How to open a KMZ file. What is the KML file extension? Geographic information software Global Mapper

The first option with which you can open the KMZ format is the Google Earth application. This is a universal mapping program from a world famous company.

All you have to do is select the "File" - "Open" menu item in the running software. At the next stage, select the folder in which the file itself is located, select it and press the "Open" button.

Another way is to drag the file from Explorer to the area where the maps are displayed.

Using the Google SketchUp app

This program is used for three-dimensional modeling, and the file with the KMZ extension can store all kinds of 3D models of objects necessary for a realistic demonstration of the terrain.

To open it, click Import-File. As in the previous case, we find the desired folder, select the desired file in it and click Import.

Geographic information software Global Mapper

This program supports a large number of cartographic formats, including the one mentioned in this article. Thanks to the application, the data contained in it can not only be edited, but also transformed.

Opening is carried out using the menu item Open Data File (s) - File. Further, everything is similar to the previous options.

Geographic information platform ArcGIS Server

We'll be using the desktop version, ArcGIS Explorer. The KMZ file, which is also used in this application, helps to set the coordinates of the required object.

You can open it by dragging and dropping from Windows Explorer directly into the software workspace.

The most common problem that users cannot open this file is an incorrectly assigned program. To fix this in Windows OS, you need to right-click on the file, in the context menu, point the mouse to the "Open with" item, and select the "Select program ..." item in the drop-down menu. As a result, you will see a list of installed programs on your computer, and you will be able to choose the appropriate one. We also recommend checking the box next to "Use this app for all KML files".

Another problem that our users also encounter quite often is that the KML file is corrupted. This situation can arise in many cases. For example: the file was downloaded incompletely as a result of a server error, the file was damaged initially, etc. To fix this problem, use one of the recommendations:

• Try to find the desired file in another source on the Internet. You may be lucky enough to find a more suitable version. Google search example: "File filetype: KML". Just replace the word "file" with the name you want;
• Ask to send you the original file again, it may have been damaged in transit;

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is a file format used to display geographic data in Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile applications.

KML uses a tag-based structure with nested elements and attributes and is based on the XML standard.

You can use Google Earth, an XML editor, or a simple text editor to create KML files.

KML files and associated images (if available) can be compressed using the ZIP format into KMZ archives.

With KML files, you can:

• set various icons and make signatures to indicate places on the surface of the Earth,
• create different angles for the selected objects by changing the position of the camera,
• use different overlay images,
• define styles to customize the display of an object, apply HTML code to create hyperlinks and inline images,
• use folders to hierarchically group items,
• dynamically receive and update KML files from remote or local hosts,
• receive KML data according to changes in the 3D viewer,
• display textured 3D objects COLLADA

The following can be used as objects in KML files:

Placemarks (object Placemark) - the simplest element, defines a placemark - designation of a position on the Earth's surface using an icon in the form of a yellow button.

Paths - lines of a certain thickness and color

Polygons - defines the color of the lines and the color of the signature.

Images - Overlay images of the Earth's surface allow you to superimpose an image on the Earth's landscape, can be movable and scalable, or non-movable, for example, a logo.

Three-dimensional model - allows you to connect the description of three-dimensional objects (for example, buildings and structures). A three-dimensional model can be set in two ways: by setting the height of flat figures (by pulling) and by linking to a full-fledged model in the COLLADA format (Google SketchUp).

The simplest example of a KML file.

Palace of Sports
Sports Palace "Nagorny" ave. Gagarina, 29
43.979459,56.291908,0

I will describe the structure of this file.

The first line is the XML header. This is the 1st line in every KML file. There must be no spaces or characters before this line.

The second line is used to declare the KML namespace. This is the 2nd line in every KML 2.1 file.

A Placemark containing the following elements:

- name, a shortcut used to denote a label

- description, the description that appears in the comment box attached to the tag

- Point, indicates the position of the mark on the Earth's surface (longitude, latitude and optionally altitude).

You can load this file in the Google Earth program by choosing File - Open from the menu.

It can also be downloaded using the Google Maps API.

Example code:

If we load it in the browser we will see

You can also view the KML file on Google Maps.

It is prerequisite that your KML file must be placed on a website on the Internet.

From the beginning you need to go to http://maps.google.ru/

Then, in the search bar, enter the address of your KML file on the Internet, for example, http: //site/examples/kml/prim_kml_1.kml and click on the "Search on the map" button.

Your KML file will be displayed on a google map.

To be continued…

Announcement

The KML Misc file format

KML files are stored in XML format and were originally developed for the Keyhole mapping program. In 2004, Google bought Keyhole Inc., which is why KML files are now heavily used by Google's mapping services Google Maps and Google Earth.

Technical details of KML files

KML files contain information that is stored in XML format. This information includes both images and simpler data such as lines, polygons, and points. These files are used to store information about a specific location on the map. The KML file allows the user to not only mark the location on the map, but also add content (HTML format), texture and view from different angles. To open KML files in Google Maps, all it takes is the KML file itself, hosted on the web. The extension's separate link in the Google Maps search bar will open it.

More information about the KML file format

A KML file stores geo-modeling data in XML format. It contains points, lines and images. Use XML to express geographic annotation and visualization by storing locations, image overlays, video links, and modeling information such as lines, shapes, 3D images, and points. Various geospatial software solutions use the KML format to put data in a format that other programs and web services can easily use.

Introduction

Keyhole Markup Language - XML ​​notation for expressing geographic annotation and rendering in 2D maps and 3D browsers. KML was designed for use with Google Earth, which was originally called the Keyhole Earth Viewer. It was created by Keyhole. Inc, which was acquired by Google in 2004. This format became the international standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium in 2008.

Google Earth was the first program capable of viewing and graphically editing such files. Other projects such as Marble have also started to develop support for KML.

Application: how to create a KML format?

You can open the file with this extension in Google Maps. To do this, you need to place its location online and then enter the URL into the search box on Google Maps.

Google Earth was the first program that could view and edit these files, and it remains one of the most popular ways to work with geodata on the Internet. With a webpage open, use the My Places menu item (bookmark icon) to download the KML file from your computer or Google Drive account.

You can also open the files with any text editor (like Notepad ++). This will allow you to see a text version that includes coordinates, image links, camera tilt angles, and timestamps.

If you want to convert KML to XML, you don't need to do the conversion. Since the format is actually just using the KML format extension), you can rename .KML to .XML so that it opens in your XML viewer.

You can also import the file directly to Google Maps. This is done on the Google My Maps page when adding content to a new map layer. With the map open, select Import at any level to download the file from your computer or Google Drive. You can create a new layer using the Add Layer button.

Alternatively, you can create your own KML file and its URL in Google Maps by first linking your file's URL using http://maps.google.com/maps?q=. For example, to open the same URL, you can use the following URL: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://mywebsite.com/myfile.kml.

The same operation works for Google Earth, a 3D viewing plug-in for our planet that can be added to a web browser.

Structure

The KML file format specifies a set of functions (labels, images, polygons, 3D models, text descriptions) for display in Google Maps, Google Earth, Maps, mobile devices, or any other geospatial software that implements KML encoding. Each location has a longitude and latitude. This format shares some of the same structural grammars as GML. Some information cannot be viewed on Google Maps or on mobile devices.

Data is very often distributed in the KMZ format, which are encrypted KML files with a .kmz extension. They must be compatible with legacy (ZIP 2.0) compression, or the .kmz file may not be unpacked.

Geodetic reference systems in KML

For its frame of reference, KML uses 3D geographic coordinates: longitude, latitude, and altitude. Longitudes, latitude components (decimal degrees) are determined according to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). The vertical component (height) is measured in meters from the vertical base of the WGS84 EGM96 Geoid. If elevation is not specified in the coordinate string (for example, -77.03647, 38.89763), then the default value for the elevation component is 0 (approximately sea level), that is, (-77.03647, 38.89763, 0).

The formal definition of the coordinate system (coded as GML) used in KML is contained in the OGC KML 2.2 specification. This definition refers to the EPSG CRS components.

Documentation

The KML 2.2 specification has been submitted to an open geospatial consortium to ensure its status as an open standard for all geo objects. In November 2007, a new working group was formed within the OGC to formalize the standard. Comments were requested on the proposed standard before January 4, 2008, and it became an official OGC standard on April 14, 2008.

The Standards Working Group finalized the KML 2.2 change requests and incorporated the accepted changes. The official OGC KML 2.3 standard was published on August 4, 2015.