Real-Time Satellite Images: How to Access and Use Them for Your Project

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mk
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around accessing and using real-time satellite images for a school project, specifically focusing on how to automate the retrieval of these images for use in PowerPoint presentations. Participants explore various methods and tools to achieve this, including OpenOffice and Excel.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks guidance on obtaining current satellite images over Russia for a school project.
  • Another participant suggests using a specific website, terraserver.com, to access satellite images.
  • A participant expresses a desire for PowerPoint to automatically update with the latest satellite images rather than using saved files.
  • Some participants discuss the frequency of aerial photo captures, suggesting that they are typically taken infrequently, which may limit the usefulness of daily updates.
  • There is a suggestion that using OpenOffice's Impress might allow for easier modification of presentations compared to PowerPoint.
  • A participant recalls seeing a method to update Excel spreadsheets with internet feeds and wonders if a similar approach could be applied to PowerPoint.
  • Another participant clarifies that while Excel can import text, it does not support importing images directly into PowerPoint.
  • One participant proposes a method involving programming to automate the process of downloading the latest image and updating the presentation file.
  • There is a request for clarification on whether HTML code can be inserted into the presentation, indicating a lack of programming expertise among some participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the feasibility and methods of automating the retrieval of satellite images for presentations. There is no consensus on a single solution, and multiple competing approaches are discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention limitations regarding the frequency of satellite image captures and the technical challenges of automating updates in PowerPoint versus OpenOffice. The discussion reflects a range of technical knowledge among participants, with some expressing uncertainty about programming capabilities.

Mk
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Ok, so I have a project for school, and I'm thinking of getting the current satellite picture over Asia, Russia specifically. How do I do this?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
http://www.terraserver.com/
 
Thank you, but I wanted to know how to get powerpoint to automaticly get something like this off the internet.
 
What do you mean automatically? Just select the picture, save the file and insert it into your powerpoint presentation.
 
I mean, I want the powerpoint to always have the latest one, not only the one I saved three days ago.
 
I want a map like this one:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/map/RSXX0091?from=LAPmaps&name=index_large_animated&day=1
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Do you think they take aerial photos everyday? They are usually taken a year or more apart. This only makes sense. I mean you're not going to see a huge difference in landscape from one day to another.
 
O, well you should have said weather in the first place. It would probable take a lot of effort to get a self updating powerpoint presention. The other option is to use openoffice's impress. The reason I say this is because openoffice uses a zip archive with a xml file format which makes it very easy to modify the presentation. You could probable write some quick code to get rip the lastest image and then put the file inside the Pictures folder.
 
Ohh, I seem to remember seeing something on techtv, how to have feed off the internet update your excel spreadsheets, but I couldn't remember how to do it. I thought it would be kind of like on excel.
 
  • #10
Here is for excel, but powerpoint doesn't have this feature:

http://www.exceltip.com/show_tip/Excel_Information/Importing_and_Refreshing_Information_from_the_Internet_in_Microsoft_Excel_2000/193.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11
Can't I insert part of a speadsheet into powerpoint, with the importing feature applied?
 
  • #12
Excel just extracts text, not images.
 
  • #13
dduardo said:
O, well you should have said weather in the first place. It would probable take a lot of effort to get a self updating powerpoint presention. The other option is to use openoffice's impress. The reason I say this is because openoffice uses a zip archive with a xml file format which makes it very easy to modify the presentation. You could probable write some quick code to get rip the lastest image and then put the file inside the Pictures folder.

Ok, How do I do this than? I have OpenOffice. Wouldn't it be easier to just copy and paste the latest image?
 
  • #14
Can I stick the source code in?
 
  • #15
What you would want to do is have a program unzip the .sxi file, download the latest image, overwrite the old image located in the Pictures folder and then zip back to .sxi

Depending on which programming language you use downloading the latest image will differ, but the rest can be done using a basic shell script to cp the file into the folder.
 
  • #16
I ment HTML code from the website: http://m.imwx.com/looper/archive/russia_sat_720x486/2L.jpg?1101003092614
its only the animated picture. I'm not much of a programmer.

Code: 
<HTML>
<HEAD>
	<TITLE>weather.com - Map Navigator - Russia  Satellite</TITLE>
	<!-- externals version 2004.07.27 @ 11:39 AM modified by Wendy Frazier -->
<LINK REL="stylesheet" TYPE="text/css" HREF="http://j.imwx.com/web/common/header/stylesheet/style_sheet.css">
<META HTTP-EQUIV="MSThemeCompatible" Content="Yes">
<meta http-equiv="imagetoolbar" content="no">
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2">
<!-- 
isMinNS4 = (document.layers) ? 1 : 0;
isMinIE4 = (document.all) ? 1 : 0;
isMinIE5 = (document.getElementById&&document.all) ? 1 : 0;
isNS6 = (document.getElementById&&!document.all) ? 1 : 0;
var popup;
var dateNow=new Date();
var haton=0;
function initialize_ad_array(adS)
{
  adS['uk.weather.com']=new Array('uk.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['br.weather.com']=new Array('br.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['fr.weather.com']=new Array('fr.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['de.weather.com']=new Array('de.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['espanol.weather.com']=new Array('espanol.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['desktop3.weather.com']=new Array('desktop3.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['desktop.weather.com']=new Array('desktop.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['adstest.weather.com']=new Array('adstest.weather.com','http://adstest.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');
  adS['beta.weather.com']=new Array('www.weather.com','http://beta.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');
  adS['photo.weather.com']=new Array('www.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
  adS['www.w3.weather.com']=new Array('www.weather.com','[PLAIN]http://www.w3.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] 
  adS['beta.w3.weather.com']=new Array('beta.weather.com','[PLAIN]http://beta.w3.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] 
  adS['registration.weather.com']=new Array('registration.weather.com','[PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN][PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/');[/PLAIN] [/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


}
// -->
</script>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2" SRC="http://j.imwx.com/common/header/javascript/ext.js" ></SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2" SRC="http://j.imwx.com/common/header/javascript/triggerParams.js" ></SCRIPT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2" SRC="http://j.imwx.com/common/header/javascript/stdLauncher.js" ></SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2" SRC="http://j.imwx.com/common/header/javascript/divtools.js" ></SCRIPT><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2">
<!--

// 
// <% /**
var remoteAddr="172.16.24.23";
// **/ %>


var adTest=GetCookie("oas_host_cookie");

function regenerate2() {
	return;
}

function initialize_dom_severe_scroll() {
	return;
}

function onPageStart() {
    regenerate2();
    if (isMinNS4 && document.images["holdspace"]) {
	    thisX = document.images["holdspace"].x;
	    thisY = document.images["holdspace"].y;
	    thisElement = makeObjectNS4();
    }
    if (document.getElementById) initialize_dom_severe_scroll();
}

window.onload = onPageStart;

var adS=new Array();
initialize_ad_array(adS);

OAS_url ='[PLAIN]http://www.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/';[/PLAIN] 
OAS_host = window.location.hostname;

if (OAS_host.indexOf('w3')>0)
{
	OAS_host = 'www.weather.com';
	OAS_url='[PLAIN]http://www.w3.weather.com/RealMedia/ads/';[/PLAIN]    
}else if (adS[OAS_host]){
     OAS_url=adS[OAS_host][1];
     OAS_host = adS[OAS_host][0];
}else{
   OAS_host='www.weather.com'; 
}

// special ads test code
if (adTest)
{
    if ((remoteAddr.indexOf("10.") == 0)||
        (remoteAddr.indexOf("169.254.") == 0)||
        (remoteAddr.indexOf("192.168.") == 0)||
        (remoteAddr.indexOf("216.133.140.1") == 0)||
		(remoteAddr.indexOf("216.133.140.2") == 0))
       {
	 OAS_host=adTest;
       }
  }

OAS_target = "_top"; 
OAS_version = 10; 
OAS_rn = '001234567890'; 
OAS_rns = '1234567890'; 
OAS_rn = new String (Math.random()); OAS_rns = OAS_rn.substring(2,11); 
function OAS_NORMAL(pos) {
if (OAS_MJX_on){
  document.write('<A HREF="' + OAS_url + 'click_nx.ads/' + OAS_host + OAS_spoof + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + '!' + pos + '?' + OAS_query + '" TARGET=' + OAS_target + '>');
  document.write('<IMG SRC="' + OAS_url + 'adstream_nx.ads/' + OAS_host + OAS_spoof + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + '!' + pos + '?' + OAS_query + '" BORDER=0></A>');
  }
}

// this'll get overwritten later on the page render, 
// but if it doesn't, we're still OK 

function OAS_RICH(pos) {
  OAS_NORMAL(pos);
}

//This was added to "touch" the UserPreferences and RMID cookies with every 
//page view so that their expiration date changes.  If the cookie exists...
	var queryString = new Object;
	function parseParameter() {
	var temp_query = new RegExp ('^[^\\?]+\\?(.*)$');
	if ( ! temp_query.test(location) ) return false;
	var array = temp_query.exec(location);
	queryString.QUERY_STRING = array[1];
	var params = queryString.QUERY_STRING.split(/&/);
	for ( var i = 0; i < params.length; i++ ) {
		var keys = params[i].split(/=/);
		queryString[ keys[0] ] = unescape(keys[1]);
		}
	}
	function paramValue(key) {
	if ( key == null ) {
		alert("param() function has been used incorrectly.\nUSAGE: param(key)");
		return false;
	}
		return queryString[key];
	}
	parseParameter();	
	
	var vsearch = paramValue('search'); 
	var upcookie = GetCookie("UserPreferences");
	if(upcookie > 0 && vsearch != "search"){
		updateCookieExpDate("UserPreferences");
		updateCookieExpDate("RMID");
	}

var customization_pathname = (window.location.pathname.indexOf("/weather/my")>=0)?1:0;

//The below logic should only process on non-Customization pages.
if (customization_pathname == 0){	
	var myPrefsCookie = GetCookie("MyPrefs");
	if(myPrefsCookie.length > 1){
		updateCookieUnescape("MyPrefs");
	}
}	
//-->
</SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.1">
<!-- 
OAS_version = 11; 
if (!isMinIE4 && !isMinIE5 && !isNS6 && !isMinNS4) OAS_version = 10;
if (OAS_MJX_on){
if (OAS_version >= 11) document.write('<SCR' + 'IPT LANGUAGE=JavaScript1.1 SRC="' + OAS_url + 'adstream_mjx.ads/' + OAS_host + OAS_spoof + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + '?' + OAS_query + '"><\/SCRIPT>');
}
//-->
</SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!-- 
function OAS_AD(pos) { 
		(OAS_version >= 11) ? OAS_RICH(pos) : OAS_NORMAL(pos);
}
//-->
</SCRIPT>


<script language="JavaScript1.2">
addEvent(window,'load',mapInitLoad); 
var images = new Array();
var thisMap = ['/looper/archive/russia_sat_720x486/'];
var loaded = 0;
var timerRunning = false;
var animSpeed = 400;
var animCounter = 0;
var imagenames = new Array();
var currentImage = 0;
var uniquej = new Date();
var uniquei = "?"+uniquej.getTime();
var thisloc = document.location;
setTimeout('reloadpage()' ,599000);
function reloadpage() {
	stopMap();
	var op = "The images you are viewing may be outdated.<p>\nPlease use the link below to restart the animation with current images.<p>\n<a href=\"javascript:{document.location='"+thisloc+"'}\">Restart Animation</a><p>\n";
	document.open();
	document.write(op);
	document.close();	
}
function stopMap(){   
	if(timerRunning) clearInterval(timerID);
	timerRunning = false;
}
function startMap(){   
	stopMap();   
	timerRunning = true;
	timerID = setInterval('animMap()',animSpeed);
}
function imageLoaded() {
	document.images['severeMap'].myComplete = true;
}
function loadImages(thisNum){
	imagenames = new Array( '[PLAIN]http://m.imwx.com'+thisMap[thisNum]+'1L.jpg'+uniquei,'http://m.imwx.com'+thisMap[thisNum]+'2L.jpg'+uniquei,'http://m.imwx.com'+thisMap[thisNum]+'3L.jpg'+uniquei,'http://m.imwx.com'+thisMap[thisNum]+'4L.jpg'+uniquei,'http://m.imwx.com'+thisMap[thisNum]+'5L.jpg'+uniquei);[/PLAIN] 
	loaded = 0;
	document.images['severeMap'].myComplete = true;
	document.images['severeMap'].onload = imageLoaded;
	for(n=0;n<imagenames.length;n++){
		images[n]=new Image();
		images[n].src=imagenames[n];
	}
	loaded = imagenames.length;
	startMap();
}
function mapInitLoad() {
	loadImages(0);
}
function animMap() {
	if (!document.images['severeMap'].myComplete) {
		return;
	}
	if (animCounter < 6) animCounter++;
	else animCounter = 0;
	var thisCounter = 0;
	if (animCounter == 5) thisCounter = 4;
	else if (animCounter == 6) thisCounter = 0;
	else thisCounter = animCounter;
	if (thisCounter != currentImage) {
		document.images['severeMap'].myComplete = false;
		document.images['severeMap'].src = images[thisCounter].src;
		currentImage = thisCounter;
	}
}
function animRMap() {
	if (!document.images['severeMap'].myComplete) return;
	if (animCounter > 0) animCounter--;
	else animCounter = 6;
	var thisCounter = 0;
	if (animCounter == 5) thisCounter = 4;
	else if (animCounter == 6) thisCounter = 0;
	else thisCounter = animCounter;
	if (thisCounter != currentImage) {
		document.images['severeMap'].myComplete = false;
		document.images['severeMap'].src = images[thisCounter].src;
		currentImage = thisCounter;
	}
}
function nextMap() {
	if (animCounter < 4) animCounter += 1;
	else animCounter = 0;
	document.images['severeMap'].src = images[animCounter].src;
	currentImage = animCounter;
}
function prevMap() {
	if (animCounter > 4) animCounter = 4;
	if (animCounter > 0) animCounter -= 1;
	else animCounter = 4;
	document.images['severeMap'].src = images[animCounter].src;
	currentImage = animCounter;
}
function startRMap(){   
	stopMap();   
	timerRunning = true;
	timerID = setInterval('animRMap()',animSpeed);
}
</script>
</HEAD>

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" LEFTMARGIN="0" TOPMARGIN="0" MARGINHEIGHT="0" MARGINWIDTH="0" LINK="#004371" VLINK="#004371">
<TABLE WIDTH=600 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0><TR>

<TD WIDTH="100%">



<img src="http://m.imwx.com/web/legends/autoload_600x405.gif" alt="" width="600" height="405" border="0" id="severeMap" name="severeMap"></TD></TR><FORM METHOD="post" ACTION="<!-- none specified -->"><TR><TD WIDTH="100%" CLASS="largeMap2">
<input type="button" value="<<" onClick="if(loaded!=0){animSpeed=400;startRMap();}">   
<input type="button" value=" < " onClick="if(loaded!=0){stopMap();prevMap();}">   
<input type="button" value=" stop " onClick="if(loaded!=0)stopMap();">   
<input type="button" value=" > " onClick="if(loaded!=0){stopMap();nextMap();}">   
<input type="button" value=">>" onClick="if(loaded!=0){animSpeed=400;startMap();}"><p>
<noscript>Your browser is unable to use our JavaScript-based looping application.  
Please enable the JavaScript component within your browser 
to view our looping radar and satellite images.</noscript>
<A HREF="/common/help/maps/satellite.html" onClick="return parent.mapWindowOpen('/common/help/maps/satellite.html','dif','width=450,height=450,resizable,scrollbars')" class="blkVerdanaText10">How to read this map</A>
    
<a href="/multimedia/index.html?clip=365" target="_top">Severe Weather Outlook</A> <IMG SRC="[PLAIN]http://image.weather.com/web/common/icons/video_icon_s.gif"[/PLAIN]  BORDER="0" ALT="Free Content" ALIGN="MIDDLE">    

<a href="/multimedia/index.html?clip=364" target="_top">National Forecast</A> <IMG SRC="[PLAIN]http://image.weather.com/web/common/icons/video_icon_s.gif"[/PLAIN]  BORDER="0" ALT="Free Content" ALIGN="MIDDLE">
<BR>
<BR>
<SELECT NAME="mapSelect" onChange="parent.mapSwap(this.form.mapSelect.options[this.form.mapSelect.selectedIndex].value)">
<OPTION VALUE="">Select Another Map</OPTION>
					<OPTION VALUE="/maps/local/local/rs/1a/index_large.html" SELECTED>Russia  Satellite</OPTION>
					<OPTION VALUE="/maps/local/local/rs/1a/europesatellite_large.html">Europe Satellite</OPTION>
					<OPTION VALUE="/maps/local/local/rs/1a/asiasatellite_large.html">Asia Satellite</OPTION>
					<OPTION VALUE="/maps/local/local/rs/1a/eastasiasatellite_large.html">East Asia Satellite</OPTION>

					<OPTION VALUE="/maps/local/local/rs/1a/centralasiasatellite_large.html">Central Asia Satellite</OPTION>

<!-- <OPTION VALUE="special">See more maps</OPTION>  -->
</SELECT><BR>

				
</TD></TR></FORM></TABLE>
</BODY>
</HTML>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #17
I have received information that most of the HTML code written is ads and other BEEP like that.
 

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