omster
First Post
Reged: 03/23/07
Posts: 1
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I'm a newbie to KML/GE, but experienced as a programmer/DBA 10+ yrs, and I need a quick answer to some basic questions...
Q1: Is there any way to protect streamed kml data to prevent users from saving it to their PCs or re-distributing it?
Q2: Can hyperlinks be created from a LineString or other shape (polygon)? (I want a segment of a LineString 'path' to hyperlink to a webpage by clicking on the LineString segment itself, if this is possible)
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Bigga
Tourist
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 26
Loc: Munich, Germany
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Hey omster.
A1: I donīt think there is a way to protect your data in KML. The only thing you can do is to stream it with a OGC WMS service. With a OGC WMS you are streaming just a raster and not the data itself.
A2: As far as i know hyperlinks need a placemark. But i found an amazing Mash Up for a part of germany where they realized hyperlinks on parts of line strings. (Street data) I donīt know how they did it, but let me know if you got it.
Greets Bigga
Edited by Bigga (03/24/07 04:37 AM)
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simon_a
Master Guide
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 1773
Loc: London, UK
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Hello omster,
Welcome to the GE Community!
Just to add to Bigga's excellent advice...
KML is simply plain text and objects can be copied and resaved in the client so there's no technical way of, for example, encrypting the data (although that would be a rather nice feature). However, your work will likely be covered by copyright law and you might want to add a notice reminding users of this.
You can't link directly from a linestring but if you hold [CTRL] and click on a path, you'll pop up the description bubble - you could place a link in there.
Cheers,
Simon.
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Bigga
Tourist
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 26
Loc: Munich, Germany
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Hey simon_a.
Thanks for your add. I added the kmz file i found for the mashup in germany, where they made hyperlink on parts of linestrings possible. Perhaps you know how they did it?
Thanks Bigga
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Bigga
Tourist
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 26
Loc: Munich, Germany
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Oh i think i got it.
They user the highlighting function with <StyleMap> and <Style id=...>
They placed an transparent <icon> in the highlighted <Style> tag and placed a <href> tag in this <icon>.
This seems to be working, but the transparent icon has a specific size. So i think you can use it in the case you are working with line segments of the same size. Otherwise you need a specific transparent icon for each line segment...
Edited by Bigga (03/24/07 05:04 AM)
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simon_a
Master Guide
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 1773
Loc: London, UK
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Hello,
Yes, that makes sense - it's an interesting use of Multigeometry.
It's not really the path being a hyperlink though - clicking just displays the description ballon, which in turn offers the link. Still, it's one better than having to hold down [CTRL] and click!
Cheers,
Simon.
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IDEVFH
Inspector Gadget
Reged: 10/11/06
Posts: 124
Loc: Texas, USA
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Hi omster,
Quote:
Q1: Is there any way to protect streamed kml data to prevent users from saving it to their PCs or re-distributing it?
I've just done some preliminary alpha testing to your question.
Objective: Prevent Saving - Re-Distributing a KML Data.
Solution: Alpha Test shows:
1. User Prevented [ Copy ]
2. User Prevented [ Save As ]
3. User Prevented [ Rename ]
4. User Prevented [ email ]
5. User Prevented From Local Drive using File Manager to qualifiy doing any of the following above 1 - 4.
Note: I am still undecided about the general saving of the [ Save To My Places ]. I could allow the Save and binarily strip the area out for the define KML Data area that is to be protected. Or, I could just assume it would be more trouble to the user to attempt the fate of editing independently with the risk of mangling the primary myplaces.kml file.
P.S. This was in no way to undermine the expertise that ( simon_a ) made in regards to this GE capacity for protection of KML data. This is just a challenge as I am a developer to maybe improve some extension to Google Earth.
Any suggestions or comments in regards to areas I've missed ?
Regards,
IDEVFH
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Ryan_A
Tourist
Reged: 03/30/06
Posts: 7
Loc: Phoenix, AZ, USA
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I have been looking for answers to the same question.
As far as rasters are concerned, there are some solutions, as discussed above but nothing in the way of preventing Save As, Copy, Save to, etc.
One solution could be to stream the data from an external database with some password protection/authentification required. See viewgl's example here:
http://www.viewgl.com/
This covers raster data, however. It also requires a lot of work on the developer's part.
If you stream data in from a Network Link, couldn't you add some password protection to the KML? That would be one solution and then add legal cover with a Copyright...although that does not ensure that it will be shared illegally..
Thanks for posting such a great question. I hope you share any solutions that come your way!
Sincerely,
Ryan_A
--------------------
Ryan Arp
The Arp Consulting Group, LLC
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IDEVFH
Inspector Gadget
Reged: 10/11/06
Posts: 124
Loc: Texas, USA
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Hi Ryan_A,
I've chosen a different way instead of intervention by way of the TCP/IP connection for the rendering. To me the method I've chosen doesn't throttle on the gateway thus doesn't slow the GE. The alpha testing I've done so far shows this is a method I should concentrate on with the regards to protecting the KML Data from the 1-5 exercise I mentioned above. By the way, the 1-5 is successful in protection thus far.
Ryan_A you said, Quote:
stream data in from a Network Link
.
To me any Network linking should challenge the user for the unauthorized use on the server side of the linkage. IMHO
Regards,
IDEVFH
Edited by IDEVFH (03/26/07 02:45 PM)
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simon_a
Master Guide
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 1773
Loc: London, UK
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Hello,
LOL! I certainly tool no offence - it's good that people are thinking of this kind of thing. It's quite common for a licence agreement for a data set to include a clause preventing the user for publishing subsets in which the data can be 'reverse engineered' back to its raw form, so something like this would be invaluable in the future.
I guess you're looking at preventing viewing the data once it's in GE but I'm not sure how you'd prevent the user from intercepting it on its way from the Internet. Will you be able to prevent right-click, save-as?
Simon.
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