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Extracting MultiTracks from Google KMZs

  • November 24, 2019
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milo89
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I've recently been provided with a large number of relatively small KMZ files which contain track data recorded by field staff using GPS. This is usually a simple extraction process, however the data is now being provided as a gx:MultiTrack within the KMZ file.

(More Info - https://developers.google.com/kml/documentation/kmlreference#gxmultitrack)

When using FME, it processes the features as if they have no geometry. Currently I'm reading the data in as an xml and extracting the coordinates to build line features as a work around, but not sure it's the best way.

Has anyone dealt with MultiTracks before using FME and have any tips or tricks to extract the geometry cleanly?

 

Thanks in advance.

Best answer by nic_ran

I needed this functionality too and it's surprising that Safe haven't implemented anything. All the information that you need is actually available from the standard KML reader, although, as with Tracks, the attributes are stored in FME lists that need exposing and some repairing before you can actually make use of them.

I built a custom transformer to handle the dirty work and I've uploaded it to the Hub.

https://hub.safe.com/publishers/front-point-consulting/transformers/kmlmultitrackreader

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nic_ran
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  • nic_ranContributor
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  • October 8, 2020

I needed this functionality too and it's surprising that Safe haven't implemented anything. All the information that you need is actually available from the standard KML reader, although, as with Tracks, the attributes are stored in FME lists that need exposing and some repairing before you can actually make use of them.

I built a custom transformer to handle the dirty work and I've uploaded it to the Hub.

https://hub.safe.com/publishers/front-point-consulting/transformers/kmlmultitrackreader

jovitaatsafe
Safer
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Hi @nic_ran​,

Thanks for sharing your solution as a custom transformer to the FME Hub! I'm sorry it wasn't as smooth a process to get multitracks as you had hoped. I just wanted to let you know that we've got this tracked internally as an enhancement request (FMEENGINE-29927). It doesn't have a timeline just yet, but I've given it a bump with a link to this thread and we'll be sure to update here when it has been addressed.

milo89
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  • milo89Enthusiast
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  • September 6, 2023
nic_ran wrote:

I needed this functionality too and it's surprising that Safe haven't implemented anything. All the information that you need is actually available from the standard KML reader, although, as with Tracks, the attributes are stored in FME lists that need exposing and some repairing before you can actually make use of them.

I built a custom transformer to handle the dirty work and I've uploaded it to the Hub.

https://hub.safe.com/publishers/front-point-consulting/transformers/kmlmultitrackreader

Having to process a new load of KML multi-tracks has made me realise that after all these years, your custom transformer is still the best solution for handling multitrack records.

Thanks again!

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