KML vs. KMZ

While both formats display geographic data in Google Earth, they handle your photos very differently. Choosing the right one depends on whether you want a single portable file or a lightweight file that references your local folders.

KML (Keyhole Markup Language): A .kml file is a plain-text document (standard XML). It contains the GPS coordinates and settings, but it does not contain the actual photos. Instead, it creates a "shortcut" or link to the photos on your hard drive.
  • Pros:
    • Extremely small file size: Since photos aren't inside the file, it is created almost instantly.
    • Maintains Quality: Google Earth pulls the original full-resolution photos directly from your folder.
  • Cons:
    • Not Portable: If you email the .kml file to a colleague, they will see "broken image" icons because the photos are still on your computer.
    • Folder Dependent: If you move or rename your photo folder, the links will break.

KMZ (Keyhole Markup Zip): A .kmz file is a compressed archive (essentially a specialized .zip file). It contains the KML data and copies of your photos all bundled into one single file.
  • Pros:
    • Fully Portable: You can email a single .kmz file to anyone, and they will see all the photos exactly as you do.
    • Easy Management: One file per project; no need to worry about broken links or moving folders.
  • Cons:
    • Large File Size: Because it contains photos, the file can become several gigabytes if you have hundreds of high-res images.
    • Processing Time: It takes longer to generate because the software must compress and pack the images.

Feature
KML
KMZ
Photos Included?
No (Links only)
Yes (Embedded)
Portability?
Low (Internal use only)
High (Shareable)
File Size?
Very Small
Large
Best For?
Fast local viewing
Sending to clients/colleagues


Which one should you choose?
  • Choose KML if: You are working alone, have limited disk space, and just want to quickly visualize your photo locations on your own machine.
  • Choose KMZ if: You need to share your survey results with a client, archive the project for later, or view the photos on a different computer.

Tip: If your .kmz file is too large, use PhotoSurveyor’s "Resize Photos" option. This keeps the file size manageable while ensuring your recipient can still see clear, crisp images in the balloon windows.



Troubleshooting & FAQ

Q: Images appear in the Google Earth balloon, but the "Click to Open Full Image" link fails to load.
A: This is usually caused by the file path of your JPG Source Folder. Ensure your folder names do not contain the hash character (#).

Correct: C:\Documents\Surveys\Project_Paris\

Incorrect: C:\Documents\Surveys\Project_#1_Paris\

Note: Google Earth's internal viewer cannot correctly parse file paths that include fragment identifiers like the # symbol.
Q: Photo previews are not appearing at all in my .KMZ file balloons.
A: The same rule applies to compressed .KMZ files. Please ensure that the entire directory path leading to your source images is free of special characters, specifically the # symbol.
Q: Why was the filename of my photo changed in the .KML output?
A: When generating a standalone .KML file, the software automatically replaces any # characters in your filenames with an underscore ( _ ). This is a preventative measure to ensure that the internal links within the KML file remain functional.

Note for .KMZ Users: This modification does not occur when creating .KMZ files.

Note on Data Integrity: PhotoSurveyor never modifies your original source files. These changes only apply to the references created within the survey project.
Q: Why is the process of creating .KML or .KMZ files taking so long?
A: Performance is most often impacted by network latency. If your source images are stored on a shared network drive, a server, or a cloud-synced folder (like OneDrive or Dropbox), the software must wait for the network to provide data for every single image.

Recommended Solution:
Move your image folder to a local drive (e.g., your Desktop or Documents folder) before starting the process. Local SSDs provide significantly faster read speeds for the metadata extraction required by PhotoSurveyor.
Q: Does the size of my photos affect the creation speed?
A: Yes. When creating a .KMZ file, the software must compress and pack the images into a single archive. If you are using 20MB+ RAW or high-resolution JPEG files, the processing time will increase significantly.

Tip: If the final map is only for visual reference, consider using downsampled images to speed up both the creation process and the loading speed within Google Earth.
Q: Why is there no GPS data in my photos?
A: PhotoSurveyor relies on EXIF Metadata—hidden information stored inside your photo file at the exact moment the picture is taken. If your map appears empty, it is likely because your mobile device did not have "Location Tags" enabled for its camera.

How to enable GPS for future photos:

For iOS (iPhone/iPad)
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  3. Ensure Location Services is toggled ON.
  4. Scroll down to find Camera in the list.
  5. Set "Allow Location Access" to While Using the App.
  6. Ensure Precise Location is toggled ON for the best accuracy in your surveys.

For Android (Note: Steps may vary slightly depending on your manufacturer, such as Samsung or Pixel)
  1. Open the Camera app.
  2. Tap the Settings (Gear icon) usually located in the corner.
  3. Scroll down to find Location tags or Save location.
  4. Toggle the switch to ON.
  5. (Alternative) Go to Settings > Location > App Permissions > Camera and select Allow only while using the app.

In addition, if you transfer photos via certain messaging apps (like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger), they often strip away GPS data for privacy. Always transfer your photos via USB cable, AirDrop, or cloud storage (OneDrive/Google Drive) to keep the metadata intact.


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