I have some google map questions, can someone help?

[ARMOURERERIC]

s there a way to take a Google map arial view and "draw" on it.  I am trying to buy a farm and want to make some planning notations on it.

Thanks.

[NE2]

[1995hoo]

Do a screenshot (Shift—PrintScreen on a PC, don't know about a Mac), load some kind of drawing software like MS Paint, and draw away.

[ARMOURERERIC]

NE2 FWIW, I was stupid in not thinking of that.  I just bought a printer this week for the first time in years, and just like that  image you posted from your house, it is much less expensive to buy a new printer than replace the ink cartridge.  Thanks for the reminder.

[rickmastfan67]

Do a screenshot (Shift—PrintScreen on a PC, don't know about a Mac)

That depends on the keyboard/computer.  I know with my keyboard, all I have to do is hit the 'Print Screen' button to get it on the clipboard.

Also, if you're using Firefox, you could install this addon: Screengrab
It allows you to take a screenshot of the entire page (including stuff that is hidden and can only be accessed by the scrollbar).

[Roadrunner75]

If you're using Windows 7, the included Snipping Tool is great for this type of thing.  It lets you select the entire screen or just drag a box around the area of the screen you want to save as an image.

[sammi]

If you're using Windows 7, the included Snipping Tool is great for this type of thing.  It lets you select the entire screen or just drag a box around the area of the screen you want to save as an image.

This is actually what I do. So take a screenshot of the area you want, then just paste it into an image editor (such as Paint or Inkscape) and make your edits there. If you have a bigger area, take multiple screenshots and line them up.

[SteveG1988]

just tap print screen on windows, go into paint, and paste.

[billtm]

Step one: Return to classic google maps
Step two: Click on the maps labs link on the bottom of the left sidebar
Step three: Add on the distance measurement tool
Step four: Trace over the map with the tool to draw what you want

Hope this helps!

[Pete from Boston]

I've never used the distance measurement tool in Google Maps.  Does it automatically account for the distance distortion inherent in the map projection?

[Duke87]

I've never used the distance measurement tool in Google Maps.  Does it automatically account for the distance distortion inherent in the map projection?

Yes. Zoom way out and measure distance between two points a couple thousand miles apart. It will show a visibly curved line, indicating the shortest path across the surface of the Earth.

Using that tool doesn't change the URL, though, so you cannot permalink to a measurement you've taken.

This feature is now in the new Google Maps as well, by the way.

[vdeane]

As long as you don't need a unit other than miles or kilometers, I've found the distance measurement tool in new Maps is actually better than the one in old Maps.  You can move/remove intermediate points (you can also make the measurement a loop), and it gives you both miles and kilometers at the same time, neither of which was possible on the one in old Maps, and you don't even need to enable a lab for it!  It is harder to find though; it's on the right click menu, and the point where you click becomes the first point in the distance measurement.

What you REALLY want, though, is Google Maps Engine: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/splash?app=mp

[webfil]

What you REALLY want, though, is Google Maps Engine: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/splash?app=mp

Wow. That really took 11 "print/printscreen" answers before that one came out?

[vdeane]

To be fair, I only remembered it because someone mentioned it in another thread.

[Pete from Boston]

Re: distance, I ask because I only just paid attention enough to notice that when you scroll north, the "Web Mercator" projection causes the scale bar to change dramatically.  This is one choice of the possible necessary compromises in any map, of course.  You can pick your distortion, and in this case it's distance.

[Duke87]

As long as you don't need a unit other than miles or kilometers

It gives you feet or meters for shorter measurements. I'm not sure what units other than feet/miles or meters/kilometers you would reasonably want, but you can always do math if you absolutely must know how many cubits it is between two points.

What you REALLY want, though, is Google Maps Engine: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/splash?app=mp

Oh, so THAT'S what became of the old "my maps" feature! Had no idea it was still around!

[vdeane]

As long as you don't need a unit other than miles or kilometers

It gives you feet or meters for shorter measurements. I'm not sure what units other than feet/miles or meters/kilometers you would reasonably want, but you can always do math if you absolutely must know how many cubits it is between two points.

Yeah, just figured that out when I was doing my BQE Spur exit list last night.  Once you hit a mile, that's when it switches.  Easy enough to just extend the line further, since Google now gives you intermediate measurements.