This is yet another type of file format not many have come across while using their PCS. So, what exactly is this file format and what does it do? The full form of KML is the Keyhole Markup Language. It is categorized as the &qout;Placemark&qout; files in the system. The premier program which uses the files types of this extension is Google Earth by Google. They are the GIS files which are used by Google Earth Placemark. The main contents of these files include the geographic modeling information which is saved in the XML format. Google Earth is the online program which provides for delivering the 3D view of the entire planet through a digital model via the web.
The KML are generally used to include the information regarding the geographical annotations and visualizations like points, polygons, images, lines and other other symbols. They are used to identify and label the different locations of the world through the 3D digital view of the earth. These files also help in creating various useful camera angles and also allow the addition of the HTML content. The basic inception of the use of these files was done by the Keyhole Mapping Software which was created and developed by Keyhole, Inc. Later, the concept was taken over by Google in 2004. Thus, these files are now used by Google Earth for the Earth browsing programs.
What’s the use of this file format?
Google Earth has a highly developed Earth Stream Technology which combines the 3D graphics and the internet network streaming to result into a high-performance earth browsing system which runs on the standard systems of the numerous users around the world. A file with the KML can be easily opened with the Google Maps program by hosting the same on an online location. Then, the concerned URL should to be entered to the search box of the Google Maps. The simple text editors or the XML format can also be used to enter what is called the &qout;raw&qout; form of a .kml file. The images included in these files can be compressed using the ZIP format.
The various applications which use the KML format files are Google Earth, NASA WorldWind, ESRI ArcGIS Explorer, Adobe Photoshop and AutoCAD. Some other softwares related to these files are Emu48 (Emulator Keyboard Configuration File), HP48 Emulator (Win48 Script) and Kedit Macro Library.
Open KML File on Windows OS
- Look for an KML file you need to open in Windows Explorer and double-click on it
- If the file doesn’t open automatically and you see a “Windows can’t open a file” message then you should search for a program which can open KML file
- If you have a program which can open KML file installed on your computer then launch that program and select “File” and then “Open” or similar options from its menu to open the KML file
- If you don’t have the program installed then you need to try searching for “KML wiki”, “how to open KML file” in the search engine.
- Once you find the application, install it on your computer
- After the program is installed double-click on the KML file to open it
File extensions are used by Windows operating system to specify what kind of information is stored in the file. Every file in Windows OS needs to have file extension and file extensions are used by Windows to determine which application it should use to open the file. Every application installed on Windows OS places information about which extensions it could open into the Windows registry and Windows uses this information to determine which application it should launch when user double-clicks on the file. If application which can open KML file is not installed, then Windows will show ‘Windows can’t open KML file’ message and buttons to either select an application on the computer which can open the file or to search the web for the application which can open KML file.