PhotoKML

PhotoKML is a Java-based application that enables you to create KML-formatted files which show pictures on Google Earth maps. It features several options that can be easily tackled, even by users less experienced with map tools.

Java-based utility with a simple interface

As long as you have Java installed, you don't need to set up anything else. This means that you can save the downloaded files to a custom location on the hard drive and just double-click the .exe to launch the tool. It's also possible to copy it to a USB flash disk to directly run it on any PC with minimum effort. It doesn't modify Windows registry settings.As far as the GUI is concerned, PhotoKML adopts a large window with a well-structured layout, where you can select the GPS .Trk file you want to process with the help of the file browser.

Import images to generate KML files

It's possible to import images that are already geo-referenced, link a photo with a GPS track (set a negative value if the camera clock is too slow), choose the folder that contains the photographs, as well as specify a saving directory for storing the KML file.Before proceeding with the task, you can enable picture icons for the KML placemarks. The program puts together a standalone KMZ file that contains all icons and thumbnail versions of the images.

Evaluation and conclusion

It didn't put a strain on the overall performance of the system in our tests, thanks to the fact that it required a low amount of CPU and RAM to work properly. On the other hand, it hasn't received updates for a long time. Nevertheless, you can test PhotoKML for yourself if you're looking to generate KML files. It worked smoothly on the latest Windows version in our tests.