Google Earth User Guide - Manual (Page 75)

Google Earth User Guide
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Table of Contents
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Introduction
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Finding Places and
Directions
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Marking Places
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Using Layers
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Using Map Features
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Using Places
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About KML
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Sharing Places
Information
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Touring Places
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Editing Places and
Folders
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Managing Search
Results
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Measuring Distances
and Areas
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Drawing Paths and
Polygons
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Using Image Overlays
and 3D Models
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Importing Your Data
Into Google Earth
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Using Style Templates
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Using GPS Devices with
Google Earth
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Making Movies with
Google Earth
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Keyboard Controls
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3D Viewer Options
Drawing Paths and Polygons
You can draw free-form paths and polygons in the 3D viewer and save them in your My Places folder just
as you would a placemark. Paths and polygons share all the features of placemark data, including name,
description, style view, and location. Once you create a path, you can select and
play a tour of it . For more
information on modifying paths and polygons once you create them, see Editing Places and Folders .
Follow the steps below to draw a path or polygon in the 3D viewer.
1. Position the 3D viewer to best contain the region you want to mark. The more detailed your view,
the more closely your drawing can follow the land feature. From the Add menu, select Path (Ctrl +
Shift + T) or Polygon (Ctrl + Shift + G). The New Path or New Polygon dialog box appears and the
cursor changes to a square drawing tool. Enter the properties for your drawing just as you would for
any other type of places data. See
Editing Places and Folders for details.
Hint: Change the style color (Style, Color tab) for the line or polygon from the default white to better
visualize the shape you are about to try. Click in the viewer to start your drawing and use the
following methods to achieve your desired shape:
❍
Free-Form shape - Click once, hold, and drag. The cursor changes to an up-arrow to
indicate that you are using free-form mode. As you drag the cursor around the 3D
viewer, the outline of the shape follows the path of your cursor. If you are drawing a
path, a line appears as a result, and if you are drawing a polygon, a shape evolves from
the path of your cursor, always connecting the beginning and ending points.
❍
Regular shape - Click and release. Move the mouse to a new point and click to add
additional points. In this mode, the cursor remains a square drawing tool, and the path
or polygon that you draw is exactly the same as the path and polygon creation
described in
Measuring Distances and Areas .
You can use a combination of these drawing modes to combine curved edges with straight edges.
To transition from a free-form mode to a regular mode, just release the mouse button, position the
pointer to a new place, and click. A straight edge is drawn between the last point and the most
recent one. Reverse the process to enter free-form drawing mode again.
Hint: To navigate in the 3D viewer while creating a new path or polygon, use the keyboard controls
or the
navigation panel .