Using Google Fusion Tables to make interactive maps

1. Google Fusion Tables can work with tabular data (excel / csv files) as well as KML files. For this exercise we’ll use a KML file. If the KML file you wish to display in your map is in your Google Earth “My Places” folder, you may right-click on it and export it using “Save Place As…”.

2. Now open a web browser and navigate to www.google.com/fusiontables. You will need to log in to Google using a gmail account or a google account. Click on “Create a new table” and this dialog box will appear:

3. Click “Choose File” and select the KML file. Then click “Next>>”. Depending on the size of your file, this might take a few minutes. Once the file has loaded, you can check the few rows to make sure things look right.

4. Click “Next>>” to name the file or change some of the default settings, and click “Finish”. The next screen will display a table of all the features in your KML file.

5. If you click on “Map of Geography” the KML file will display on a google map.

6. You may check to see how attribute data are interactively displayed by clicking on any of the features.

7. You may change the map’s symbology by clicking “Tools” “Change map styles…”. You may also change the layout of the dialog boxes that appear when a user clicks on features in the “Tools” “Change info window layout…” box.

8. You may view your edits:

9. If you are satisfied with how the map looks and functions, may prepare it for publishing by making it public. Click on the blue “Share” button. Click “Change…” next to the “Private…” row, and set to “Public on the web”. Then click “Save”.

10. Now you may export the map by clicking “Tools” “Publish”. Then copy the code below “Paste HTML to embed…”.

11. This next step requires that you have administrative access to a website. If you don’t, a good option is to set up a google “sites” website. Using an html editor, paste the code you copied in the previous step into the editing frame.

12. You map will appear, embedded in the web page. It also has the interactive functionality you gave it in steps 6 and 7.