Google Earth Change Route? or Combine kml's?

[+Rumpled]

I was trying to make a google earth kml for a trip this weekend. The route went a longer, slower route.

Oddly, google maps goes the correct way.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to get a driections kml out of google maps - can it be done?

 

Or, how can I change a route created in earth? I don't want to have to freehand a couple hundred mile drive.

 

If I can't get it to work, I might have to combinje two kml's, how is that done?

I made two, forcing earth to go to an intermediate spot the correct way.

 

It's all really frustrating, I can change directions on maps, but no kml. I can't change directions in earth, but I can make kml's.

[+Snoope]

I have all but given up trying to make a good route in Google Earth. They never seem to come out right. What we really need is the ability to create a route in Google Maps where we can make the route go the direction we want and then create a KML file. This would be a great improvement to the Geocaching Website. Snoope

[+durtieshoes]

I have the same issue where I cannot get the route to go the way I prefer. I also cannot download a route created in Mapsource (.GPX) to the website. Has anyone been able to successfully manipulate the route in Google Earth or been able to download a .GPX file created in Mapsource? Perhaps the solution is to upgrade to Google Earth Plus. Any thoughts or help?

[+GeekBoy.from.Illinois]

Google Maps can create a KML file for you, but there appears to be a "bug" that causes the KML file to stop at the first interim waypoint (dragged point). I learned about this feature from a local cacher, and I believe I saw it on this forum.

 

I have used the method of making multiple routes using Google Earth. Using this, I have then nested the routes allowing me to create a single KML file to cover a route I wanted to cache along. This worked well for me since I was using that KML file to filter my GSAK database, so I didn't need to use a PQ, nor did I have the 500 cache limit. Creating the nested routes is fairly easily (I did it by accident the first time I did it). In my case, I made my route in 4 stages, and nested them in reverse order, so the last stage was put inside the third stage, then that package in the second and ten finally that conglomerate was nested into the first stage. It worked quite nicely for me, although it did take a good bit of effort to do this.

[+Snoope]

GeekBoy. How do I create a KML file in Google Maps and then get a route PQ of that map?

[+GeekBoy.from.Illinois]

GeekBoy. How do I create a KML file in Google Maps and then get a route PQ of that map?

 

If you don't drag the route in Google Maps (see above for "bug" details), you can get the KML file from Google Maps. To do this, display the map/route you want in Google Maps. Just above the top right side of the map you will find a few buttons. The one on the right is what you are looking for as it will get you a link to the current map. Click that button, and cop the link it provides. Paste that link into the address bar of your browser, but before you hit the enter key (or send button) add the following:

&output=kml

to the end of the address. This will cause Google Maps to generate a KML file for you and initiate the download of that file. As I warned before, if you alter the route by dragging it on the map, this will cause the kml file to stop at the first interim waypoint (dragged point). I have read that Google has ben informed of this and that they are working to correct it (although I have not contacted them myself).

 

As for creating the route, just follow the instructions on the PQ page at GC.com.

[+Rumpled]

Geekboy,

Thanks, that worked just fine for the original maps route. Didn't try changing it.

I just wish Google would put both features on maps and earth.

[+huggy_d1]

I want to create a route that goes through specific locations and create just 1 PQ instead of a bunch of tiny ones. I have tried several approaches and nothing worked. I tried getting a google map output kml as previously suggested in this thread. GE chokes on it and geocaching.com won't even accept it as a valid kml upload file.

 

here's the link with all the points... Google Maps URL for the route

 

I am completely confused and starting to lose hair....

 

Help?

 

I looked through various searches and threads and so far, this one seemed to have folks who were having some amount of success. I got nothing to work other than go from pt 1 to pt 2 as 1 PQ, pt 2 to pt 3 as another PQ, etc.... very tiresome and will burn up my PQs too quickly.

[+PDOP's]

To do this in Google Earth break your route up into segments to follow the path you want and save each segment as a separate KML with a unique name. Keep track of the sequence of files because the data needs to be kept in order from the start of your route to the end (A to B, B to C, C to D, etc.)

 

The KML files files are in plain text and can be edited with simple text editors like Notepad or Wordpad. You'll notice that each file consists of a header with a few lines of information, then a long list of coordinates for the route then a footer with a few lines of information.

 

Open the file for the first segment of your route and save it under a new name ( for example MyRoute.kml). Open the file for the second segment of your route and copy the coordinates between the <coordinates> and </coordinates> tags. Paste this data into the MyRoute.kml file after the existing coordinates and before the </coordinates> tag. Repeat for as many segments/files as you have being sure to save the MyRoute.kml file once it is complete.

 

Upload this KML file into the "Caches along a Route" and you're done.

[+huggy_d1]

To do this in Google Earth break your route up into segments to follow the path you want and save each segment as a separate KML with a unique name. Keep track of the sequence of files because the data needs to be kept in order from the start of your route to the end (A to B, B to C, C to D, etc.)

 

The KML files files are in plain text and can be edited with simple text editors like Notepad or Wordpad. You'll notice that each file consists of a header with a few lines of information, then a long list of coordinates for the route then a footer with a few lines of information.

 

Open the file for the first segment of your route and save it under a new name ( for example MyRoute.kml). Open the file for the second segment of your route and copy the coordinates between the <coordinates> and </coordinates> tags. Paste this data into the MyRoute.kml file after the existing coordinates and before the </coordinates> tag. Repeat for as many segments/files as you have being sure to save the MyRoute.kml file once it is complete.

 

Upload this KML file into the "Caches along a Route" and you're done.

This process/procedure worked like a champ! Thanks.

 

I found that the simpler the text editor, the better it worked. I tried a specialized text editor and it crashed after the 2nd paste. I got the route to go through all the desired point and smiled at the end

[+ICHTHYS]

Notepad works great for this, Wordpad formatted it in a way that made it hard to use.

[+Trucker Lee]

Huggy D1, thanks loads. I have also been trying to find a fix for that Google problem, and this will come in very handy. Notepad seems to be the easiest to play with for me.

 

Thanks again.