VTrack (version 1.21)

GenerateAnimationKMLFile: Create Animation of Transmitter Residences and Movements to View in Google Earth

Description

This function creates a Keyhole Markup Language (KML) animation of horizontal movements that can be displayed in Google Earth. The animation shows when a transmitter was within the detection field of a receiver and when it moved between receivers or stations. Users can adjust the time slider to visualise individual time periods for display.

Usage

GenerateAnimationKMLFile(sInputResidenceFile, sInputNonResidenceFile, 
    sInputPointsFile, sOutputFile, sReceiverColour)

Arguments

sInputResidenceFile

the location of a residences event file (.csv) containing the residences table created using the RunResidenceExtraction function

sInputNonResidenceFile

the location of a nonresidences event file (.csv) containing the nonresidences table created using the RunResidenceExtraction function

sInputPointsFile

the location of a points file (.csv) containing the latitude and longitude of all the RECEIVERID or STATIONNAME locations within the array. Location data should be uploaded in decimal degrees in the WGS 84 datum. In many arrays, animals may not be capable of moving in a direct line between receivers (e.g. in river systems). VTrack offers users the flexablity to include other points (with their corresponding geographical locations) to link receivers along a circuitous path

sOutputFile

a string detailing the location and name of the output file to be created

sReceiverColour

colour of the receivers in the output .kml

Details

the output is a .kml that can be viewed as an animation in Google Earth

See Also

GenerateDirectDistance, GenerateCircuitousDistance, RunResidenceExtraction

Examples

# NOT RUN {
# }
# NOT RUN {
###GenerateAnimationKMLFile example

# Note, users must download Google Earth in order to visualise the kml.
# Extract residence and nonresidence events from the archived crocodile data

# Load crocodile datset into VTrack archive
data(crocs)
Vcrocs <- ReadInputData(infile=crocs,
                        iHoursToAdd=10,
                        dateformat = NULL,
                        sVemcoFormat='1.0')

# Load Wenlock points file and generate circuitous distance matrix
data(PointsCircuitous_crocs)
CircuitousDM <- GenerateCircuitousDistance(PointsCircuitous_crocs)

# Extract transmitter #139 data from crocs dataset
T139 <- ExtractData(Vcrocs,sQueryTransmitterList = c("139"))

# Extract residence and nonresidence events from the archived crocodile data
#   Events occur when >1 detections occurs at a receiver and 
#   detections are less than 43200 seconds (12hrs) apart
#   The circuitous distance matrix is used for distance calculations
T139Res<- RunResidenceExtraction(T139,  
                                 "RECEIVERID",    
                                 2,              
                                 43200,
                                 sDistanceMatrix=CircuitousDM)

# The residences event file
T139resid <- T139Res$residences
# The nonresidences event file
T139nonresid <- T139Res$nonresidences

# Set working directory (in this case a temporary directory)
setwd(tempdir())

# Write the files to the temporary directory
write.csv(T139resid,"T139_resid.csv",row.names=FALSE) 
write.csv(T139nonresid,"T139_nonresid.csv",row.names=FALSE) 
write.csv(PointsCircuitous_crocs,"PointsCircuitous_crocs.csv",row.names=FALSE) 

# Now generate the .kml animation and save to the temporary directory
GenerateAnimationKMLFile("T139_resid.csv","T139_nonresid.csv","PointsCircuitous_crocs.csv",
                   "T139.KML","ff0000ff")

# This file can be found within the tempdir() directory on your computer. 
# Double-click on the .kml file to open in Google Earth
# }