Interactive google earth building

Question

I'm wondering is it possible to create building on google earth; that exchanges information with my web server. So I can change it's let's say wall colour from web server, or serves sends every minute new values. Thanks

Answer 1

Yes, you can create a 3d object and load it into google earth and then adjust its properties. One way to do this would be to use a NetWorkLink file that loads the model data you require. You can set a NetWorkLink to refresh based on various criteria and you can specify a CGI script in the herf attribute. A pesudo example would work like this.

1) a network link defined in kml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
    <NetworkLink>
      <refreshVisibility>0</refreshVisibility>
      <flyToView>1</flyToView>
      <Link>
        <refreshInterval>2</refreshInterval>
        <viewRefreshMode>onStop</viewRefreshMode>
        <viewRefreshTime>1</viewRefreshTime>
        <href>http://yourserver.com/cgi-bin/loadbuilding.php</href>
      </Link>
    </NetworkLink>
</kml>

2) the cgi script specified in the herf

  <?php
   // some logic to select a particular kmz file etc
   $fullPath = "path to your file";

   if ($fd = fopen ($fullPath, "r")) {
     header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");
     header("Content-Disposition: filename=building.kmz");
     header("Content-Type: application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml\n");
     while(!feof($fd)) {
       $buffer = fread($fd, 2048);
       echo $buffer;
     }
     fclose ($fd);
     exit;
    }
  ?>