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Making Free Maps


Gummi

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I seem to be missing something, after uploading the maps, their not visible.

 

I downloaded a bunch of maps DLG-24k (RD & HY) from geocomm and extracted each to their own dir. Ran sdts2mp on each to create a mp file which I then opened in gpsmapedit. The lat/long looked ok for everything so I then export using cgpsmapper to the img format. Once I converted the bunch, I used sendmap to upload them to my garmin legend.

 

While uploading the unit showed a tranfer screen and after transfer rebooted, but the maps don't appear to be there. I re-ran sendmap and tried re-sync, and it looks like the maps are in the legend but they just don't show.

 

Did I miss something, forget something?? This was my first attempt at making maps from scattered info on the web.

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I seem to be missing something, after uploading the maps, their not visible.

 

I downloaded a bunch of maps DLG-24k (RD & HY) from geocomm and extracted each to their own dir. Ran sdts2mp on each to create a mp file which I then opened in gpsmapedit. The lat/long looked ok for everything so I then export using cgpsmapper to the img format. Once I converted the bunch, I used sendmap to upload them to my garmin legend.

 

While uploading the unit showed a tranfer screen and after transfer rebooted, but the maps don't appear to be there. I re-ran sendmap and tried re-sync, and it looks like the maps are in the legend but they just don't show.

 

Did I miss something, forget something?? This was my first attempt at making maps from scattered info on the web.

Depending on how you set up levels in mapedit, you might have to zoom way in to a close enough level to have the maps "turn on". The last level you set in mapedit, the one which must remain blank, determines at what level of zoom the maps become visible. If you set the GPS to max detail, "declutter off", you should be able to see a little grey "box" outlining the area you loaded into the map memory, even at a far out zoom setting. Make sure when you are zooming in that you are actually zooming into an area that is covered by the map you created, otherwise you will be zooming into the basemap, which basically has nthing to see.

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...Opps!

 

I did have to zoom in VERY close and had the map detail set to the lowest setting. Thanks!!

 

I was also wondering what the difference was between the dlg file names, I noticed there is usally 2 files for each, RD, HY, RR, etc. One set would have a lower number than the other set. An example would be 1497816.RD.SDTS.TAR.GZ and 878941.RD.SDTS.TAR.GZ. They also compile to a mp file with the same name using sdts2mp. I've been using the larger numbered file to create the maps.

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Making free maps in Garmin img format:

 

Software I used:

sdts2mp

GPSmapedit

cgpsmapper

sendmap

 

After getting the needed software, download the maps you need from 'data.geocomm.com/catalog/'. Select the state you want, countywide data, the county and then Digital Line Graphs (DLG) 24k. You also need to register (it's free) before downloading. Then download the files you want. HY=water RD=roads&trails RR=Railroad

 

You'll also need the master (00masterdd_lrg.sdts.tar.gz)so download it once (there will be a note and link at the top of each files page).

 

I unzipped sdts2mp & 00masterdd_lrg.sdts.tar.gz to their own folders, then copy the contents of the masterdd directory to the same dir as sdts2mp.exe.

 

I mainly downloaded the higher numbered RD, RR, and sometimes the HY for each (I have seen 2 of each type and found they both compile to the same name, so I've only grabbed the higher numbered file for each type, which also is just a little bigger in file size). Unzip (I use winrar) each sdts.tar.gz to it own directory. Then do a copy & paste on all the files in the sdts2mp dir to each of the sdts you just extracted and double click on sdts2mp.exe in each dir. The HY type files could take awhile, I was running multiples at once.

 

You can then load the newly created mp files in gspmapedit, you can label the streets with mapedit, but it will take up alot of time and research. Then your ready to export to Garmin IMG (you did install cgpsmapper right?).

 

Finally you can send the img files to the garmin unit with sendmap.

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...Opps!

 

I did have to zoom in VERY close and had the map detail set to the lowest setting. Thanks!!

 

I was also wondering what the difference was between the dlg file names, I noticed there is usally 2 files for each, RD, HY, RR, etc. One set would have a lower number than the other set. An example would be 1497816.RD.SDTS.TAR.GZ and 878941.RD.SDTS.TAR.GZ. They also compile to a mp file with the same name using sdts2mp. I've been using the larger numbered file to create the maps.

Personally I have never seen multiple sdts files for a given section. (eg. one for rds, one for hydro. etc.) The "non-SDTS" files do usually consist of multiple files, all of which must be loaded to get the complete set of data. You could easily load one set, look at the result, and then load the other set to see if there was any change.

 

Steve

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I compared the RD files for FL-Brevard-west-melbourne, the higher numbered file seems to have a little more detail, labeling is also a little different. One file labels all the state roads, the other is either missing the SR abbreviations or is labeled differently. Other than that, they appear identical.

 

I may check a couple others. One of the maps is missing the details of new construction for the past 3 years in one area, which also didn't start showing up on google or yahoo until just recently thou.

 

*****

ok, the higher numbered file is from 2000 the lowered number file was from 1997

 

I wonder when they'll update them?? I'd be happy with 2003 or 2004!!

Edited by Gummi
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