Welcome!

Before we get started, some prep

work:
1. Log into your Google Account: https://accounts.google.com/Login
2. As we go, drop your questions here: http://goo.gl/BVCCp
3. Download insect data (Ex 1) : https://sites.google.com/site/mediaftexercises
4. Make sure you have the ability to create a Fusion Table.
a. Go to drive.google.com, Create > More. You should see this:
Google Fusion Tables
National Press Foundation
Vanessa Schneider
mediatools@google.com | @vanessagene
What is Fusion Tables?
A modern data management web application that makes it
easy to host, manage, collaborate on, visualize, and publish
data and visuals online.
The Guardian maps deaths and injuries in Iraq.
Bay Citizen
tracks accidents
and fatalities
that involved
bicycles. Note
the custom info
bubble.
NewScientist maps rainfall and drought in Texas.
The Guardian
maps
homelessness in
the United
Kingdom.
Stalled construction projects in NYC - nycstalled.com
What is Fusion Tables?
Lightweight database in the cloud
Manage a lot of data easily
Organize table and geographic data
Visualize data as maps, charts, timelines
Collaborate with colleagues
No offline access
Hands-on exercises
Import and map your data
Style your map
Filter your map
Share your Fusion Tables map
Merge tables
Create a custom intensity map
Use FusionTablesLayer Wizard
Heads up
Fusion Tables (as of April 2012) has two interfaces:
This training covers the New look.
Learn more about the new look: http://goo.gl/HLi1w
Import and map your data
support.google.com/fusiontables
File types and limits
You can import a file of up to 100 MB of these file types:
comma-separated text (.csv)
other text-delimited files (.tsv, etc)
KML (.kml)
spreadsheets (.xls, .xslx, .ods and Google Spreadsheets)
There are hard limits of 1,000 columns per table and 1MB
of content per row. We support a quota of up to 250MB
per user.
Import your data
1. Go to drive.google.com
2. Click Create > More > Fusion Table
3. Click Choose File > Select file* or Google Spreadsheet
4. Click Next
5. Click Finish
Map your data
1. Click the Map tab
2. Click a placemark to view data for that row.

Fusion Tables creates a

map when it detects a
location column.
If the Map tab didn't appear or
Fusion Tables picked the wrong
location column, you will need
to manually identify your
location columns.
Map your data
To manually identify the location column:
1. Click to a Row layout.
2. Click the name of your location column and select
Change... from the menu.
3. Click the Type menu and choose Location.
4. Click OK, then [+] > Add map.

Style your map: Configure styles

1. Click Tools > Select Change map styles
2. Use menu options to change color and shape of points,
polygons and lines.
3. Click Save.

Style your map: Icon options

1. Create a column in your table
for icon names.
2. Visit this Fusion Tables map
for more options
Style your map: Info windows
1. Click Configure info window
Automatic: Select columns to include in your info window.
Custom: Write your own HTML.

Filter your map

1. Click Filter
2. Select a column
3. Check boxes or enter a number to create a filter

Collaborate on your map

To add individuals:
1. Click Share
2. Add e-mail addresses you'd like to share with
3. Set their permission as viewers, editors or owners.

Collaborate on your map

Make the map visible:
1. Click Share at upper right.
2. Next to "Private", click the Change... link
3. Select Public or Anyone with the link.*
Share a link to your table:
1. Copy the URL from your browser.

*Your map must not require sign-in to view it if you want to embed it in a website or
create a network link for Google Earth.
Creating a new tab

1. Click the [+] and select Add map
As a viewer on a table, you can create your own personal tabs that
visualize, filter, or summarize the data. These tabs have a dotted outline.
To share them, you must get the link from Tools > Publish.
http://goo.gl/LDMb0
1. Click Tools > Publish
2. Copy and paste embed code into your site
3. Remember to make the map public!

Embed your map in a website

Extra credit: Embed your map on the web
Create a custom intensity map
support.google.com/fusiontables
Find two datasets to merge
One table has geographic boundaries.
Both tables share a common column we'll use to merge.
Link to Map Table Link to Numbers Table
Merge 2 tables into 1 new table
1. In either table, click File > Merge
2. Copy/paste URL of other table in Or paste a web address
3. Specify columns with common data: "State" and
"Description"
4. Click Next > Merge
Customize your intensity map
For this example, first build a summary table:
1. + box > Add summary
2. Summarize by geometry
3. Show carbon2007 and check on Sum
Customize your intensity map
Download the summary as a .csv, create a new FT:
1. File > Download
2. Contents: Summary rows | Format: CSV
3. File > New table...
Customize your intensity map
1. Tools > Change map styles
2. Under Polygons, click Fill color > Gradient
3. Select Show a gradient > Column: carbon2007
4. Adjust number ranges & colors, according to value range
5. Click Save
Use FusionTablesLayer Wizard
Link to FusionTablesLayer Wizard: http://goo.gl/IRWmf
Combine two different maps
Link to Map
Link to Map
FusionTablesLayer Wizard: First layer
1. First table (Intensity map): Go to Tools > Publish
2. Copy link under "Send a link in email or IM"
3. Open FusionTablesLayer Wizard: http://goo.gl/IRWmf
4. Paste link in field "Embed link" > "Put layer on Map"
FusionTablesLayer Wizard: Second layer
1. Second table (Plant locations): Go to Tools > Publish
2. Copy link under "Send a link in email or IM"
3. Go to FusionTablesLayer Wizard: http://goo.gl/IRWmf
4. Select "Add layer" button
5. Paste link in field "Embed link" > "Put layer on Map"
FusionTablesLayer Wizard
Use Set Map size and zoom and Style base map to change
appearance of your map.
FusionTablesLayer Wizard
Copy from the HTML
code at the bottom to
embed the new map
on your website.
Review of Google Fusion Tables
Import and map your data
Style your map
Filter your map
Share your Fusion Tables map
Merge tables
Create a custom intensity map
Use FusionTablesLayer Wizard
ShpEscape
Tool for converting a zipped shapefile into a Fusion Table.
www.shpescape.com/
ShpEscape
Power tool for working with messy data sets
Clean up inconsistencies in your data
Transform data from one format into another
Clean up the: Grey, Gray and GRY
ProPublica: "Remedy for eye fatigue, migraines, depression,
and other symptoms of prolonged data-cleaning."
Get started: code.google.com/p/google-refine/
What else can I do?
Interactive line charts
Charts: Pies, bars