As part of the re-build of londonforfree, I wanted to freshen up the google maps, particularly to replace the pink pin icons with actual images of the different locations on each map and make the maps more interactive.

This led me to discover KML (a file format and schema based on XML) – though initially developed for use with Google Earth, it is now able to be used with google maps.

And by recreating my maps using KML and various tools (see below) I now have this instead of this.

Previously, I needed to struggle with javascript and the Google Maps API to feed data from XML files.

Now it’s as simple as this:

1 – create your KML file in the format, and using the elements, described by Google

2 – upload your KML file to some server space

3 – if you use your own icons, upload them (as 32 x 32 size thumbnails) too

4 – go to Map Channels and create a free account

5 – generate your map by creating a map channel and inserting the url to your KML file

6 – Map Channels will then give you some code to paste into your web page in order to embed into it a google map based on the data in your KML file

Very easy!

And here are some tools to improve the quality of your maps:

* KML Tool: a tool for finding the KML Point co-ordinates and KML polyline co-ordinates of any given location

* Feed Validator: for validating your publicly hosted KML code

* KML Colour Converter: A downloadable tool for converting a html colour code (in format “#9E7658″) into a KML colour code (in format “7d58769e”)

Google does it again – nice and simple.