How to use Google Street View (From Worcester News)

How to use Google Street View

3:39pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

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BEFORE you read these instructions, please bear in mind that I am no Street View expert and I've taught myself how to do this.

There may be easier ways to go about things but you'll have to experiment once you get the general idea of how it all works.

I'm still learning too, so if you have any useful hints or tips, please add them in the comment box at the bottom of this article.

To look for the Worcester News building

• Click here.

• You should now see this map in your internet browser window. If it looks like a satellite view of the same area, click the 'Map' button on the main window, which you'll see in the middle of Traffic, More..., Map, Satellite, Terrain.
This should make things a little simpler to view for now.

• Type our postcode in to the long, thin white box near the top of the screen – WR2 5JX

• Click the 'Search Maps' button next to it. The map will zoom to an overhead view of Hylton Road and the surrounding area. Like this.

• Look for the little orange man symbol in the top left of the map window. Left-click him with your mouse (keep him clicked) and drag him to Hylton Road until his circular shadow is above the 'Rd' part of Elm Rd, which is over the orange Hylton Road line. All the viewable roads should be outlined in blue by this point. Like this.

• Make sure he is facing to the left then drop him by lifting your finger off the mouse button. Your screen should now change to a Street View photograph similar to this one.

• For the moment ignore the yellowish 'Hylton Road' line, but click your mouse somewhere in the sky and keep it clicked.

• Drag your mouse to the right and you'll find yourself turning around on the spot as you start to look up Hylton Road. You can also move your mouse pointer up and down to adjust the pitch of your view. You should now see something similar to this.

• Can you see the arrow on the yellow line which points up Hylton Road in the direction you're facing? Click it and you'll move up the road by one photograph. Later, when you get more experienced with Street View, you can move your mouse pointer further up the road and double-click to go straight to a specific point.

• Keep clicking this arrow until you pass the speed camera on your left, and you'll see a very attractive grey building with a 'Worcester News' sign on the side. Like this.

• Click somewhere in the sky again, keep it clicked, and drag your mouse to the left until you face the building.

• Hovering your mouse anywhere on the building itself should show a square box around your mouse pointer. Pick a window and double click your left mouse button. This will zoom in like this (it may change the angle of the photograph, so don't panic!).

• To zoom back out to your original view, and so you can see the yellow line along the road again, either roll your mouse wheel back by one click for each time you zoomed, or click the minus symbol which you'll find below the compass which has appeared in the top left of your map window. The plus symbol does the opposite, zooming in rather than out.

• Be aware that if you zoom out too far you'll end up back on the normal map. If you do this you'll need to click the plus button in the top left of the map window then go through the process described above again.

• You're now ready to start searching on your own. Type your home postcode in to the box at the top and start all over again!