title: What Does Local file mean for KML?
body: <p>The Documentation for Google Earth says I should be able to access files on my local drive, yet i cannot find an example and when I try to use the KML on my local drive it doesn't seem to be loading.  I see a lot of answers saying it can't be done, But why does the Documentation say otherwise?</p>
  
  <p><strong>My Code</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>var href = 'http://code.google.com/'
                       + 'D:/visual studio 12/Projects/myMap/myMap/myPoints.Kml';
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><em>Example</em></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><strong>Network Links</strong></p>
    
    <p>A network link contains a  element with an  (a hypertext reference) that loads a file. The  can be a
    local file specification or an absolute URL. Despite the name, a
     does not necessarily load files from the network.   The
     in a link specifies the location of any of the following: •An
    image file used by icons in icon styles, ground overlays, and screen
    overlays  •A model file used in the  element  •A KML or KMZ
    file loaded by a Network Link </p>
    
    <p>The specified file can be either a local file or a file on a remote
    server. In their simplest form, network links are a useful way to
    split one large KML file into smaller, more manageable files on the
    same computer.</p>
    
    <p>So far, all of our examples have required that the KML code be
    delivered to Google Earth from the local machine. Network links give
    you the power to serve content from a remote location and are commonly
    used to distribute data to large numbers of users. In this way, if the
    data needs to be amended, it has to be changed only at the source
    location, and all users receive the updated data automatically.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I have done some changeing and testing and figured out the error has to be in my HTML file not in the KML file.  If I click on the HTML file I get the same results as I do running my program.</p>
  
  <p>Am I correct in thinking that you run your HTML file and it should call the KML?  Or do I just call the KML to open GE?</p>
  
  <p>This is my Sample HTML I am tring to make run.</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;!DOCTYPE html&gt;
  &lt;html&gt;
  &lt;head&gt;
      &lt;title&gt;Sample&lt;/title&gt;
      &lt;script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.google.com/jsapi"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;  
      &lt;script type="text/javascript"&gt;
          var ge;
          google.load("earth", "1.x");
  
          function init() {
              google.earth.createInstance('map3d', initCB, failureCB);
          };
  
          function initCB(instance) {
              ge = instance;
              ge.getWindow().setVisibility(true);
              var href = 'https://dl.dropbox.com/u/61240296/myPoints.Kml';
              google.earth.fetchKml(ge, href, kmlFinishedLoading);
          };
  
          function kmlFinishedLoading(obj) {
              kmlObject = obj;
              if (kmlObject) {
                  if ('getFeatures' in kmlObject) {
                      kmlObject.getFeatures().appendChild(placemark);
                  }
                  ge.getFeatures().appendChild(kmlObject);
                  if (kmlObject.getAbstractView()) {
                      ge.getView().setAbstractView(kmlObject.getAbstractView());
                  }
              }
          };
  
          function showHideKml() {
              kmlObject.setVisibility(!kmlObject.getVisibility());
          };
  
          function failureCB(errorCode){};
  
          google.setOnLoadCallback(init);
     &lt;/script&gt;
  &lt;/head&gt;
  &lt;body&gt;
      &lt;div id="map3d" style="height: 320px; width: 679px;"&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
  &lt;/body&gt;
  &lt;/html&gt;
  </code></pre>