kml files are text files that define overlays of various types (lines, borders, images, symbols) that can be displayed over a map on a webpage.
To use a kml file, the file must be saved in the images folder of the website, and then called up by means of a
kml='kml_filename'
parameter, where kml_filename represents the path and filename of the kml file. It is possible to overlay more than one kml file on a single map, in which case the parameters have the form kml[0]='filename0', kml[1]='filename1', etc.
Google provide documentation on the format of kml files. The following is a sample KML file, with comments:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2" xmlns:gx="http://www.google.com/kml/ext/2.2" xmlns:kml="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"> <Document> <name>Shops</name> <Style id="shop_icon"> <IconStyle> <Icon> <href>/images/Maps/Map_icons/shop_icon.png</href> </Icon> <hotSpot x="8" y="8" xunits="pixels" yunits="pixels"/> </IconStyle> </Style> <Placemark> <name>Baileys Stores</name> <styleUrl>#shop_icon</styleUrl> <Point> <coordinates>-2.4234708,50.6461904,0</coordinates> </Point> </Placemark> <Placemark> <name>Cooperative Store</name> <styleUrl>#shop_icon</styleUrl> <Point> <coordinates>-2.4203695,50.6463986,0</coordinates> </Point> </Placemark> </Document> </kml> |
Defines file as KML Document, named "Shops" Creates icon for marking shops Actual icon image is a .PNG file Placemark for first shop Draws shop icon at specified geographical location Placemark for second shop End of document End of file |