Notes From an Intersection: Google Earth @ SAS

Overview

This paper examines the issues one encounters using SAS to create data-driven placemarks viewable in Google Earth. The introduction of bike lanes in certain areas of St. Petersburg, Florida, provides a scenario for comparing before-and-after traffic counts. The traffic count data, while providing an intersection label, does not provide latitude and longitude. Come along for a ride on the SAS train from proprietary traffic counts to Google Earth; there are sure to be many detours. Is it a rollercoaster or a kiddie ride? At the 2008 SAS Global Forum, two integrative techniques were unveiled. Kuiper and Vyverman showed how to use SAS XML Mapper to read, and in SAS 9.2, write Google Earth XML (KML).