Importing Google Earth

Data into a GIS

Hemalie Nandalal
hemalin@pdn.ac.lk
 Google Earth

► Provides free access to a rich resource of

satellite imagery and geographic data
► Excellent for visualization
► On-screen digitizing capabilities allow
mapping of features
 Features can be saved as kml files
 kml files cannot be directly loaded into a GIS

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Creating files in Google Earth
Right click on My places

Create a folder

Name the folder

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 Digitizing the details
► Click the folder you create and activate it
► Click add polygon / line / points

Points Polygons Lines Image Overlay

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 The “Convert KML to SHP” tool
► Converts kml features to shapefile features
 Names and descriptions of kml features are
retained in the shapefile
► Easy to use - run as a tool in ArcToolbox
► Runs on ArcMAP 10.0 onwards – no
extensions required.
► Works with kml files created by Earth
version 7.1.
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Creating features in Google Earth
► Create a folder to contain the features
Right-click

Enter single
line description
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Creating features in Google Earth
► Create feature in the appropriate folder
polygon

Select folder
point line
name

description
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 Saving features to a KML file
► Save the entire folder as a kml file (do not save as
a kmz file)
► Folder can contain more than one feature type.

Right-click

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 Running the “Convert KML to SHP” tool

► Add toolbox to ArcToolbox

Input kml file

Out put location

Output shapefile

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Google Polygons to Shapefile

Shapefile is Geo referenced

but
not projected 10
Feature Attributes

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Using Google Earth Imagery in a GIS

► Google Earth imagery cannot be

downloaded.
► Screen captures can be georeferenced and
used in a GIS.
► Reference points are needed to geo-
reference a screen capture.
► Features digitized in Google Earth can be
used as references.
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Georeferencing Snapshots

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Saving the Georeferenced Image

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Final Product

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