Brief Notes on Creating a Street-O Course File for MapRun Using Google Earth ============================================================================ Assuming you have been sent the map KMZ file, and a skeletal course KML file. An example such skeletal KML file is at: http://lpb.canb.auug.org.au/omaps/MapRun_Example_KML.kml Alternatively, you can just use the default placemark in Google Earth Pro. You need to extend the KML file with all the control for your course using Google Earth Pro, as follows: + run Google Earth Pro - a free download from https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#earth-pro + open both the map KMZ and course KML files, they will be placed under "Temporary Places". You may wish to move both to "My Places" by dragging them up (just be careful to place them between, not within, existing items). + You will see the control displayed overlaying the map, with the aerial view somewhat visible underneath. You can click the arrow icon next to any folder in the "My Places" view to expand (or collapse) display of its contents. + Start by moving the existing Start & Finish controls, and then control 1, to their desireed location on the map (placement at this stage is not too critical). To move any control, right/control click on each control (either on the icon on the image, or name in the "Places" box) and select "Properties/Get Info" (for PC/Mac respectively). This opens the info box and highlights the control icon. You can now click and drag the icon to the desired location. You can also edit its name or description. Then select "OK" to save. + Continue by adding the remaining controls for your course. To add a control, click the yellow pin in the tool-bar (upper left). This opens the same properties dialog and highlights a new control (with the same icon & properties as the last one you viewed). You can drag it to the desired location, add its control number as name, and description if known yet, and save. + Now you need to accurately position each control using the aerial view. Getting an accurate position is critical for people using the course to accurately register a GPS punch at the correct location. + Start my turning off the map by unchecking the box next to its name in the "Places" box. You will now see just the controls on the aerial imagery. + Zoom in as far as necessary, select and move each control into place exactly over the desired feature. You may need to move the properties box to find the icon to move whilst doing this. You can also update the control description as needed. And save. Then zoom out to access next. + You may well find it useful to have a browser window open with Google Maps whilst doing this, so you can check the Street View for your desired location. It can also be helpful to relate the house shapes in maps to the aerial view seen in Earth. + *PLEASE NOTE* when zooming in and out, you will find Google Earth shifts your view and compass angle. This will throw out your perspective for locating the controls, as these do need to be done when viewing from above. So you need to reset these with View -> Reset -> "Tilt and Compass" (or use shortcut keys "u" for up and "n" for north). Also there is a Preference setting you can change to reduce this. In Preferences, select the Navigation tab, then in Navigation box select "Do not automatically tilt while zooming". But it will still move the compass heading around. + When everything is in place, you need to ensure the controls are listed in the correct order in the course folder with S1 first, then all controls on course and F1 last. So you will need to drag F1 to the end of the list, and shuffle any other controls as needed. + Then save you course details by right/control click on course folder in the "Places" box, and select "Save Place As...". Change the file type to "Kml", choose the desired target filename and folder and Save. You have your new course KML file. You can just send the file back to me. If you want to go ahead and load it as a Check Sites in the MapRun server, then: + you create this on the MapRun server, at: https://console.maprun.net/#/check_sites_create + fill in all the details on the form. In particular the "Event/Map Name" is *critical*. It must uniquely identify this test instance of the event, and include the correct course type codes. So start with the event name (eg. "Florey May 2020"), add a tag for testing (eg. "test1"), and the correct course type codes (eg. "PXAS ScoreV60" for our Street-O events). So a suitable name to use here would be something like "Florey May 2020 test1 PXAS ScoreV60". + Leave the expiry date as 1 week ahead, thats usually enough. Fill in your name & email details. Select the KMZ map file, and your new KML course file. Double-check everything :-) Then "Submit". TAKE NOTE of the map code then shown at the bottom of the page. You need this for you or anyone else to access the course in the MapRun6/F app. And this is the only place you will see it! + And thats it! Now you can go out and try the course out. + In the MapRun6/F app, select "Check Sites" from the menu on the home page, and enter the course code + I then highly recommend changing "Option and Settings" to: - Display present location (so you can see where MapRun thinks the control actually is in relation to your current position - punchTolerance changes to 8m (so tighter than used in actual event, again to ensure positioning is accurate enough) - Display location pins (so you go place markers at corrected control locations, which you can view later) + then head to the course start, and select "Go to Start" in the MapRun6/F app + navigate the course, checking placement of each control is close enough to the chosen feature. If not, place a location pin at the correct location. + once you've completed the course, when viewing the course Results, you can use the "Email Track" menu option to email (or save to Drive) the track, including location pins, for the course you've just checked. + then open the GPX track file in Google Earth Pro. After its converted, you can see the track you took, and any location pins, and compare with current control locations. You can then nudge the control locations as needed. And thats it! Now you can go out and try the course out. And let me know how it goes. There is rather more detail on this process (as well as other ways of doing this) in my "Guide to Creating MapRun Courses" (section 3a) at: http://lpb.canb.auug.org.au/omaps/MapRun_Course_Creation.shtml Cheers Lawrie