[mapserver-users] WMS for Google Earth

[Tony Frame]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: ben wyss
To: mapserver-users at lists.osgeo.org
Sent: Tuesday, 17 June, 2008 5:04 AM
Subject: [mapserver-users] WMS for Google Earth


Hello, I am trying to develop WMS to be compatible with Google Earth. My map 
file seems to return a healthy XML file (no errors, and works in Cartoweb), 
but it will not project (at all) in Google Earth?
 Can someone direct me toward a solution or documentation on this subject? 
My XML file looks like this:
  Thanks, Ben

Ben,

If you try to access your xlink:href :

http://quakeloss.ethz.ch/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=QL2WMS_22.map&amp

you'll see the message :

msLoadMap(): Unable to access file. (QL2WMS_22.map)

Full path to your map file needs to be specified eg on a Fedora / RH system 
you'd need something like

http://quakeloss.ethz.ch/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=%2Fvar%2Fwww%2Fhtml%2FMyApplicationMapfileDirectory%2FQL2WMS_22.map&

This is probably set in WEB METADATA section of your map file as 
"wms_onlineresource".

I've got something like this to work in Google Earth by adding an "Image 
Overlay" and setting "WMS Parameters"  under the Refresh tab. Add the 
xlink:href above (with the correct map file path) to the WMS Server box - if 
all is correct you should get a list of layers you can add, if not you'll 
get an error message something like "Get capabilities failed".

Google Earth seems to always set a default image WIDTH and HEIGHT to 500 x 
500 which may not be appropriate if the map window is not square - once 
you've setup the WMS server succesfully you can change these in the link box 
under "Properties" of the overlay. Or save to a *.kml file and edit the 
parameters in the file and reload in Google Earth.

The auto refresh in Google Earth seems a bit flaky ... sometimes needs a 
manual  "kick" to get it going the first time and theen seems ok thereafter.

Other problem I've had is that on Linux GE doesn't seem to be able to access 
mapserver using https. GE from windows pops up an authentication / 
certificate warning box and then connects to the same https server without 
any problems.

Hope this helps

Regards
Tony