Note: This page describes an obsolete version of GPSBabel that may substantially differ from the current or development version.

Google Earth (Keyhole) Markup Language (kml)

This format can...

  • read and write waypoints

  • read and write tracks

  • read and write routes

KML, the Keyhole Markup Language, is used by Keyhole and Google Earth. There are features in this file format that GPSBabel doesn't support - such as camera views - but waypoints, tracks, and routes work well.

Google Earth also uses GPSBabel internally for receiver communications and several file format imports and exports.

deficon option

Default icon name.

This option specifies the default name for waypoint icons

lines option

Export linestrings for tracks and routes.

When this option is nonzero, GPSBabel draws lines between points in tracks and routes. The default value for this option is 1, which causes lines to be drawn by default. To disable line-drawing, specify lines=0.

points option

Export placemarks for tracks and routes.

When this option is nonzero, GPSBabel draws placemarks for tracks and routes. The default value for this option is 1, which causes placemarks to be drawn. To disable drawing of placemarks, specify points=0.

line_width option

Width of lines, in pixels.

This option specifies the width of the drawn lines in pixels. The default value is six pixels.

line_color option

Line color, specified in hex AABBGGRR.

This option specifies the line color as a hexadecimal number in AABBGGRR format, where A is alpha, B is blue, G is green, and R is red.

floating option

Altitudes are absolute and not clamped to ground.

When this option is nonzero, altitudes are allowed to float above or below the ground surface. By default, this option is zero so that altitudes are clamped to the ground. Specify floating=1 to allow them to float.

This option is more useful to pilots than to hikers.