ZIPScribble Animated
This is a Google Earth, time animated version of the U.S .ZIP map in my post from a couple of days ago. Based on Robert Kosara’s ZipScribble maps.
The KML file contains 43,000 lines connecting every ZIP code in the country, TimeStamped in ascending numerical order.
Just a slight warning: This is a very large and detailed time animation. It runs smoothly on my 3-year old PC (the little GIF above is from a real time capture), but may not work on some computers.
ZIP Scribble Map (USA) (650kB)
Viewing the File
- Hit the play button in the Time Control, top right of the screen, or just drag the slider left or right.
Expand the time span to increase the number of ZIP Codes displayed at any time.
- Deselect folders in the left sidepanel to alter the scope of the animation.
- Change the visualization to a cumulative animation by selecting clamp beginning of time window in the time option dialog - accessed through the white clock icon to the left of the time slider.
and…
- The numbers shown under the Time Control are 5-digit ZIP codes without the leading zeros.
- States are different Colours. No significance in the choice of colour - it’s just for contrast with one another and the terrain.
- White lines indicate the sequence jumping a State boundary.
P.S. for a different take on visualizing ZIPs, check out Ben Fry’s Java, zipdecode.
Posted By James On January 20th, 2008.
Comments: 5
Comments
Comment from james
Time: January 21, 2008, 4:45 am
For all kinds of ways of looking at zip codes visit http://www.mapszipcode.com
Comment from Robert Kosara
Time: January 22, 2008, 4:55 pm
Wow, this is great! Nice work!
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Time: January 27, 2008, 8:59 pm
[…] kommer fra barnabu.co.uk’s ZIPScribble Animated, som er en Google Earth animation over 43000 postnumre i USA. Mere visualisering af postnumre fra […]
Comment from J
Time: April 24, 2008, 5:21 pm
nice effects.
what i would like to know, is how you recorded the GIF and how come it’s not choppy?
Comment from James
Time: April 25, 2008, 10:30 am
J,
- Fraps to capture a video of the file running in Google Earth.
- Jasc Animation Shop to resize, process and convert the video to GIF.
The trick is to remove identical frames from the video. Gets rid of any stuttering.
And chose a suitable framerate for the GIF. this one displays each frame for 8/100ths of second.
A doddle to do both of these in Animation shop.
I think Animation shop is now merged into Paint Shop Pro. But it should be possible to find a version online.
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