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KMZ custom maps on iPhone


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I spend way too much time tinkering with KMZ maps. I recently discovered that KMZ maps can be displayed on an iPhone - specifically, I tested it with an iPhone 5. The trick is that Google Maps accepts KMZ files as a linked qualifier to a Google Maps URL. And the Google Maps display on an iPhone will properly interpret that URL and pull in the KMZ map (but only via the 'website' version of Google Maps - not the Google Maps app).

 

Direct links for your iPhone (or computer or any device, I think):

Google maps version:

https://maps.google....maps/peaked.kml

 

Gmap4 version:

http://www.mappingsu...maps/peaked.kml

 

Those are the KMZ files for "Peaked Mountain" in Monson, MA. Details here:

http://www.gpsfilede.../maps/view/651/

 

Technical details on my KMZ experimenting are here (excuse the cross post):

http://forums.gpsfil...pic,3197.0.html

 

I'm looking for suggestions / feedback / thoughts, especially with someone trying to navigate trails using KMZ maps on a iPhone in the field. I'm guessing the Google Maps KMZ implementation will work on an Android or an iPod, but I don't have any way to know since I don't have an Android, iPad, or an iPhone. So tell me what your favorite hiking place is that has a good trail map, and I will convert the trail map to a KMZ file and post it for you to play with. Or better yet, choose a place where I have already made a KMZ map, and I'll convert that KMZ map to the Google Maps / iPhone compatible version. Here is my collection so far:

http://www.gpsfilede...s/byuser/13384/

 

(Just my luck that I just (2 days ago!) went to a 'caching event at Peaked Mountain! If I had my act together, I would have discovered this trick BEFORE the event so I could have recruited some beta testers at the event! Oh well.)

 

I can't think of any way to overlay geocache locations on the KMZ map displayed on Google Maps on any device. I'm open to ideas...

 

Dave

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The map kmz displayed properly on my iPad. Thank you, I didn't know you could do this and it will come in handy for more than just geocaching.

 

Regarding how to display geocaches - can't you add place marks/waypoints to the KMZ? I think you could just import a pocket query GPX into Google Earth and export as KMZ - don't know if that file would work in Google Maps they way you want though.

Edited by user13371
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This is (your example) the google maps API version of a "network link" from Google Earth. With its limitations on size and raster rotation and lack of 3D, it's better to just use Google Earth and do it for real on iOS. Interesting sidenote, the Wikipedia link informed me that I was pronouncing Peaked incorrectly, and the Panoramio photos gave me a good preview of the site. It doesn't look like network links work with the Google Maps .app for iOS.

 

1372181244.jpg

Edited by coggins
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The map kmz displayed properly on my iPad. Thank you, I didn't know you could do this and it will come in handy for more than just geocaching.

Your welcome. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Regarding how to display geocaches - can't you add place marks/waypoints to the KMZ? I think you could just import a pocket query GPX into Google Earth and export as KMZ - don't know if that file would work in Google Maps they way you want though.

 

Yes, you made me think of a couple of solutions. Neither are overly complicated to do, but also not simple. And an automatic solution would require linking into the GC API (I think):

 

1) First solution gives you one KMZ file with the map and the geocaches:

a: Convert the GPX pocket query into a KML

b: Extract the KML from the map KMZ file

c: Manually merge the KML (from the GPX with the geocaches) with the KML that was inside the KMZ

d: Repack the new merged KML into the KMZ with the map image files

e: put the new KMZ somewhere on a website / URL / server where it can be called from Google Maps.

 

2) Second solution might be slightly easier to execute:

a: Convert the GPX to a KML and upload the KML to a website.

b: Create a 'pointer' KML that has a link to the KML with the geocaches and a link to the KMZ map file(s).

c: Upload the 'pointer' KML file to a website / URL / server where it can be called from Google Maps.

 

This second solution is somewhat elegant because once you have the pointer KML built, you don't need to change it - and you can change the geocache KML anytime you want, and as long as it keeps the same file name, you can use the same URL that calls the pointer KML.

 

Putting the geocache data on a public website PROBABLY violates the GC TOS, since you are republishing the cache information. I'm not sure if putting the geocache data on a server that only you have access to would violate the TOS. So I'm not recommending or suggesting these solutions, I'm simply just brainstorming technical approaches.

 

Anyway, this is slightly off the original intent of this post, which was to describe the use of KMZ maps on mobile devices. Anybody have an Android?

 

Dave

Edited by Team Periwinkle
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Fantastic! Thanks for the screen shot - I assume that is an iPad? How did you get it to open in Google Earth - did you just strip out the KMZ file location URL and enter that into the search bar of Google Earth?

This is an iPhone 5, in this instance I saved the .kml to a Googledrive (cloud drive), then opened the file in Google Earth where I had it display the photos and other data.

 

1372185673.jpg

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