bring the Properties window up, that is the same Setup your gadget window from Step 8. Note, do NOT edit the HTML file
- Step 10: final results - https://sites.google.com/site/landsurveyerresources/surveyer-tools/google-earth-embed
- Background on Google Sites - Benefits
- http://sites.google.com/site/jefferyjjensen/
- Google Groups - KML Developer Support - Discussions - Google Earth Plug-in can Google Sites Embed Google Earth API/Plugin?
- How do I add a gadget to my own blog or webpage?
- Google Sites provides free 100MB of storage for your website, see How much storage do I have in Google Sites?
- Using Google's bandwidth instead of yours, so no direct or indirect cost to you
- Max size of KML file allowed by Google Sites is 10MB per file, see How do I attach a document?
- Unclear how to load multiple KML files in the Embed KML Google Gadget
- According to Roman N. the gadget only supports one KML. However one can certainly take the XML gadget spec and modify it to your own liking and create a new version from that. Info on Gadgets API and Earth API
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