Training Materials

Exercise 1: Import Your Data

STEP ONE: To import Data into Fusion Tables, first download one or more of the KML files below.

STEP TWO: Import those datasets into Fusion Tables by clicking New Table > Import.

Sign in with your Google Account
Make sure that the columns are the correct format. To check, go to Edit > Modify Columns. You are either basing your location data off of a country or a two-column designation (Latitude, Longitude).

Exercise 2: Embed your Fusion Tables in a Blog

Make sure your tables are unlisted. Choose your favorite table that we've been using for practice.
Go to Blogger.com and sign in with imazonworkshop2011@gmail.com; password: ilovemaps!
Create a New Post
Select “Edit HTML”
Go back to Fusion Tables. In Map view, select “Get Embeddable Link” and copy the embed code. If you don't see that link in Map view, your table isn't public or unlisted yet. Try changing those settings and then refresh the page.
Go back to Blogger, and paste the embed code into a new post.
Give the post a title.. Preferably with your name in it so you can find yours quickly!

Exercise 5: Custom Styling Options

STEP ONE: Download the Ecoregions_Boundaries_Attributes.csv dataset and import into Fusion Tables (you're getting good at this, now!)

STEP TWO: Select "Customize Styles" then "Fill Color" then "Gradient." Choose "Forest Area" and keep the range from 0 - 1.

Exercist 6: Customize your info windows (aka popup balloons)

Copy/Paste this code into the Info Window for your Costa Rica Butterfly Data table.
Custom HTML for Info Window
<div class="googft-info-window"
style="font-family: sans-serif; width: 330px; height: 20em; overflow-y: auto;">
<img src="{URL cp lateral}" style="width: 150px; vertical-align: top; margin-right: .5em" />
<img src="{URL adult}" style="width: 150px; vertical-align: top" />
<h2 class="color: brown">{herbivore species}</h2>
<p>Caterpillar found feeding on host plant <em>{host plant species}</em>,
{host plant family} in the {primary eco},{year}.</p>
<p>See specimen record {voucher} at <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/">
Caterpillars, pupae, butterflies and moths of the A.C.G.</a></p>
</div>
TIP: There are many more icons available now in Fusion Tables...over 200! See them all here: https://www.google.com/fusiontables/DataSource?snapid=99003

Exercise 7: Exporting your data into Google Earth

Use the file you just downloaded, Costa Rica Caterpillar Data (download)
Click "Export KML" from the Map view.
Open the KML in Google Earth and pop a few balloons.
When in Google Earth, you can load additional layers, such as the Costa Rica Protected Areas KML file (Download). Put both files in a Folder and Save Place As... now you have more data alongside your table data!
You can also create a network link to dynamically connect your Fusion Table to Google Earth. In doing so, anytime your Fusion Table dataset is updated, your KML in Google Earth will be updated as well. This is the best approach to take if, for example, you wish to embed the Earth API with a Fusion Table map within your website. In Map View, click "Get Network Link". Then, Open Google Earth. Go to Add > Network Link and paste the URL from Fusion Tables into the URL field. Name your network link, and you're done! Now, your KML will always have the most current data from your Fusion Table displayed.

More Resources

World Resources Institute, presented by Kemen Austin (slide deck)
IMAZON and ODK for Ground Validation, presented by Heron Martins (slide deck)
Amazon Conservation Team, Brazil, presented by Hebert A. Lucena Silva and Wesley Luis Pacheco (slide deck)
IDESAM & Open Data Kit, presented by Heberton Barros (slide deck)
Community-based Monitoring for Effective REDD+ implementation, Wageningen University, presented by Arun Pratihast (slide deck)
Greenpeace's Deforestation Monitoring, by Edwin Keizer and Pablo Pacheco (slide deck)
Monitoring Deforestation by SEMMA/Paragominas/Pa using the Open Data Kit with Deforestation Alert System, presented by Felipe Zagalo (slide deck)