Google Earth: KML File Creator - How to export locations from Excel to Google Earth
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- In this video I will show you how to export point location data from Excel to Google Earth Pro using the KML File Creator, an Excel Tool with a VBA engine which I made about 12 years ago. We will use some water well data from the Kharga Oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt, where I used to work. You will learn:
How to adjust the macro settings in Excel.
How to create a Google Earth (KML) file using the KML File Creator
How to include pictures in Google Earth.
How to export the final product as a KMZ file, for sharing by e-mail.
You should always use Google Earth Pro before you start investing time into setting up a GIS. Google Earth Pro is a powerful tool to help us understand a project area quickly, easily and cheaply.
Source of data: Mustafa El-Rawy and Florimond De Smedt (2020): Estimation and Mapping of the Transmissivity of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer in the Kharga Oasis, Egypt; Water 2020, 12, 604; doi:10.3390/w12020604
Link to paper: bit.ly/2FWEFXf
Link to processed Excel sheet: bit.ly/2TtDh1j
Link to Kharga Oasis Wells KMZ: bit.ly/2HcnPEq
Link to Kharga Oasis KML File Exporter: bit.ly/371W9v5
Link to KML File Creator V1.7: bit.ly/2HhbtLo (used in this video)
Link to KML File Creator V2.0: bit.ly/37MuD5i
Note: 28 May 2021. I have updated the KML file creator so that it should work also in those countries where you use a comma instead of a point for the decimal separator.
Note 15 August 2021. I have made a new KML file creator, where you can select other colours for the PushPin icon. Here is the link: bit.ly/37MuD5i
This video is part of the online QGIS 101 course.
#KML #GoogleEarth #ExportDatatoGoogleEarth
Thank you so much Mr. de Jong for the video it was very interesting and useful
Glad you liked it Eng. Lalzada! Also I'm so happy to see from WhatsApp that you are using it already! All the best, Andreas
I like how in passing you also taught me that double clicking the corner of the row will copy it down automatically, brilliant. Thanks
Thanks Michael, I'm also learning new things all the time in Excel. It is so powerful & I use it do almost all of my calculations. All the best, Andreas
Thank you so much sir! you save me. I am into doing this process for 1.5k locations.
You are most welcome Israel! That’s a lot of data points! All the best, Andreas
Great video and tool.
Hi Michael, Glad you liked it.
Note that I have made a new KML file creator, where you can select other colours for the PushPin icon. Here is the link: bit.ly/37MuD5i
All the best, Andreas
Hi Mr. de Jong. Thank you so much for a very informational video. This inspires me to use Google Earth to map pipeline routes for managing integrity.
I would like to know how to plot a line using your tool and to add some features with color along the pipeline points.
With you tool, I am able to plot many points. How do I create lines that connect all the points on a pipeline, hence, making it a pipeline route?
Looking forward to your favorable insights.
Hi Taufiq, The purpose of the Google Earth Tool is just to upload GPS points to Google Earth with some meta data and perhaps a picture. It helps to check the accuracy of the GPS coordinates and you can quickly get a feeling for the surrounding area. You can of course digitise a pipeline route in Google Earth, or upload a KMZ file which you export from a GIS, but don't forget that Google Earth is for tourists. It is not accurate, and there can be mistakes of up 60 metres. I recommend that you use QGIS for your mapping, as it is much more accurate. All the best, Andreas
@@GeosearchInternational Thank you so much Mr. de Jong for your insights. I will learn more about QGIS from your channel. Cheers 💪🏼😊
you are welcome! All the best, Andreas
Thank you so much!
You're welcome Rafael! All the best, Andreas
Thanks for this video it is
Intersting and helpful
Glad you liked it Eng. Hosain! All the best, Andreas
Hi I'm from PH and student of geomatics. Thank you so much for explaining on how to use this simple excel-macro workbook! for making kml Unfortunately, my data I inputted didn't plot unto Google Earth, it always point into the middle of the ocean. Hoping to have a chat with you Sir! Thank you!
Hi Lorenz, it looks like you have a problem with your coordinates. Please make sure that they are geographic, in WGS84 datum and also that your Longitude (E) and latitude (N) are not mixed up. All the best, Andreas
@@GeosearchInternational Hello Mr. de Jong, I already figured it out thanks for your reply!
Welcome! All the best, Andreas
Hello, first of all thank you for your very interesting lessons. I did a small test of the application but when I click on the "Change Directory" button I receive a message activating the Macro"! thing I did but I still receive the same message😟
Hi Brahim, You need to check the Macros settings in Excel, and allow them at the beginning when you open the file. I think it is explained in the video. Good luck and all the best, Andreas
Thank u so much....
You are welcome Vishal! I made an updated version of the KML File Exporter if you want to try it. All the best, Andreas
Link to KML File Creator V1.7: bit.ly/2HhbtLo (used in this video)
Link to KML File Creator V2.0: bit.ly/37MuD5i
THANK YOU SO MUCH M.r
You are very welcome! And my regards to everyone in Tripoli! All the best, Andreas
Hello,
first, thanks for this helpful video and, I hope you are answering the following question:
Can we add a dynamic legend based on KML file contents for incoming Solar Irradiance (DNI, DHI, and GHI )?
Hi, Thanks for an interesting question. The KML File creator just creates pins in Google Earth and you can add some information as a table and a picture to that point. You could calculate your solar irradiance parameters for any number of points and then export this information as a KML file to Google Earth. However, there is an existing tool which could be more useful. See:
globalsolaratlas.info/map?c=31.056571,12.913991,4&s=48.162396,17.468602&m=site
All the best, Andreas
with UTM?
Google Earth uses WGS84 geographic coordinates, so any projected coordinates such as UTM needs to be converted back into WGS84 geographic. There are online websites which provide this service, or you can just use QGIS. All the best, Andreas
Hello. I have a problem. When I enter coordinate values in decimal degrees, it does not recognize the semicolon (as a decimal separator). So the result in kml are points in other geographic locations.
Hi Waldo, Google Earth KML files need to have the decimal separator as a point, so other types will not work (commas, semi-colons etc). Just do a search & replace to get them all into points & it should work. All the best, Andreas
@@GeosearchInternational Hello Andreas, first of all thank you for your tremendous contribution. And for the quick response to my query. Look, I put the values with a dot and it didn't work for me. I put the values just like the example you gave but it didn't work for me either. I modified the decimal and thousands separators in excel, and it didn't work for me either. The truth is I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I try to enter: East / -72.667, North / -39.869. When I upload this value, the result is: Latitude / 32400.000000 °, Longitude / -72.000000 °. Therefore it is located in an unknown geographical area. (The box and the text as a description appear without any problem, it is just that the coordinates cannot be transformed).
Greetings and thank you again for this tremendous contribution.
Hi Waldo, I just tried using your coordinates as in the southern hemisphere I have only used the KML File creator in Malawi & never to the West of Greenwich. The location is on a road to the north of a small village in Chile. So it works & I have no idea what is causing your problems. Could you please send me your Excel & KML file by e-mail? I'll try to figure out what went wrong. Yo can find my email in the ABOUT section of the UA-cam Channel. All the best, Andreas
Hi Waldo, I just set my Windows regional settings to Chile & I got exactly the same results as you. I will have to change the VBA program so that it will work with any number system. All the best, Andreas
@@GeosearchInternational Hello. Look, something like that I imagined it could be, but I couldn't find where. But you gave me a hint. Thank you very much, anyway, for the time to give the answers, it is greatly appreciated.
failed: Parse error at line 1, column 1: face this issue please help me how to solve
Hi Asjad, First of all have you tried to run the example data file from Punjab? Please check if that works. Maybe you have entered your coordinates as text, so Excel cannot read them? Good luck and all the best, Andreas
@@GeosearchInternational Sir, Thanks for reply I will try now and let you know. Thanks .
Hi Asjad, Let me know if it works. All the best, Andreas
I tried using the same file that I had previously converted, but that file also gave an issue.
Hi Asjad, I hope it works now. All the best, Andreas
Hi im from Korea and student of geography. Thank you so much for explaining method of using and making kml. Btw, I have one question! When I finished creating kml and click it to see sites in google earth, and lastly click the tack, the image didn't uploaded. There's just questionmarks, no images. So I wanna know where did i made the error. Does the length of the image is main effect of the result? My image name length is
You are most welcome 정민경!
Length of name is not important. It is just limited by the windows limit on the length of the total image path. So be careful that it is not exceeding something like 260 characters.
Your images should be called 20210602_092035.jpg with a small jpg not JPG. There is no advantage to having them >500 pixels in width, so you can resample your images to save space.
Make sure that the full name of the picture is in the "Picture ID" column. So in this example it would be: 20210602_092035.jpg
Put all your images in a sub-folder called "files".
Save your kml file outside of this sub-folder.
Once it has loaded inside Google Earth you can save the whole lot as a KMZ file.
Let me know if it works. All the best, Andreas
Could you please enter the password to modify the macros? I use the program in Brazil, and it would be great if we could change some messages and texts saved in the macros!
Hi Vinicius, If you could send me a table with two columns: English & Portuguese/Brazilian translation, I will be most happy to make a Brazilian version for you and your colleagues. Also, let me know if there is anything not clear / changes required. All the best, Andreas
[English:]
Hi! Thank you so much for the support! I created the file as you asked, it's in a google folder, at the link ----> --drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Idb83RdHPiwkPl-4PwUk5XiaB1wtpUOo?usp=sharing-- --drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Idb83RdHPiwkPl-4PwUk5XiaB1wtpUOo?usp=sharing--
Obrigado Vinicius. Vou dar uma olhada nele no fim de semana. Saudações da Espanha! Andreas via Google Translate
@@GeosearchInternational olá Andreas, por acaso conseguiu olhar a planilha?
Olá Vinicius, recebi seu e-mail, mas estou muito ocupado no momento.