I've added a URL to a hosted KML file (< 5MB)...

[Robert_Lerner]

I’ve added a URL to a hosted KML file (< 5MB) to my description of a LatLong column, but nothing is being displayed on my map. The file I’m linking to is the actual KML file - not the Zip file downloaded from the Census Bureau which contains several additional XML files. Should I be linking to the Zip file? Thank you.

UPDATE: I just tried linking to the Zip file, but still nothing displayed on the map. Other then setting the KML link in the column definition, is there something else that I need to do?

[RezaRaoofi]

How did you publish the KML file? Actually I tested it myself and tried sharing the downloaded KML file from Census Bureau in my Google Drive with Public Access and it did not work, but then I found a sample KML URL on the internet, and it worked in my App, so I think it should be on a website like sample URL below:

http://code.google.com/apis/kml/documentation/KML_Samples.kml

Adding: @Peter

[Robert_Lerner]

Reza, thank you SO much for your post - sorry for my slow response but for some reason I wasn’t notified of it. But in any case, your comment was tremendously helpful - I too had it show up in my app perfectly. I now have to figure out how to translate that to a specific host/service to use for my kml file. Again, your help is extremely appreciated.

[Robert_Lerner]

Reza, sorry but in my excitement I did not answer your question. I had tried in on Google drive, Dropbox and various smaller file-host services. If I can find a host per your recommendation and get it to work, I will post it here.

[Robert_Lerner]

UPDATE: This is so frustrating: I have the KML file on Google drive, set to public access to anyone with the link. The file on the drive displays perfectly on the Google maps website, as well as on a standalone KML map viewer pointing to my drive’s file. Yet nothing shows in my app using the link Google drive provided. I’m at my wits end and would really appreciate some help. Is it possibly as simple as a bug in AppSheet in not supporting Google drive in this usage?

[Robert_Lerner]

UPDATE: I have posted this issue as a possible bug. Thanks again to everyone who tried to help.

[Fabian_Weller]

If you take the Link to the kml file it would be somthing like:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=XXXXX

Then just change “https” to “http” and “open” to “uc” and it should display the kml layer in your AppSheet map.

You can use also this to generate the Export Link:

http://kolorobot.github.io/permalink/

[tcanelli]

I’ve been trying everything to get my kml file to show but the only thing I see is the standard google map.

Has anyone been able to get this work?

[gregdiana1]

Tammi, I too have had issues with this and the video etc and help so far is very poor.

What I did is a first put the kml file on my web server so that it was available as download. Once I did that the kml loaded as per the tutorial.

However, whether it will load or not depends on the kml layers involved and if too many layers then it simply will not load and appears blank. What is clear from my experience is that the structure of the kml file and the number of layers appear critical.

If I copy the kml example that WHATSAPP provides it works fine and shows the state boundaries fine.

However, if I export a kml file from say Google Earth it will not display. It appears support always skirt this issue but I feel it is the structure of the kml file that is very NB.

Other than that I have no desire to chase shadows but would guess that keeping the KML file structure very simple will work fine. What the breakpoint is I have no idea only that simple works complex not.

Appsheet needs to more clearly define this complex breakpoint as they are offering the feature.

[Paulo_Negrao]

Not sure if you’ve figured a way to solve that, but… I was going through a similar issue and solved it using this:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=<YourGoogleDriveKMLfileID>

For example, for a KML stored in GD like this:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13CWEZ3GePuigmYn7OOyrshhJFek30wVV/view?usp=sharing
You must use:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=13CWEZ3GePuigmYn7OOyrshhJFek30wVV

Good luck

[gregdiana1]

Thanks, Paulo,

Have you tried it with a more complex KML file.

Simple kml seems to work fine it is when it has several layers that problems arise, but so far no advice as to what level works has been provided. The developers appear to have just buried their heads on this one.

Cheers

Greg Diana

[Paulo_Negrao]

Hi Greg,
Actually, my KMLs are not that complex… I’ve tested with this one (image) that has 171 Placemarks and it worked (remembering that you have to set the KML file to “Anyone on the internet with this link can view”). Cheers!

[Fabian_Weller]

Paulo_Negrao:

remembering that you have to set the KML file to “Anyone on the internet with this link can view”

Yes that’s very important!

And you should use a KMZ file, not a KML. Complex things get lost in KML.

I had good luck with this format:
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=YOUR_FILE_ID&export=kml

If you change something in the KML or KMZ file, you should change also the “Optional Url for KML File” in your App. Because it seems that AppSheet caches the KML / KMZ file.
You can simply put a number behind your URL like:
https://docs.google.com/uc?id=YOUR_FILE_ID&export=kml1
to get the latest version.

[Paulo_Negrao]

Hi Fabian,
Thanks for your suggestions. By the way, I saw your contribution at:

[Fabian_Weller]

Hi @Paulo_Negrao Yes, we should have the possibility to use expressions in the “Optional URL for KML File” field. Adding @Peter

Network Link would also solve your (and my) problem.

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