| KML Feature |
ArcGIS KML Layer Functionality |
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Placemarks
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- Placemarks are the primary means of marking a location
on the earth.
- They have an associated label, icon,
location (including an elevation), and camera position.
- You can open (identify) and fly to placemarks.
- ArcGIS fully supports placemarks.
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Balloons
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- Descriptions for placemarks and other KML items in the
Google Earth 3D view as a balloon connected to the item
location.
- In ArcGIS, item descriptions are shown in the Identify
dialog rather than as balloons in the 3D view.
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Geometry
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- KML supports drawing objects on the earth using 2D and 3D
geometry.
- This includes points, lines, polygons, and multi-geometry.
- These can be extruded to fit the terrain surface and have
associated styling data.
- ArcGIS fully supports KML geometry.
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Ground Overlays
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- Ground overlays are images that are fixed to the planet
surface.
- ArcGIS fully supports ground overlays.
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Screen Overlays
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- A screen overlay is an image independent of the camera
position and is fixed to the screen.
- Screen overlays are not supported in ArcGIS.
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Styles
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- KML styles define the appearance of geometry, icons, and
labels in the viewer.
- This typically includes color, size, and opacity of the
feature.
- Styles can be embedded in the item or shared using style
referencing.
- ArcGIS supports styles, except for random colors and
style maps.
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Folders
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- KML folders are used to organize placemarks, geometry,
screen overlays, and other folders.
- You can tour placemarks in a folder by flying to each in
turn.
- ArcGIS fully supports folders.
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Network Links
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- Network links allow KML content to be fetched dynamically
from a KML server.
- Network links can be defined with automatic refresh
properties, allowing the content to be fetched at specific
time intervals or whenever the view extent is changed.
- While automatic refresh of network links
(usually by a timer) is not supported by ArcGIS,
you can manually refresh the KML layer at any time in order
to get the latest content.
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Browser Integration
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- KML content can be delivered to the browser using
hyperlinks on web pages shown in Google Earth or standard web
browsers.
- ArcGIS supports browser integration.
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Interactive editing of KML content
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- Google Earth has functionality for creating and editing
KML content through interactive placement of KML elements
on to the surface of the globe.
- ArcGIS does not support functions to interactively create
or edit KML content.
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Other unsupported KML features
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The following KML 2.0 functionality is not currently
implemented in ArcGIS:
- Schemas: used for storing information in a
table-like format
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Other unsupported Google Earth features
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The following Google Earth functionality is not currently
implemented in ArcGIS:
- Size of / Primary / Secondary Fonts: used with KML labels
- KML Tour configuration: ability to set the navigation
delay at each node
- Interactive placement of images: ArcGIS already has
georeferencing abilities that go beyond move, rotate and scale
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