Google Earth - User Guide
User interface in Google Earth is created in very transparent and ergonomic way. It enables easy use of program. After a couple of minutes of program use, you will use all available options. Below there is a description of particular program functions.
|state bar|address searching and localization menu|menu Places|menu Layers|distance measurement|
Main user interface:
- Throttle, which enables move in chosen direction on virtual view of Earth. Click between arrows enables move under the angle of 45 degrees in chosen direction. You can obtain the same functionality if you press left mouse key on Earth view which is shown and then you move your mouse in chosen direction. You can also use arrows of the keyboard of your computer.
- Use a slider moving it up and down or press with left mouse key sign "+" or "-" in order to enlarge or diminish chosen view. You can also use right mouse key. Press right mouse key over present view and move the pointer down or up. You can reach the same functionality with use of keyboard by pressing "+" or "-" key in order to enlarge or diminish view. Alternatively you can also click twice with left mouse key on the view which is shown in order to enlarge given area. You can stop image enlarging if you click again with left mouse key.
- Using this slider you can also change view perspective. This function is especially useful with three-dimensional views of the features of the landscape or buildings. It enables realistic move in given area. See Grand Canyon using the option of landscape perspective (attention: option 13 has to be switched on in this case).
- This button enables turn of the view to the right. It is also available for receiving different view perspectives.
- This button enables turn of the view on the left. It is also available for receiving different view perspectives.
- Pressing this button we can reset present view of Google Earth to start settings North-South.
- This button serves to set 180-degree perspective. In other words with help of this button we reset perspective settings.
- This option enables setting of "tuck" for your view so that you can easily come back to it, whenever you want. This option can be compared with bookmark with atlas. Choose a point and save it in your settings so that you can come back to this point with one click (menu "Places"). You can find chosen place more easily – by attributing an icon for every saved view. Then you just have to click on an icon nearby saved "tuck". You can choose an icon representing given view from dropping menu.
- This option serves to print present fragment of view. Before printing you can choose if you want to print only actual print screen or more detailed area of 1000 pixels, it means printing of present print screen (with visible details) of A4 sheet width.
- This option serves to send your friends present view (map) of Google Earth. If receiver has Google Earth installed, you can send him a file in .kml format so that he can see with details the place which you want to show him (choose option "Email Location"). In the opposite situation choose the option "Email Image" in order to send him present print screen from the program.
- Choose this option if you want to see places to spend a night on present view.
- Choice of this option will cause that road with their names will be displayed. Important feature is the fact that names and shapes of most of roads will be displayed even if the view you can see is not detailed and shows only the shape of landscape features.
- This option serves to show the features of the landscape. It is particularly useful while watching overlooks like Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam etc.
- This option enables restaurants, bars, pubs etc. display on the view you look at.
- 1.Choose this option in order to see borders.
- Choosing this option you can pass between three-dimensional "models" of buildings displayed in view that you chose. I recommend trying how to use perspective option.