This page covers how to use the excel spreadsheet to create a ‘plough path’ in kml format. The path can then be loaded into Google Earth; touring the path will load the cache. To load a kml file into Google Earth, just double click it – the default program for a kml is Google Earth.
Download this version You can use Excel or an excel compatible spreadsheet. You will need to manually highlight the output, paste into notepad and save with the format set as kml (more details on that later).
Before you do anything else, you will need to download the file and open it in Excel or something similar. You also need to open Google Earth and zoom over to where you would like to load the cache.
Google Earth supports multiple coordinate types. The Earthplough spreadsheet only supports coordinates in DDD.DDDDDD format (also known as decimal degrees). Formats using minutes, seconds and UTM aren’t supported. If you are not using it already, you will have to change Google Earth to decimal degrees format (you can change it back afterwards and the cache will still be present). Select Tools/Options/3D view/Show Lat Long and select Decimal Degrees.
Now let’s take a look at the spreadsheet. Select the User_input worksheet; this is where we will define our scan area.
Go to Cell B3. Enter a name for your path; this name will be visible when you view it in Google Earth.
The spreadsheet also requires a width value (Cell B4); this is the distance in metres between the vertical lines. As a rough guide set the width distance to the same value as the Google Earth tour height. This will provide some overlap, but should guarantee no visual data is missing in the cache.
We must define a rectangular area to cache. To do this, the spreadsheet requires 2 ‘placemarks’ (also known as waypoints); the ‘Top left corner’ and the ‘Bottom right corner’. These mark our area. Ensure that your Google Earth view orientation has North at the top of the screen (the compass is the right way up). The spreadsheet will only work if you specify the Top left and Bottom right corners. Top right and bottom left or any other combination will not work; this is due to how the equation works, the path always runs left to right!
To create a placemark, select the 
icon, move the ‘pin’ to the desired coordinate (labeling your placemarks with a suitable name e.g. London TL & London BR will help with the process).
You can easily move your placemarks later if you need to, just right click on the placemark and select properties, drag the pin to a new position with your mouse.
Create your placemarks in Google Earth and enter the coordinate details into the spreadsheet (Cells B6,C6 and B7,C7) before continuing to the next step.
Cell B12 is the camera range. This setting will have no affect on Google Earth. The value is only used to estimate the memory that will be used by following this tour. It is approximate and accuracy will depend on how many layers you are displaying, plus the area type (urban or rural).
Cell B13 is used to set the tour speed. This value is only used to calculate the tour time; it has no affect on Google Earth. The tour time should be quite accurate, usually within a minute or so of the actual scan time.
Time to remind you that although Cells B12 and B13 have no affect on Google Earth, you should make sure that they are set to the correct values in Google Earth before you run a tour. Setting the camera height and speed was covered in the previous page Loading the cache.
Cells B17-21 contain information about the tour you are creating. This information will update automatically, as you make changes to the input values.
If you are sure your information is entered correctly, switch to the kmloutput worksheet in the spreadsheet. Select Column A, from cells A1 until the end of the output.
Copy the cells to the clipboard and open Notepad. Select Edit/Paste, the information from the spreadsheet will be displayed as text in Notepad.
Select File/Save As… Enter a suitable name for your path and add the .kml extension to the end of the filename. In the line below it (Save As Type:) change from Text Documents *.txt to All Files – this will create a kml format file.
Clicking on the kml file will cause it to load into Google Earth. Your newly created path will be displayed above the satellite imagery. You will notice that the path extends slightly beyond the bottom right corner placemark. This is normal, the path always goes beyond the placemark to ensure all visual data is included.
You will see the path name located under the Places Menu on the left of the screen. Double click on your path name to expand the folder. Double click again to see your path with ‘play tour’ option enabled 
(you need to tick the boxes to enable the tour feature).
Now you can take the tour and load your cache. You will see the visual data load as the camera follows the path. If the camera speed is too fast, the visual imagery will not be in focus. If this is the case, stop the tour and change the Google Earth Tools/Options/Touring/Camera Speed setting. Start the tour again.
Lesson over, well done if you made it this far! A bit dull in places I know, but now you never need to manually load the cache again. If you want to save time and reduce your cache size I have some tips on the next page: Advanced caching techniques
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