Google Maps vs. Google Earth

Does anyone know how—or what tool can be used—to upload multiple Google Maps at once?
Damn Google changed things a few years back; I used to be able to stitch together entire custom maps from my various trips quite easily.
I’ve exported most of them as KML files—I even manually merged eight maps from my US trips and ten from the rest of the world into sets of two using an editor—but now Google refuses to load the larger European map into my collection because the file size is too massive. Because of that, I couldn't even attempt to merge it with my US maps...
Is there any alternative tool out there similar to Google Maps where this is actually possible?
Honestly, it feels like idiocy—I hate it when they strip away a perfectly good feature. 👎

Rachel Richardson said:Does anyone know how—or what tool can be used—to upload multiple Google Maps at once?
Damn Google changed things a few years back; I used to be able to stitch together entire custom maps from my various trips quite easily.
I’ve exported most of them as KML files—I even manually merged eight maps from my US trips and ten from the rest of the world into sets of two using an editor—but now Google refuses to load the larger European map into my collection because the file size is too massive. Because of that, I couldn't even attempt to merge it with my US maps...
Is there any alternative tool out there similar to Google Maps where this is actually possible?
Honestly, it feels like idiocy—I hate it when they strip away a perfectly good feature. 👎

Google Earth.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Google Earth.

Thanks 🙂
Just one quick question—
The result I'm getting looks like this:
View on imgur
They aren't actually "X" marks in the original file—also, is there any way to swap out the background?

Why on earth can't you just build your own custom map in Google My Maps and actually add mileage layers to it?

Rachel Richardson said:Thanks 🙂
Just one quick question—
The result I'm getting looks like this:
View on imgur
They aren't actually "X" marks in the original file—also, is there any way to swap out the background?

Oh, you can definitely do that! You just go into Style and then select Icon. As for the background, maybe you could try using a clock, some topographical maps, or even a geographic pattern...

Bryan Rivera83 said:Why on earth can't you just build your own custom map in Google My Maps and actually add mileage layers to it?

Well, I think there's actually a limit of about 2,000 individual items per layer, if I recall correctly.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Oh, you can definitely do that! You just go into Style and then select Icon. As for the background, maybe you could try using a clock, some topographical maps, or even a geographic pattern...

Thanks🙂
I couldn't find it—there's only a map style option, which doesn't really change much for me.
I was originally using this in my browser, but I just downloaded it to my PC. It loaded everything perfectly fine there. 😁
View on imgur
How can I change the background here? Specifically, is it possible to make it look like a standard flat map without all the relief/terrain details?
Or at least switch the projection—it's looking a bit too spherical right now. 😁
Even without those tweaks, it’s great; I got exactly what I was looking for, so thank you. 🙂
But if I could dial in those small details, it would be the perfect follow-up to my previous trips—keeping the format consistent...

Rachel Richardson said:Thanks🙂
I couldn't find it—there's only a map style option, which doesn't really change much for me.
I was originally using this in my browser, but I just downloaded it to my PC. It loaded everything perfectly fine there. 😁
View on imgur
How can I change the background here? Specifically, is it possible to make it look like a standard flat map without all the relief/terrain details?
Or at least switch the projection—it's looking a bit too spherical right now. 😁
Even without those tweaks, it’s great; I got exactly what I was looking for, so thank you. 🙂
But if I could dial in those small details, it would be the perfect follow-up to my previous trips—keeping the format consistent...

Map Style - Share Style - Icon

I guess you can set the background by using a map overlay.

http://mt.mgmaps.com/kml/maps.php - there's a script here with some pre-defined overlays

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Map Style - Share Style - Icon

I guess you can set the background by using a map overlay.

http://mt.mgmaps.com/kml/maps.php - there's a script here with some pre-defined overlays

Thanks—but honestly, if you look online, there isn't any shared style to be found; just look.
View on imgur
The options are limited—it’s either clean, research-based, all-in, or custom-tailored.

I suppose it doesn't really matter—I've already switched over to the desktop version—but I am genuinely curious about where exactly my logic is failing. 😬

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Map Style - Share Style - Icon

I guess you can set the background by using a map overlay.

http://mt.mgmaps.com/kml/maps.php - there's a script here with some pre-defined overlays

Thanks. 👍

This looks great to me—but the background is slightly off, take a look; View on imgur
How can this be configured?
And is there an option to adjust the projection settings?
Something akin to a Mercator projection—a flat map?

edit: here View on imgur It’s even clearer now. 😁

Rachel Richardson said:Thanks—but honestly, if you look online, there isn't any shared style to be found; just look.
View on imgur
The options are limited—it’s either clean, research-based, all-in, or custom-tailored.

I suppose it doesn't really matter—I've already switched over to the desktop version—but I am genuinely curious about where exactly my logic is failing. 😬

Thanks. 👍

This looks great to me—but the background is slightly off, take a look; View on imgur
How can this be configured?
And is there an option to adjust the projection settings?
Something akin to a Mercator projection—a flat map?

edit: here View on imgur It’s even clearer now. 😁

I honestly haven't really had the chance to play around with the web version myself, so I'm not entirely sure how it behaves over there! However, from what I can see, you definitely have the option to tweak the style when you're using the desktop version. I suppose you just have to be a little bit careful about how you group all your data together, though, just to make sure everything stays organized exactly the way you want it!

Thanks! 👍

I think this looks absolutely wonderful, though I guess the background seems to be a little bit out of alignment, if you look closely! I was just scrolling through some old files and stumbled upon this image, and I honestly can’t help but feel a little nostalgic looking at it! It really captures a specific moment in time, doesn't it? I guess you could say it's one of those snapshots that makes you stop and think about how much things have changed since then. Maybe it's just me, but there's something so incredibly charming about the way everything looks here. I find myself wondering about the story behind the shot—who was there, what were they thinking, and I suppose, what kind of mood were they in when this was taken? It feels like such a vivid little slice of life, almost like a scene straight out of a classic American indie film. I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks about it, because I'm feeling quite inspired by it today!
I was just wondering, how exactly does one go about getting this all set up? I guess there might be a specific way to adjust the settings, though I'm not entirely sure myself!
I was just wondering, would there happen to be some kind of option available to change the projection settings?
So, I was just thinking, maybe you mean something along the lines of a Mercator projection or a standard flat map?

I guess I should probably mention that I’ve made some updates right here! I was just looking through some images online, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit nostalgic! It’s funny how certain visuals can really transport you back to a specific moment in time, isn't it? I guess I spent way too much time scrolling through this particular gallery, but there was something about the composition that just felt so incredibly striking to me. Maybe it’s just my own sense of wanderlust acting up again, but I found myself staring at these shots for quite a while, wondering about the stories behind them. It honestly feels like such a wonderful little window into a different perspective, and I just had to share that feeling with everyone here! Now you can see it even more clearly! 😁

I suppose there really shouldn't be any shifting involved, at least certainly not if we're talking about any standard measurement system. As far as I can tell, the projection ought to stay exactly as it is, keeping everything set to WGS84 (EPSG:600613) and EPSG:3857.

If I were in your shoes, I might suggest splitting all that data out into four separate KML files, and then you could just upload them one by one as individual layers into Google My Maps!

I have this feeling that you might be keeping everything bundled together within a single KML file, perhaps all tucked away in one solitary layer, which I guess could be why you're hitting that limit—even though, if you were to look at the individual components, you probably wouldn't find more than a thousand objects anywhere!

I guess you could say it’s something along those lines!

I suppose I should probably mention that traffic has been absolutely relentless lately! It feels like every single time I step out onto the road, I’m met with nothing but a sea of brake lights and endless congestion. I guess it's just one of those seasons where everything seems to move at a snail's pace, isn't it? Maybe if I had left just ten minutes earlier, I could have dodged some of these bottlenecks, but honestly, it feels like there's nowhere to go!
I suppose I should probably mention the roadwork, though it’s such a minor thing, really! It feels like there might be some construction crews out on the streets today, so you might want to watch out for those orange cones if you're heading out.
I suppose I should probably mention that I’ve been thinking quite a bit about markers lately! It’s funny how such a simple little thing can catch your attention, but I guess there is just something so satisfying about a really high-quality marker when you're working on a project.
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking a bit red right now, though I guess that’s just how the market tends to behave sometimes!
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking quite blue today! It’s one of those moods, I guess, where everything just feels a bit more vibrant and spirited than usual. Maybe it's just the weather, or perhaps I'm just feeling particularly upbeat about how the day is unfolding!
I suppose I should probably mention that everything seems to be looking quite green and vibrant lately! It really feels like nature is putting on quite a show, doesn't it? Maybe it’s just my imagination, but there’s such a wonderful, refreshing energy in all this greenery that I find myself feeling incredibly upbeat about the whole season.

I guess if you go about it this way, you’ll be able to bypass those pesky object limits per layer, which means you could potentially publish your web map anywhere on the internet!

If you ever find yourself hitting a limit, I guess you could always just add another layer, maybe?

I suppose if we’re talking about highways, I really feel like there isn't much to say, though maybe I'm just being overly optimistic! It seems like such a broad topic, doesn't it? I guess I'll just leave it at that for now, unless someone wants to dive into the specifics of American interstate travel!
I suppose I should probably mention the roadwork situation, because honestly, the traffic around town has been such a mess lately! It feels like every single street is under construction right now, doesn't it? I guess it’s just one of those seasons where you can't seem to go anywhere without hitting a detour or a orange cone. Maybe it’s just my luck, but it really does feel like they're tearing up every major artery at once!
I suppose I should probably mention the markers!
I guess I should probably get started on this, though I’m feeling a little bit uncertain about how much detail to include right away! It seems like we're looking at the red category, covering everything from the very beginning all the way up to the 2000 mark, if that makes sense. I'm quite excited to dive into this, even if I'm still figuring out the best way to organize my thoughts for everyone here!
I suppose I should probably mention that we might be looking at a range somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000.
I suppose I should probably mention that everything seems to be going quite smoothly on my end today! It’s funny how things work out sometimes, isn't it? Anyway, I was just thinking about how much I enjoy these little updates. I guess I'll just keep things moving along!
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking quite green lately! It really feels like everything is finally starting to bloom, doesn't it? Maybe it's just me, but I find it so incredibly uplifting when nature begins to show its vibrant colors again. It’s such an optimistic feeling, I guess!

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I honestly haven't really had the chance to play around with the web version myself, so I'm not entirely sure how it behaves over there! However, from what I can see, you definitely have the option to tweak the style when you're using the desktop version. I suppose you just have to be a little bit careful about how you group all your data together, though, just to make sure everything stays organized exactly the way you want it!

Thanks! 👍

I think this looks absolutely wonderful, though I guess the background seems to be a little bit out of alignment, if you look closely! I was just scrolling through some old files and stumbled upon this image, and I honestly can’t help but feel a little nostalgic looking at it! It really captures a specific moment in time, doesn't it? I guess you could say it's one of those snapshots that makes you stop and think about how much things have changed since then. Maybe it's just me, but there's something so incredibly charming about the way everything looks here. I find myself wondering about the story behind the shot—who was there, what were they thinking, and I suppose, what kind of mood were they in when this was taken? It feels like such a vivid little slice of life, almost like a scene straight out of a classic American indie film. I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks about it, because I'm feeling quite inspired by it today!
I was just wondering, how exactly does one go about getting this all set up? I guess there might be a specific way to adjust the settings, though I'm not entirely sure myself!
I was just wondering, would there happen to be some kind of option available to change the projection settings?
So, I was just thinking, maybe you mean something along the lines of a Mercator projection or a standard flat map?

I guess I should probably mention that I’ve made some updates right here! I was just looking through some images online, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit nostalgic! It’s funny how certain visuals can really transport you back to a specific moment in time, isn't it? I guess I spent way too much time scrolling through this particular gallery, but there was something about the composition that just felt so incredibly striking to me. Maybe it’s just my own sense of wanderlust acting up again, but I found myself staring at these shots for quite a while, wondering about the stories behind them. It honestly feels like such a wonderful little window into a different perspective, and I just had to share that feeling with everyone here! Now you can see it even more clearly! 😁

I suppose there really shouldn't be any shifting involved, at least certainly not if we're talking about any standard measurement system. As far as I can tell, the projection ought to stay exactly as it is, keeping everything set to WGS84 (EPSG:600613) and EPSG:3857.

If I were in your shoes, I might suggest splitting all that data out into four separate KML files, and then you could just upload them one by one as individual layers into Google My Maps!

I have this feeling that you might be keeping everything bundled together within a single KML file, perhaps all tucked away in one solitary layer, which I guess could be why you're hitting that limit—even though, if you were to look at the individual components, you probably wouldn't find more than a thousand objects anywhere!

I guess you could say it’s something along those lines!

I suppose I should probably mention that traffic has been absolutely relentless lately! It feels like every single time I step out onto the road, I’m met with nothing but a sea of brake lights and endless congestion. I guess it's just one of those seasons where everything seems to move at a snail's pace, isn't it? Maybe if I had left just ten minutes earlier, I could have dodged some of these bottlenecks, but honestly, it feels like there's nowhere to go!
I suppose I should probably mention the roadwork, though it’s such a minor thing, really! It feels like there might be some construction crews out on the streets today, so you might want to watch out for those orange cones if you're heading out.
I suppose I should probably mention that I’ve been thinking quite a bit about markers lately! It’s funny how such a simple little thing can catch your attention, but I guess there is just something so satisfying about a really high-quality marker when you're working on a project.
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking a bit red right now, though I guess that’s just how the market tends to behave sometimes!
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking quite blue today! It’s one of those moods, I guess, where everything just feels a bit more vibrant and spirited than usual. Maybe it's just the weather, or perhaps I'm just feeling particularly upbeat about how the day is unfolding!
I suppose I should probably mention that everything seems to be looking quite green and vibrant lately! It really feels like nature is putting on quite a show, doesn't it? Maybe it’s just my imagination, but there’s such a wonderful, refreshing energy in all this greenery that I find myself feeling incredibly upbeat about the whole season.

I guess if you go about it this way, you’ll be able to bypass those pesky object limits per layer, which means you could potentially publish your web map anywhere on the internet!

If you ever find yourself hitting a limit, I guess you could always just add another layer, maybe?

I suppose if we’re talking about highways, I really feel like there isn't much to say, though maybe I'm just being overly optimistic! It seems like such a broad topic, doesn't it? I guess I'll just leave it at that for now, unless someone wants to dive into the specifics of American interstate travel!
I suppose I should probably mention the roadwork situation, because honestly, the traffic around town has been such a mess lately! It feels like every single street is under construction right now, doesn't it? I guess it’s just one of those seasons where you can't seem to go anywhere without hitting a detour or a orange cone. Maybe it’s just my luck, but it really does feel like they're tearing up every major artery at once!
I suppose I should probably mention the markers!
I guess I should probably get started on this, though I’m feeling a little bit uncertain about how much detail to include right away! It seems like we're looking at the red category, covering everything from the very beginning all the way up to the 2000 mark, if that makes sense. I'm quite excited to dive into this, even if I'm still figuring out the best way to organize my thoughts for everyone here!
I suppose I should probably mention that we might be looking at a range somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000.
I suppose I should probably mention that everything seems to be going quite smoothly on my end today! It’s funny how things work out sometimes, isn't it? Anyway, I was just thinking about how much I enjoy these little updates. I guess I'll just keep things moving along!
I suppose I should probably mention that things are looking quite green lately! It really feels like everything is finally starting to bloom, doesn't it? Maybe it's just me, but I find it so incredibly uplifting when nature begins to show its vibrant colors again. It’s such an optimistic feeling, I guess!

Actually, it isn't just one layer; I have about 20 different KMLs loaded.
Take a look at the top left corner;
View on imgur
Look at the top screen to see how the coastline is shifted.
Once you zoom in far enough, you can see the exact error—check the bottom image.

Thanks for the help regardless—this part is mostly a cosmetic detail. I'll try to dig up some info on Google regarding this; if I find anything useful, I'll let you know. 😬

Rachel Richardson said:Actually, it isn't just one layer; I have about 20 different KMLs loaded.
Take a look at the top left corner;
View on imgur
Look at the top screen to see how the coastline is shifted.
Once you zoom in far enough, you can see the exact error—check the bottom image.

Thanks for the help regardless—this part is mostly a cosmetic detail. I'll try to dig up some info on Google regarding this; if I find anything useful, I'll let you know. 😬

Those images are a bit small, I think.😬

It seems to me like the details might be distorting because of the projection used. I guess the closer a detail is to the center of the screen, the less distorted it appears to be.

Thanks for all the help anyway! This little leftover part is mostly just a decorative detail. I'll try searching for something on Google regarding this, and if I manage to find anything useful, I'll definitely let you know.😬

I'm not quite sure if you've already given this a shot, but...

https://www.google.com/maps/about/mymaps/

If you haven't tried using it yet, you should definitely give it a go!👍

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Those images are a bit small, I think.😬

It seems to me like the details might be distorting because of the projection used. I guess the closer a detail is to the center of the screen, the less distorted it appears to be.

Thanks for all the help anyway! This little leftover part is mostly just a decorative detail. I'll try searching for something on Google regarding this, and if I manage to find anything useful, I'll definitely let you know.😬

I'm not quite sure if you've already given this a shot, but...

https://www.google.com/maps/about/mymaps/

If you haven't tried using it yet, you should definitely give it a go!👍

I had the same impression, though if that were the case, zooming in shouldn't really change the outcome 😁

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Those images are a bit small, I think.😬

It seems to me like the details might be distorting because of the projection used. I guess the closer a detail is to the center of the screen, the less distorted it appears to be.

Thanks for all the help anyway! This little leftover part is mostly just a decorative detail. I'll try searching for something on Google regarding this, and if I manage to find anything useful, I'll definitely let you know.😬

I'm not quite sure if you've already given this a shot, but...

https://www.google.com/maps/about/mymaps/

If you haven't tried using it yet, you should definitely give it a go!👍

My maps? Of course I have, 😬--it's a basic tool for anyone doing serious work.

Rachel Richardson said:I had the same impression, though if that were the case, zooming in shouldn't really change the outcome 😁

My maps? Of course I have, 😬--it's a basic tool for anyone doing serious work.

https://dizzib.github.io/earth/curve-calc/

Here you go, feel free to check it out!

I guess it just goes to show that the further apart those two points on the map are, the more significant the distortion becomes.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:https://dizzib.github.io/earth/curve-calc/

Here you go, feel free to check it out!

I guess it just goes to show that the further apart those two points on the map are, the more significant the distortion becomes.

Fair enough, but following that logic, both the north and south coasts would shift accordingly. On this specific map;
View on imgur
it looks like there's just a slight northward drift—maybe about 12 miles...

Rachel Richardson said:Fair enough, but following that logic, both the north and south coasts would shift accordingly. On this specific map;
View on imgur
it looks like there's just a slight northward drift—maybe about 12 miles...

So, I was wondering, what altitude are you currently set to for your content? You might want to check if there’s an option to "lock to ground"—maybe try toggling that on.

If you leave the standard Earth satellite view active, you should be able to tell if it's drifting away.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:So, I was wondering, what altitude are you currently set to for your content? You might want to check if there’s an option to "lock to ground"—maybe try toggling that on.

If you leave the standard Earth satellite view active, you should be able to tell if it's drifting away.

I'll give that a shot, thanks. 👍