Free E2G Mapping Tool Version 3

E2G 3.0 is a free mapping tool from MEASURE Evaluation that allows you to create color-shaded maps in Google Earth using Excel spreadsheet data for administrative divisions (e.g., provinces and districts). E2G has been enhanced in a number of ways:

More Country Boundaries Included

Coordinates are available for administrative units in 50 countries, including 33 PEPFAR countries (PEPFAR countries are marked with an asterisk): 

Convert your own administrative unit boundaries

A “Shape to Google Earth,” or “S2E,” tool is included in the installation which will enable the user to convert their own additional shapefiles into a coordinate format which will work with the tool in Excel. The tool also allows the user to create their own Metadata, in order to keep up with dates and contact information pertaining to data creation.

Automatically detect and work in multiple language settings

Version 3.0 of the E2G tool can detect the user’s system settings and display in English or French.  The tool works in Windows 7, Vista, or XP. The macro displays international number formats based on the decimal and thousands separators identified in the user’s system settings and the display format chosen in Microsoft Excel, which means it can be used seamlessly with international numeric formats. In Windows 7 and Vista, a user can change the display language between English and French by changing the regional language setting in the control panel. In Windows XP, the display language is controlled by the language setting for the Excel application.

Test worksheets provided

In order to help users practice joining their own data with the administrative boundary coordinate files, test Excel worksheets are provided for each country. If the S2E tool is used for future coordinate conversion, new test worksheets will be generated for those boundaries as well.

Create Metadata

The S2E converter module allows for the creation of metadata (data about the data, such as the date it was created and by whom) to accompany any new boundary files created for use with the E2G tool. All country boundaries which are included with the tool also come with accompanying metadata.

Smaller Output File

The Excel macro creates a compressed KMZ file. File size reduction (from KML) is significant. This is important for users with low bandwidth.

Printable Legend

Users can display a legend within the Google Earth map window and print it along with the map. The legend can also be turned off if the user does not wish to display it. All graphics needed for the legend are contained in the map file created by the user, so no Internet connection is needed if the background imagery has been cached.

Expanded Color Choices 

More color gradients are available for map shading, and users can access the full Windows system palette to change the color for an individual data class.

Reduced Label Clutter

If a map contains more than 35 label placemarks, they will not be displayed unless the user turns them on manually. This will eliminate the sometimes overwhelming clutter that can occur when a map opens in Google Earth.

Grouped Labels 

The user can access a set of label placemarks that can be turned on or off by class. This also helps reduce label clutter and allows the user to focus on a specific class within a map.

Enhanced Error Checking

• Error message provided if the selected worksheet does not contain at least two columns of data, which is the minimum required.
• Alert message provided if the selected worksheet does not contain a third column, which is required for the identification of an alternate label field.
• System language is automatically detected; user can select English or French.
• Numeric delimiters (commas, spaces, etc. used for decimals or thousands separators) are automatically recognized based on the user’s system settings.
• Program checks for available country coordinates and allows for download or creation of new ones (any additional shapefiles must be provided by the user). 

Google Earth Launched via File Type Association

The path to Google Earth is not hard-coded in the E2G macro. The macro will launch Google Earth from wherever it is installed on your computer, provided that Google Earth is set as the program your computer uses to open KMZ files.