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kmlgoogle-earth

Prevent Google Earth from generating MultiGeometry when loading KML

I have a program that automatically generates KML files for use with Google Earth. My most recent output is pasted below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0">
<Document>
<Placemark>
<name>Active Location</name>
<address>60 NORTH WILLOW STREET, MONTCLAIR, ESSEX County, New Jersey</address>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>

When this file is opened, a rectangular polygon is generated around the placemark, like so:

Saving the placemark as another document gives the following content:

<?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>QueryOutput.KML</name>
    <Placemark>
        <name>Active Location</name>
        <address>60 NORTH WILLOW STREET, MONTCLAIR, ESSEX County, New Jersey</address>
        <MultiGeometry>
            <Point>
                    <coordinates>-74.2122552,40.8157007,0</coordinates>
            </Point>
            <LinearRing>
                <coordinates>
                    -74.21556655758907,40.81321718180819,0 -74.21556655758907,40.81818421819181,0 -74.20894384241093,40.81818421819181,0 -74.20894384241093,40.81321718180819,0 -74.21556655758907,40.81321718180819,0
                </coordinates>
            </LinearRing>
        </MultiGeometry>
    </Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>

Users must be able to collect the latitude/longitude data of the Point, which is then copied into another form. Because the placemark is defined as a MultiGeometry, they do not have easy access to this data. What changes need to be made to the initial KML file to prevent the placemark from generating a MultiGeometry? I've tried placing the name and address tags inside a Point, but that causes the coordinates to be set to 0,0,0 when the file is loaded.

Solution

  • When KML file has only an address, Google Earth will automatically do an address lookup to get an approximate location with a point and an error bounds with the box. Saving the KML after it opens in Google Earth will automatically add the location as a MultiGeometry to the feature.

    Only way to prevent Google Earth from automatically adding the MultiGeometry to the KML is first adding a Geometry (Point, Line, etc.) to the KML. The alternative is to either edit the resulting KML in a text editor or manually do an address lookup in Google Earth then create a new placemark at the location it finds.

    Searching an address in Google Earth
    https://support.google.com/earth/answer/148081?hl=en