Mapsends, The Explorist, And The Mac

[+Bob&TheGang]

OK, here is the deal.

 

This is a long post, but I need help from would be Mapsends, Explorist 600 and Mac users out there.

 

I saw sound threads on here saying if you barrow a friend's Windows computer and make some regions from MapSends and save them on CD or DVD, you can transfer them over to a Mac.

 

Well, I had such a friend. He is actually very active in Geocaching and very knowledgeable with computers in general.

 

I know MapSends and getting those maps onto an Explorist is rather tricky. And I saw that Magellan even made a PDF file to discuss and talk someone through these steps.

 

Well, we tried to do that, and it just did not work.

 

Here is how is went:

 

My Friend's computer is running Windows XP. We were using MapSends v. 4.20d.

 

According to the Magellan directions, you are select and region on MapSends. OK, we did that. We chose San Diego County.

 

And then is says click "map upload button on MapSends toolbar". Well, before that button could be active, we had to cut region and then give the region a Name. We called it SanDiego1. No where in the Magellan directions did it talk about Cut Region and having to name it, once we did that, the upload button became active on the toolbar.

 

When we did that, then came up another dialog box (just like the Magellan directions says it should). We then clicked "Store On Hard Drive" and clicked the "Next" button.

 

Well, according to the Magellan directions, another dialog box should come up prompted you to put in the Explorist serial number. Well this dialog box number came up.

 

Some other dialog screen came up and we clicked next. And sure enough MapSend prepared the Map and saved it to the hard drive.

 

Well, after this point, nothing else matched up in the Magellan directions and we could do on the computer we were using.

 

According to the directions, MapSends should have saved the file with an .imi end tag. Well that just did not happen.

 

It did save it to the hard drive, but with an .rgn end tag. So where did we go wrong? How do we create .imi files?

 

Well, we still tried to upload this the .rgn file to my SD card using my friend's card reader. Well, my Explorist SD card really did not like this once it was loaded into my Explorist. The unit would not fully turn on. We got some type of "Transferring file" screen and it would just stay that way (and never fully turn on). We had to take the SD card out and reformat it to make it work again.

 

Well, we decided to burn this file and few other California regions onto a CD anyways with the .rgn end tag.

 

I then put these files from the CD onto my Mac iBook. I then took one file and changed the end tag to .imi. I then uploaded it to my Explorist 600 SD card - detailed maps folder. Well, then I restarted my Explorist, it really did not like that I did that. The screen said something about uploading the map, then just kind of froze. I had to take out the battery and then hook the Explorist to my iBook again and remove that file from the SD card. Once I did that, my Explorist 600 worked just find.

 

So where are we going wrong?

 

I know, I am not much of a computer person, but my friend is.

 

Any help you can give me with making this work, would be greatly appreciated.

[+user13371]

... MapSend v. 4.20d....

Say no more. That version of MapSend is not compatible with the Explorist.

Get Mapsend Topo 3d or MapSend DirectRoute.

 

http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/software.asp

Edited October 17, 2005 by lee_rimar

[+embra]

You'll be able to do what you're aiming for using the products that Lee pointed you towards. I just want to add that if you decide to spring for DirectRoute, there is a new version (3.0) that has been announced for release soon. I'm not sure what kind of upgrade policy Magellan has for purchases shortly before new releases, but unless you know they'll give you 3.0 for free it might be prudent to wait for it before buying.

 

Whichever package you get, the detail map files will need to be encoded with your explorist's internal serial number to work right. You will be prompted for that number when you create the files.

[jmcvo]

You'll be able to do what you're aiming for using the products that Lee pointed you towards.

Perhaps, but I haven't figured out how. I'm able to convert regions from MapSend Topo 3D USA maps and load into my eXplorist 500. Unfortunately, unless I'm missing something, maps from the Topo 3D USA (vs. older Topo USA) are missing A LOT of forest and logging roads in areas that I frequent in Oregon. The roads are shown in Topo USA, but not in Topo 3D USA.

 

If I'm missing something, please set me straight! And if anyone know whether an update is expected anytime soon, please share that info as well because I'm seriously considering returning my just-purchased 500 and Topo 3D.

 

TIA,

jmcvo

[+embra]

You're right about the "missing" logging road data in the newer T3D. I know some Meridian people who keep the old Topo maps on their SD cards in addition to the newer, more accurate T3D maps for that very reason. However, if you want to use the older Mapsend Topo you have to stay with a Meridian or a SporTrack...not compatible with the Explorist.

 

DirectRoute is due for an imminent update, but nothing on the horizon for T3D.

 

Edit to add: there *is* a hack to adapt older Mapsend maps to explorist format here. I've not tried it, and it strikes me that one would have to want those maps pretty badly to hop through the hoops. Perhaps it's easier than first glance would suggest.

Edited October 18, 2005 by embra

[robertlipe]

DirectRoute is due for an imminent update, but nothing on the horizon for T3D.

Once again, we're left reading Magellan's mind, but I'm suspecting that T3D gets a bump, too. Yes, we found out some of the dtails of DR3 from their web doc but their press release for the 210 says

The DVD includes free data management software plus the ability to purchase and install newly released versions of MapSend Topo 3D USA, MapSend Topo Canada, and MapSend DirectRoute North America.

Surely the PC side of T3D and DR are essentially the same code and since they're now shipping on the same DVD and thus have the same release schedule that the common code and the Navteq data would advance in lockstep.

 

Of course, I'm growing accustomed to these guys suprising me on such things...

[+embra]

Once again, we're left reading Magellan's mind, but I'm suspecting that T3D gets a bump, too. Yes, we found out some of the dtails of DR3 from their web doc but their press release for the 210 says

The DVD includes free data management software plus the ability to purchase and install newly released versions of MapSend Topo 3D USA, MapSend Topo Canada, and MapSend DirectRoute North America.

...and my read of the T3D is that Magellan probably view the current T3D as a "recent release" in it's own right. (I am becoming such a cynic! Bad Dobby, bad! *ouch*)

[+allory]

the readme on the dvd says: MapSend Topo 3D USA, ver. 1.50

 

the update directory is 1.29gb, so there must be more than just changing MapSend to work more smoothly with the eXplorist.

[+user13371]

Y...there *is* a hack to adapt older Mapsend maps to explorist format here.... Perhaps it's easier than first glance would suggest.

Y'know, I've read (or tried to read) a lot of stuff on that site, and always come away confused. I don't know if those folks are just talking way above my head or they just don't know how to write good instructions.

 

Have you ever been able to apply ANY of their instructions/advice for anything?

[robertlipe]

Conclude what you want based on any qualifications you may perceive me to have but having reviewed a number of these types of instructions, I don't "get" them, either.

 

Mikhail's clearly a smart guy that's advanced the knowledge of the Magellan handhelds, and his English is better than my (nonexistent) Russian, but I'm quite happy to whip out the credit card to solve that problem.

 

If I lived somewhere that maps weren't available, I'd probably be more aroused by all that.

[+embra]

Yeah, I pass the link along but I'll readily admit that my eyes glaze over whenever I try to digest it. I regard Mikhail and his colleagues as wizards, but I don't get the feel that their discoveries are for everyone...or more specifically, not for me. If you two feel something of the same, I feel a little less dumb about it. It just looks like it would take a lot of motivation to work through it.

[+user13371]

...I don't "get" them, either...

...If you two feel something of the same, I feel a little less dumb about it. ...

That's a relief. Thanks.

 

Now, how do we go about finding someone who has actually implmented some of those tricks and can write usable instructions in plain English? I'm not too cheap to buy the maps, but I'd really like to understand how they are put together.

[+embra]

Guess we find somebody more motivated than I am (that might be you, Lee) to bite the bullet and plunge in.

 

The Yahoo MobileMapper2 group would probably provide some assistance in getting over the rough spots (Mikhail & Co. frequent there), but I don't think they care to do a *lot* of handholding--i.e., they appear to be willing to work with someone who has a grasp of at least some of the issues, but I think they wouldn't want to try to help someone on the clueless end of the spectrum find their way to success. (I can't fault them for that, and I should also add that the foregoing is only my impression; I could be wrong)

 

I'm interested in this only as an academic exercise; I don't really need the maps either. It does seem like a good exercise to better comprehend the structure of these map files. Unfortunately, as a learning priority it is pretty far down on my list (so little time, so many things to know).

[+user13371]

...we find somebody more motivated than I am (that might be you, Lee)...

No. I have neither a PC nor a Magellan GPS at this time. Now, if someone want to help me decompile LOWRANCE maps, I'll up for that.

Edited October 22, 2005 by lee_rimar