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I am adding kml file to the google maps (api v3). Now the problem is that on google earth and google maps the accuracy of my kml decreases to kilometers. I am designing constituency boundaries and i need that to be accurate. Files are properly rectified, projected to WGS1984. In ArcGIS they give proper locations but when i plot their kml, it somehow is not that accurate. In addition, I am unable to go with point data in kml files. I mean they do not show the points neither go to its location.

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Can you tell how you create the kml file? – Stefan Van Der Hoorn Dec 5 '12 at 10:40
sure Stefan. Since I am using ArcGIS, process to create one (from shapefile) is as follows. open arc toolbox -> conversion tools -> To Kml -> Layer to Kml, fill in the fields as per your requirements and get an output. Done. – Ade'l Dec 5 '12 at 11:08
Which version of ArcGIS? I've never had anyone report that data has lost accuracy. We did make a change in a 10.0 sp4 or 5 to add more precision to the output, but this change wouldn't have impacted accuracy on the ground. Could you email me some of the sample data? (khibma{AT}esri.com) – KHibma Dec 5 '12 at 16:30
Sure KHimba. I am sending u a mail containing shape file and also kmz file. rest details ill mention in the mail. Adeel Arif here. – Ade'l Dec 6 '12 at 7:40
oops, my apologies for the name, Khibma. – Ade'l Dec 6 '12 at 11:13

2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

For such conversion I often use the free and opensource tool ogr2ogr

An easy to use command line. A cheatsheet with must common command from Boston GIS

It would be something like: ogr2ogr "KML" output_filename.kml input_filename.shp

Maybe this conversion is more accurate. I hope it helps.

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Thank you for your help. But I am not a developer neither I have used sql etc... Is there some method other then this... since im not very comfy with this. :( – Ade'l Dec 6 '12 at 7:36
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The Layer to KML (Conversion) tool in ArcGIS converts the data to an image, which may be distorting when displayed at large scale. You could try increasing the DPI.

You can also export the data in vector format using the Export to KML tool. You may run into performance issues if the dataset is very large, but it should give much higher intrinsic quality.

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