KML is an XML-based language schema for modeling and storing geographic features and their display in Google Earth, Google Maps, and other mapping applications. KML was developed by Keyhole, Inc., which was acquired by Google in 2004. The KML standard is now maintained by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).
KML enables modeling of placemarks (points of interest), paths, and polygons, as well as other geographic features such as images, terrain, and 3D models. These features can be displayed in a variety of ways, including as lists, maps, and timelines. KML files can be created manually or generated from existing geospatial data sources such as GIS databases, GPS devices, and web services.
KML is an open standard supported by a number of software applications, including Google Earth, Google Maps, ArcGIS Explorer, and Microsoft Bing Maps. What is meant by KML? KML is an XML-based file format used to represent geographic data. KML can be used to represent point, line, polygon, and other geometry types. KML can also be used to represent information about placemarks, such as name, description, and icon.
Is KML the same as XML?
KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML-based language schema for expressing geographic annotation and visualization within Internet-based, two-dimensional maps and three-dimensional Earth browsers. KML was developed for use with Google Earth, which was originally named Keyhole Earth Viewer. It was created by Keyhole, Inc, which was acquired by Google in 2004.
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards.
KML is based on XML and uses many of the same elements, attributes, and encodings. However, KML introduces a set of specific elements and attributes that allow for the expression of geographic annotation and visualization within two-dimensional and three-dimensional Earth browsers.
Should I use KML or KMZ?
KML and KMZ are both file formats that are used to display geographic data in a web browser. KML is an XML-based format for storing geographic data, while KMZ is a compressed version of KML that is often used for distributing large amounts of data.
There are a few key differences between KML and KMZ. KML is an open standard, while KMZ is a proprietary format that is only supported by Google Earth. KML files are typically much smaller than KMZ files, since they are not compressed.
KMZ files can contain other files, such as images, which KML files cannot. KML files can be viewed in any text editor, while KMZ files must be unzipped before they can be viewed.
So, which format should you use? If you need to distribute a large amount of data, KMZ may be a better option, since the files are smaller and can be compressed. If you need to view the data in a text editor or other program that does not support KMZ, then KML may be a better option. Is KML open source? Yes, KML is an open standard and is therefore open source. The specification is available for anyone to view and download from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) website. What program opens KML? There are a few programs that can open KML files, but Google Earth is the most popular. Google Earth is a free program that allows users to view satellite imagery, maps, and 3D terrain of the earth. It is available for download at earth.google.com.