Embed Google Earth in desktop applications instead of website. Is QT a real option?

Question

I have in mind to develop a desktop application that simulates a satellite camera orbiting the earth. I would like to use Google Earth in a desktop application instead of embedding it in a website. Apparently the only option that the Google Earth API offers is for web pages

I read in a Stack Overflow post that using QT is possible to embed Google Earth in desktop applications, however most of the links in the referred websites are broken so a lot of information about the topic is missing. Furthermore all the information I found is very old.

Could anyone suggest me a method to embed Google Earth in desktop applications? I have some experience with C++, ADA and Visual Basic but no idea of QT.

Magbie

You can use the Qt's HTML API and Webkit to show the Google Maps in a webview. When loading the page, set your html/javascript to load the plugin. Of course, you'll have to have both Google Earth and the plugin installed (correctly and in the place that Qt/WebKit searches for plugins). – Herzel

Answer 1

Embedding Google Earth in a desktop application involves working with the Google Earth Plugin, a browser extension controlled by a JavaScript API. There are at least two examples (here and here) written in C#. As for C++, the easiest way would be using a framework which can open a "browser window", Qt for example. An alternative to Qt is the Chromium Embedded Framework, which is a C++ library to embed the Chromium engine in desktop applications.

Passionless