Google Earth Cache Builder

njwashor · 06-14-2006, 05:03 PM

Hey Guys (and Girls),

I just wrote a basic win32 MFC app to aid in building caches in Google Earth. If anyone wants it they can download it at http://nwashor.com/downloads/GECacheBldr.exe.

Like I said it's real basic... you give it a Lat and Lon of your NW corner. You give it the size in miles across and down (e/w and n/s). You also give it a speed factor (i use a 3, but feel free to change this from 1 and up). The larger the speed factor, the slower the application writes out a new KML file between every new point calculated.

Then you set up Google Earth to read in the KML file as a network resource. Set it up to refresh every second and to fly-to the location. Enable the resource under Places, and run the app (you might need to run it once and kill it to create the KML file the first time, I could make this easier with an install shield if anyone has that software). The KML file is spit out into the directory that you run the executable from and is title CashBild.kml.

There are a few more instructions in the about of the app.

This is version 1, and is not coded super clean, so if it is doing stuff you don't like, just kill it (ctrl-alt-del -> taskmgr) and restart And yes, it will take over your computer when you run it (I'll throw it in a thread for the next release).

This version does NOT work over the international dateline, nor the polar caps yet. This version DOES account for lines of longitude shrinking as you approach the polar caps (so if you choose a really large area, or an area near the caps, make sure you use the larger width of the area in miles).

And yeah, I'm an American, so units are in miles.

If you're playing with it and you notice something not functioning properly, let me know and I'll fix it.

One final thing... you may need to download some .NET files for this to run as it was compile by VS.Net 2003.

Nate

b8bboi · 06-14-2006, 05:08 PM

nice idea. I'll try this later.

From your experience, how much can GE's 2G of cache hold? ie., what should be the size?

njwashor · 06-14-2006, 05:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by b8bboi

nice idea. I'll try this later.

From your experience, how much can GE's 2G of cache hold? ie., what should be the size?

Well I'm doing the state of Rhode Island now, and when it's done I'll let ya know

njwashor · 06-14-2006, 05:13 PM

Couple things I forgot to mention... you gotta zoom into the level of detail you desire (I don't output range in the KML file). It's not all that intuitive, but if you play around with it, you'll figure it out

Nate

njwashor · 06-14-2006, 05:17 PM

Oh yeah, and also, since it is constantly writing a file... if Google Earth tries to read the "network link" as the file is open for writing, GE asks you what to do... just select ignore future errors with the network resource. This happened to me after about 10 minutes, but could happen sooner or later than that in your experiences.

MatrixPC · 06-14-2006, 05:29 PM

Very interesting.
I was able to do a manual build 2Gb file, and it a paint in the a$$.
Will try later.

njwashor · 06-15-2006, 08:06 AM

Just updated it with an input for range.

After experimenting a little, I realized giving the user control over the height of the camera would be useful, as GE seems to "drift" to a different height as it goes along over a long course of time. Also, turning off the "Terrain" layer may make it easier for you if you are in a rolling area.

If you want to try it out, my coords for testing are:
Lat: 42, 2, 0 N
Lon: 72, 0, 0 W
45 Miles East
55 Miles South
1250 Meters Range
6 speed factor (1.5 seconds between writes).

Hope this update is useful.

Nate

briefnotion · 06-16-2006, 09:57 PM

Not sure I downloaded the correct prog. Recieved error, "This application has failed to start because MFC71D.DLL was not found. Reinstall ..."
_______

http://briefnotion.250free.com/ Im thinking I should have called it Google Earth Path Finder.

P3rv3rt B3ar · 06-16-2006, 11:14 PM

It seems to me to that author compiled it with debug configuration and u dont have IDE in question in your system. So to get that version working try to scavenge it (dll)somewhere (www.dll-files.com for example) and if this is indeed the case author could compile it with release configuration. And next time do little

it will get u far.

njwashor · 06-17-2006, 01:29 PM

Yeah, I did compile in debug mode... I can compile it in Release for you all, but not sure if that will make it so you don't need the dlls. .Net apps generally require some dlls which are free to download. If you tell me all the dlls you need, I can post them in a zip with the EXE (as MS does allow this). Only problem is I won't know the DLLs necessary except if someone else tells me.

So... I'll post a release copy and see if that fixes the problem. Gimme an hour from now as I have to take out some experimental code I was writing.

Nate

njwashor · 06-17-2006, 01:53 PM

Alright, I updated the EXE, and compiled it with RELEASE mode instead of DEBUG mode... the result is an EXE 1/3 the size (good for my server

) and hopefully you won't need those ugly .NET dlls anymore... however if you do... tell me which ones you need and I will zip them up in a file along with the EXE for download. The files location has not changed...

Also, added resolution as a user input (used to be static of 1/4 mile). Now you can enter in any number of 10ths of a mile for resolution.

Nate

briefnotion · 06-17-2006, 03:04 PM

Ok, is it suposed to work with GE4beta. I get an hour glass hangup.

njwashor · 06-17-2006, 10:04 PM

Yeah, it works with GE4 beta and GE3. Did you set the network link to the output KML file? As far as the hour glass... once you kick off the app, it won't respond to any inputs (since it's already running). I'm in the process of adding a pause button, and moving the algorithm into a stoppable/restartable thread. If you start the program and want to stop it, just hit the close "x" button on the app, and kill the program for now. If you have GE set up correctly with the network link, it should work. Let me know if you're still having issues.

Nate