Maps with google earth

[junk2drive]

Who knows GE well?

I found a program called GE Path on this site

http://freegeographytools.com/2007/draw ... ng-ge-path

Which links you to the download for the program to put a grid on your GE area.

I installed it and got an error for KB20.dll which comes with Microsoft office or can be downloaded from MS in this old file

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms968493.aspx

I'll be doggoned if I can get this to work.

My idea was to get a GE view of your battle area, mark it off in 50m grid, and use it to help make maps.

[junk2drive]

I got it to work, sort of, by placing two placemarks on a map, right clicking a save as kml files. I had to make a folder inside GE named kml. I moved the files to the folder. I ended up using GE Path to save as txt files and manually putting the coordinates on the program. The click run and it opens GE, zooms to your location, and shows the grid. Not square but I'll keep working at it.

[junk2drive]

Here is another way to make maps if you have WinSPWW2. SP is a hex based game. Using DEM you can create a WinSPWW2 map with contours, then use that as a guide to make your BA map. Someday maybe BA will have more than one level.

http://www.alternatewars.com/steelpanth ... d_MicroDEM

[junk2drive]

After some fiddling I got what I wanted.
Find the place
Using the ruler, draw a vertical and a horizontal line the size in meters that you want to map i.e. 2k x 2k is 40sq x 40sq
Put Placement markers at the four corners of your area aligned square
Right click each marker and save as something.kml numbered 1-4
Close GE and open GEPath
Select Make Grid, type .05 in distance, make sure kilometers is selected below
From File, open each kml one at a time and save as txt
Open the 1 txt with notepad and then the others.
Add the text (I copy and paste) from the other three to 1, below the first line in order, save and close all
From File select open txt and select the 1
Click Run
GE should open and zoom to your location with a 50m grid
IF you are done, right click the ruler lines and delete
zoom to fill the screen with your map or 1/4 if you want a larger view and paste the pics together
From File, Save> Save Image
You should have this (mine is the west coast of Luzon)

[junk2drive]

What do you think?

[MikeAP]

You know that there's an MGRS overlay for google earth that would do this for you automatically.

[junk2drive]

Nope. I'll check it out.

[junk2drive]

I found the website nearby.org.uk tool and it works without any fiddley work. I only see 1k and 100m grid though. Better than nothing and no work involved. Since our maps aren't accurate, 100m grid will probably be ok.

Thanks

[junk2drive]

Amaris website has a good page on map making

https://sites.google.com/site/bbcbaamar ... king-a-map

Maybe we can get his to tell us how he adds the grid.

[tim1966]

Luzon looks brilliant - great job. Perhaps edge the grass so it blends with the sand. There's a new edging tool in the plugin to help.

[junk2drive]

I put a small grass edge on the beach. I'll try again with the other one.

[junk2drive]

River edge removes the sand and places water. I think that is why I went with the grass edge overlay.