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September 09, 2008
Google Earth API Demo Gallery
For those of you who want to learn to program your own Google Earth plugin applications, the place to start is the Google Earth API web site. Here you will find links to the Google Earth API Developer Guide, the Google Earth API FAQ, the Google Earth Browser Plugin forum, and a link to the Google Geo Developer Blog.
And, most important to today's post, Google has just released a new Google Earth API Demo Gallery. This is a nice quick way to see the many plugin demos Google has produced to show off features of the API. This includes boring ones that show features like "Creating a placemark", and really cool ones like "Monster Milktruck", "3D Driving Directions", and "China Syndrome".
All of this will become even more important in the not too distant future. Google will be releasing new improved versions of the Google Earth API and plugin including support for Mac OS X for the plugin. Hopefully the new API will include support for more built-in Google Earth layers, and more straightforward functions to turn on and off KML content.
Posted by FrankTaylor at September 9, 2008 06:55 AM
Comments
Posted by: Brian Timoney at September 9, 2008 02:53 PM
I agree that MAC support, and Linux support, is needed. However, I don't feel its a tough sell for the public without it. The API is familiar and easy to use for the public. Folks are familiar with Google maps and Google earth. Granted, I'm speaking more so on government sites such as county's and city's who would like to make use of the API for things such as presenting GIS data to the public.
Peachtree City in Georgia presented this site last night to the public, http://maps.peachtree-city.org and the response was well received. More importantly, however was how easy it was for the public to jump right in and use the site.
Posted by: Antonio at September 10, 2008 11:13 AM
Antonio, the url you posted is the most useful application of the GE API I have seen to date. I especially like the Police layer. Thanks for sharing the site http://maps.peachtree-city.org/google/index.html
Posted by: jpwade at September 17, 2008 10:18 PM
I like Google Earth API so much but it's sad it doesn't support Mac OS X. I am looking forward Google to release new version soon!
Posted by: ytk at September 29, 2008 11:46 PM
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Frank:
Good to see resources devoted to the plugin API. As you noted last week with our hurricane demo, we switched from Google Earth layers to a single page Virtual Earth demo. We're finding that a large percentage of users will only go to a single web page and don't want to be hassled with stand-alone installs, numerous hyperlinks, etc.
So the immediacy of the Plugin API holds great promise, as well as the extensibility of the JavaScript API. That said, until Mac support arrives, it's a tough sell for public-facing websites.
Brian