People,

I have been playing around with the google ISI drivers, and stumbled upon what I needed to add to get them to work. Was quite easy in the end, just had to make the manifold request appear like a request from a web page.

I added in the Google Terrain images as well, just for something to do. I have not set it up to stream from the multiple tile servers that google offers, so speed might be down a little on what it could be, but I figured I would get this out there rather than holding off until I have a little more time to fix it up properly.

Install notes and other similar info can be found http://forum.manifold.net/forum/t82208.17

Enjoy.

James.

Attachments:
ImageServerGoogle.zip
Manifold.ImageServer.Google.dll

James K.

Thanks!

Regards

Thank you!!!!

Kind Regards,

Alex

Legend!! Thanks.

wow! i love this forum!

jkelly thank you so much!!

Excellent, thanks James. Don't know how "you people" do this stuff but it's amazing.

Cool - now do Manifold need to update the toolbar to scan for avaiable image drivers like the UI does? Or am I doing something wrong?

Works fine in 32bit XP environment (thanks again James!), but "can't connect to server" message in VISTA Ultimate 64 bit (both 64 and 32 bit mode for Manifold).

Worked for me in 64bit Vista (running 64 Manifold) with Ultimate. Not sure why yours doesn't work Graeme.

I just saved to the same folder and overwrote the existing one....

Just out of interest James, does the method you used by making it appear like a request from a web page make it possibly more difficult to prevent google from stopping the dataflow into Manifold?

Thanks for the heads-up Sev. Tried the obvious following your input, restarted the machine, and the Google image servers now connect. One of those quirky VISTA security things perhaps. Cheers

I think the way Google were blocking it before was the the httpWebRequest that the Manifold google ISI driver was generating didn't have any client information included in it. This made it very easy for Google servers to refuse it. All I did was to add the same client information my browser supplied.

There are a few other bits and pieces that the browser supplies to google when getting the images, which I could probably also add into the request. As it is, Google could easily figure out that it isn't a standard web browser request, but it depends on what sort of stuff they have set up on the backend to detect this type of use....

If it does boot you out after extended use, let me know, I can have a go at adding more stuff into the request that may help.

James K.

Brilliant. In doing some testing I was "booted out" after a moderate period of use of the satellite photos.

Ok - please go easy on me too because I am a newbie and feel that I am in way over my head. That being said, I found this post (and the related one) and was able to figure some things out. I can sucessfuly link the Google Street Map Image, but repeated attempts (after rebooting, etc.) fail at linking the Google Maps Satellite Imagery. Every time I click on the refresh button I get "Can't connect to server". Can you point me in the right direction?

It's a bit of 'cat & mouse' with Google. This now works for me- use the custom url option and replace v=38&hl with v=41&x in the default url. The way to find this is to view your AOI in GE and look at the url of the tiles.

Thanks for that insight Colin; works with your options - for how long, only the cat knows!

Are you able to expand on..?

The way to find this is to view your AOI in GE and look at the url of the tiles.

I can't find anywhere in Google Earth (free version 5.0.11733.9347) where the tile URL is displayed or accessible. Opening the link in Google Maps in a browser window offers some url information, but not of the format the image servers seem to require.

Are you able to expand on..?

Look in the Temporary Internet Files folder and find the recent GE tiles and the address is shown there.

Great tip! Thanks Colin.

I'm missing something here. I see a lot of kmz files in the "Temporary Internet Files" folder (most seem to refer to the recent "oceans" functionality in GE) but the actual image tiles and their urls are elusive. All the Google satellite images downloaded via the ISI route in Manifold reside on a dedicated drive and are of the format "name.jpg". Jpg files with a Google path just don't seem to be there in the temp internet folder - I've been capriciously zooming in and out using Google Earth just to make sure something is likely to find its way to the temp int folder. Any tricks or configuation hints folks (VISTA 64, but haven't had any more success with XP 32)?

Cheers, Graeme.

Sorry Graeme, slightly misleading. Use Google maps with the satellite image backing. Sort your Temporary Internet Files by name and look for files starting with v=

Works for me in XP 32 bit, but not in Vista 32 bit

just fabulous James !

!Thank you very much indeed

James

Another great piece of work! I tested it out, and it works, but I also received in the History Pane a bunch of 403 (Forbidden) errors. And then it stops working?

Check out the Manifold Wiki with SQL and scripting examples at http://www.manipedia.eu/

Spatial Knowledge, my personal blog.

Hmm and now I cant download Google Maps tiles from their website. So definitely some blocking going on!

Check out the Manifold Wiki with SQL and scripting examples at http://www.manipedia.eu/

Spatial Knowledge, my personal blog.

To add to the chorus of thanks - cheers James for doing this.

Brian

ArcGIS Project - Jings crivens help ma boab!

Thanks James. this is great.

James - brilliant! works great! I don't doubt that after a while google will try to block people who use browsers to view public google stuff (which is what Earth is) that are not browser software owned by google. [Hey... that reminds me... gotta try this out with the Manifold Toolbar... should work]. So maybe with each success there comes a new plateau and then there's more work for the Google user community to do. But it's not too many steps before blocking alternative browsers means they block their own browser as well.

Thanks James !!!! ( zoom work in IIS web site for a predefine bounding box !!!)

perhaps this could help ( perhaps not in this case) , i find that flash have is own cache memory that is backup to adobe website . Thus using flash in background without use the gui is a way to store more data and custom data and in a way to hide data , prevent data to be delete by user since the user only think of using browser gui not flash to delete cookies or others things .

I already see html page that use hide frame where script is locate to work / request / communicate to the server. ........

Google Gears technology is like flash technology , it " outpass" ? browser limitation storage ( cookies txt file) in the client side to be able keep information in the client side . Think datastorage ll be in the client side since the aim of the technology is to be able to use browser off line ( when internet connection is not available) but nothing is say about use the same technology when connection is available ......

if there are in this forum specialists of flash or java technology , their could confirm or not what i argue here !!

with ggogle street view , google could achieve the work of teleatlas and navtek in less time, think osm is the best when only update modify event occur. and ....geocoding street is already discuss in osm project !!!

many talentuous developper leave microsoft boat ... hope the "delphi" guy ll succeed with C# to challenge java RMI sun language and MS focus on new functionnalities rather than publicity. go xp to vista don't change a lot but become a fun game clik OS software where 1) you win each time you enter your administrator password login token without error 2) every day of use you send feedback about the software that have been crash !!!! (freeze on vista but crash on xp ) 3) every week there is update ( hope developpers could follow the MS train )

opera software was the best for change user agent content !!!

Attachments:
google-cookies.jpg

many talentuous developper leave microsoft boat ... hope the "delphi" guy ll succeed with C# to challenge java RMI sun language and MS focus on new functionnalities rather than publicity. go xp to vista don't change a lot but become a fun game clik OS software where 1) you win each time you enter your administrator password login token without error 2) every day of use you send feedback about the software that have been crash !!!! (freeze on vista but crash on xp ) 3) every week there is update ( hope developpers could follow the MS train )

I used the new drivers to link to 2 images, and after that I keep gettiing the "can't connect to server" message. I tried deleting all cookies on my pc but the problem remains.

Did anynone had the same problem?

Yes, worked for 24 hrs, then same "can't connect to server". However yesterday it seemed to be working again and have just tried again - still working

Once google has determined that you are accessing the tiles in a way they don't like, they automatically block access for a certain period of time. I have not been able to figure out how to either remedy this once it has happened, or circumvent it in the first place.

I tried yesterday to see how long it would take, and it was around 300 tile requests. My address hasn't been allowed access again yet, but I assume it will be sometime today, so I will try it again with some changes in the request.

James K.

This is my first post, so be kind. I'm an old time coder new to Manifold. Been reading through the forums intensely trying to get up to speed with all the tricks of the trade.

Anyhow, I took a look at the ISI drivers a few months back and created my own for Google, Open Street Maps, CloadMade and Open Cycle Maps. Once you get the hang of it they are all very similar. I was going to release these but got worried about big brother Google after reviewing the licence conditions, so decided to stay quiet.

Looking through jkelly's code I can say you are close, but missing one parameter on the request string and a referrer. If you use Fiddler you can see the requests made by GoogleMaps which includes an "s" parameter of value "Galileo" or parts there of. Have a look at the responses in the link below for a code sample

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/scrapbook/googlemap.aspx

Personally I've decided to stick with VE maps, though these do require a license for commercial use. Thankfully my client is happy to pay this.

welcome geojunky

good to have you on board!

as a non coder I would aprechiate a view more hints such as which line has to be corrected and how. or If you as fearless and brave like James your version of the ISI driver

thank you in advance, D.

geojunky - welcome aboard!

I was going to release these but got worried about big brother Google after reviewing the licence conditions, so decided to stay quiet.

That's understandable. A company which thuggishly threatens the NASA Worldwind team is something any individual should fear. But, there are many ways to discuss legitimate technical findings and to publish code within open source projects in a way that protects your First Amendement rights without risking the costs of confrontation with a behemoth that is willing to unlawfully pressure you to deny you those rights. It's very easy to be anonymous on the web.

Google's goon squad knows that by beating up a few people they can put fear into the hearts of many and then self-censorship by those many will do their dirty work for them. The more people who "give them the finger" instead of self-censoring, the less likely that strategy is to succeed.

Anyway.... it's easy for me to advise someone else to risk their personal safety in a noble cause. :-) So, whatever you are comfortable contributing, such as your comments already and the very interesting link, thank you for those!

I have a question:

You write you are using VE Maps with Manifold requiring a commercial license.

How did you get Manifold to work with VE WITH the license?

As far as I know I cant use my license with the standard drivers in Manifold.

We have a product using VE (e.g. http://geocockpit.net/wolfschlugen/) but since we dont want to do anything illegal we are using a plugin that we programmed for ArcGIS to create kml. So if we had a way to use Manifold with the license we could use Manifold projects for that wich would be REALLY nice!

Thanks for your help!

Hi James,

You have no idea how much i appreciate the work you've done and have been using the google terrain and streets on a daily basis since May...

I just discovered last week however, that the images (links) have stopped working (I've been trying to link to them for the past few days and finally decided to reach out)...

Any suggestions you have would be very much appreciated!!

Thanks in advance,

Frank

I was trying Fiddler to find the right custom URL, but no luck yet. It might be worth exploring that.

http://www.fiddler2.com/Fiddler2/

If you run Fiddler it lists any download so you can see what GE is doing.

One can use Firebug for Firefox to obtain the same thing.

IMS related products and services: Dynamic Maps

How do you do that? I'm not familiar with Firefox. What version?

Have you found a custom URL for the google servers that works in Manifold?

It's a bit of 'cat & mouse' with Google. This now works for me- use the custom url option and replace v=38&hl with v=41&x in the default url.

I posted this a bit earlier in this thread. It has changed and now is v=46&x. To keep track, open up GE with the satellite image and then look in your temporary internet files (current date) for jpegs beginning with v= and use that in the custom URL. Funny thing is that if you have a set of images previously linked to an earlier server it will still work, just doesn't allow a new connection.

Ah, thanks Colin - too stupid to figure that out for myself.

Hi ColinD/Mdsummer,

Outstanding, that worked perfect, here are the new google custom URLs:

street

http://mt0.google.com/vt/v=w2.92&hl=en

satellite

http://khm0.google.com/kh?v=46&xhl=en

terrain

http://mt0.google.com/vt/v=w2p.107&hl=en

Thanks again for all your help!!

Frank

Thank you all!

very nice summary Frank!

I'm wondering how or even whether you can change these links in the dll file of James (above)..

or is there another way?

Dieter

Not much point in changing the dll Dieter, the server has already changed twice in the last few months and will no doubt change again. What would be good in Manifold though would be to be able to link to a unique cache folder for each project using linked server images. As it is the folder has to be reset in Tools Options to have it unique.

Perhaps one could read server urls from a ascII *.ini file the old fashioned way like bid-automates for ebay use for there often changing urls. You could simply configure them with an editor.

What about using Google Maps to view the AOI and thus get the image files in your temporary internet directory. Write a script in manifold that look for something in the filename that is within your Manifold AOI, Copy these selected images into your normal cach directory and rename them to what is suitable for Manifold use. I guess if google writes stuff on my computer then it becomes mine

It looks like google again changed URL to satellite image and http://khm0.google.com/kh?v=46&xhl=en doesn't work anymore . Can anyone post a new one? I cannot find any files in my temp folder that would let me idea what the new url is.

Regards,

Gregory

You find it in Temporary Internet Files

...=48&xhl=

I am getting Google satellite images from from these URLS.

http://khm0.google.com/kh/v=48&x=32&y=52&z=7&s=Gali

http://khm0.google.com/kh/v=48&x=6&y=8&z=4&s=Ga

It is easy to see how & where any web page is constructed using a web proxy such as the very cool and free Fiddler2 http://www.fiddler2.com/

However, keep in mind that Google takes many proactive steps to prevent, stop, stomp & destroy anyone or anything that uses any of their services in any non-approved (by Google) way. I don't use them unless I have to...

~curtis

hello there

justt got lucky with google satelite! its now 53 instead of 46..

Since the Google ISI driver came out I tried every once in a while to connect - with lots of slightly different urls - and never had success. Today I tried it on my old XP partition and was successful. Went back to my Vista 64 partition and looked at Manifold ->Properties ->Compatibility. Couldn't choose any compatible system & so clicked "Run as administrator" on the same page ->Bingo!!! Google Satellite images connect. URL is http://khm0.google.com/kh?v=53&hl=en

Hope this is helpful to others.

Dieter

>>Hope this is helpful to others.

It is! Same previous experience as yours but I can link using Run as Administrator. I regularly work from a Win 7 64-bit Standard User account. Thanks for this information.

Hey, me too!

Thanks for supplying this info.

Andrew.