Google Earth 4 Beta & Geocaching Kml

[Twister65]

As mentioned in a thread in the Hardware & Software forum....

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=2276601

 

The Geocaching KML file doesn't work well with the new Google Earth 4 beta. The icons for the caches all display as the default pin icon, rather than the specific geocaching icon for the cache type.

 

Scott

[+The Bolas Heathens]

I was just about to mention this. I'm not sure if it's a GC.com or Google Earth problem but I do know that when Google Earth for the Mac was in early beta we had similar icons for caches, but the next release of Google Earth fixed this to the correct icons

 

As mentioned in a thread in the Hardware & Software forum....

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=2276601

 

The Geocaching KML file doesn't work well with the new Google Earth 4 beta. The icons for the caches all display as the default pin icon, rather than the specific geocaching icon for the cache type.

 

Scott

[+plook]

Yes, and also the cache names are now static instead of popup on mouse hover (KML style attribute).

[+plook]

Looks like perhaps someone is working on it. I just saw the cache names go from static to popup in 1 refresh. Perhaps icons aren't far behind?

 

WRT icons, GE4 also broke its own KML style in a KML I use for local parks. The static icons looks OK buit when you hover the popup icon reverted to a pushpin, so this is a Google issue and not a GC issue (in case that wasn't already clear).

 

EDIT: Spoke too soon. This is really weird, actually. On even-numbered refershes the cache names are static, and on odd-numbered refreshes the cache names are popup. Most peculiar, momma.

Edited June 14, 2006 by plook

[+Raine]

Google Earth 4.0 changed the KML version as well to 2.1

 

I will start to look into what's happened with this new version once I'm able to..

 

-Raine

[jscheffl]

Hi there!

 

I also faced the problem and tried a fix as workaround by fixing the XML file. It seems that changing the header from version 2.0 to 2.1 is enough to bring the icons up again (even though the specification says that the icons are defined deprecated...).

 

To fix it until it is updated at geocaching.com I implemented a small filter proxy which does the dirty conversion job.

 

If you go to your Google Earth client and just replace the KML URL in the properties of the Geocahing link it is working.

Original URL:

http://api.Groundspeak.com/networkkml/geocache.aspx?key=XYZ

Updated URL which enables Icons again:

http://www.jensscheffler.de/share/geocaching.php?key=XYZ

 

Jens

[+Raine]

I looked in the 2.1 specs and Icon's don't mention anything about being depreciated.. can you point me to where you saw this?

 

-Raine

[jscheffl]

Hi Raine,

 

I found this note in the specs itself:

http://earth.google.com/kml/kml_tags_21.html#style

 

In KML Release 2.1, the use of a local <Style> within a <Placemark> is deprecated.

 

...but deprecated does not mean that it is not supported anymore. Strange, but changing the header version from 2.0 to 2.1 fixes this issue and the icons are re-apprearing...

[+Zaphod.Beeblebrox]

Hi Raine,

 

I found this note in the specs itself:

http://earth.google.com/kml/kml_tags_21.html#style

 

In KML Release 2.1, the use of a local <Style> within a <Placemark> is deprecated.

 

...but deprecated does not mean that it is not supported anymore. Strange, but changing the header version from 2.0 to 2.1 fixes this issue and the icons are re-apprearing...

 

And how can a stupid user make the icons reappear?

Edited August 14, 2006 by Zaphod.Beeblebrox

[+The Bolas Heathens]

If only the cache names would not appear as well as they clutter up the screen

[+Nuttycomputer]

Thanks for the Work around!

 

However the multi's don't work. Theyshow up as "X"s

Edited August 17, 2006 by Nuttycomputer