Mapsend And Explorist

[Argyleist]

I am using an explorist 400 with mapsend topo and I can't figure out how to get the required .imi file to transfer to my unit

 

???

 

Mapsend creates .img files and then I'm stuck there.

 

any tips/advice would be appreciated

[+embra]

If you are using MapSend Topo (v3 or v4.2) then it is incompatible with your 400.

 

You need MapSend Topo3D. If you actually are using T3D and are getting img files, that is an indication one has a serial number for a Meridian or SporTrak entered rather than an Explorist serial number. But is sounds like you're in the first boat.

[Argyleist]

yup, I'm in the first boat.

 

There isn't a way to convert the files?

Edited June 7, 2006 by Argyleist

[+embra]

There isn't a way to convert the files?

If you have more fortitude than I, I think there *is* a means of conversion pointed to somewhere in this page. I decided I'd rather spend the $70 on Topo3D.

[Argyleist]

So now I'm over that bridge...how much does the size of the region (.imi) file effect the performance of the unit? and generally how big should a that file be?

[whitetailfan]

If you are using MapSend Topo (v3 or v4.2) then it is incompatible with your 400.

I was going to post a whole new subject, but this response looked close to my issue.

I just bought the Exp400 wilderness pack for Canada

It comes with Mapsend Topo Canada vers1.00

I have been following the bouncing ball for install, and there is a firmware upgrade. From what I can tell, the firmware is for Sportrac, Meridian, but no files for the explorist

Therefore - why did they include it in my package - just as a 'required CD to include with all Mapsend CD's' or did they package the wrong software bundle???

The Topo program asks you to check the minimum software version on the GPSr so I did and the version is less that the 5.1 on the CD, but perhaps that's not applicable with the explorist???

 

Very confused

[+embra]

If you are using MapSend Topo (v3 or v4.2) then it is incompatible with your 400.

I was going to post a whole new subject, but this response looked close to my issue.

I just bought the Exp400 wilderness pack for Canada

It comes with Mapsend Topo Canada vers1.00

I have been following the bouncing ball for install, and there is a firmware upgrade. From what I can tell, the firmware is for Sportrac, Meridian, but no files for the explorist

Therefore - why did they include it in my package - just as a 'required CD to include with all Mapsend CD's' or did they package the wrong software bundle???

The Topo program asks you to check the minimum software version on the GPSr so I did and the version is less that the 5.1 on the CD, but perhaps that's not applicable with the explorist???

 

Very confused

I was refering to MapSend Topo USA, sorry for the confusion. A check on the Magellan web site indicates that the current product for Explorists in Canada is the title you have, but I dont have any familiarity to know if the version number is current. I would presume if it was included in your bundle it is a current version. The lack of a firmware upgrade is most likely due to the product being published before there was any firmware upgrade available for your 400--that upgrade only became available a few months ago.

 

The older Magellan models, OTOH, have been around for years and need at least the firmware on the CD to be able to use the program properly. You should be good to go.

[+embra]

So now I'm over that bridge...how much does the size of the region (.imi) file effect the performance of the unit? and generally how big should a that file be?

Not knowing how you resolved your problem, I have to give two answers. If you are using files from the old Mapsend Topo USA, they were limited to four combined 16mb regions within a single file: 64mb total. Exceeding that by changing mapsend.ini parameters sometimes would work ok, but overly large files were prone to corruption (e.g., incorrect road names, or even outright failure to operate) and could create performance lags.

 

In MapSend Topo3D, these aspects were overcome fairly well. You create a single region for a single detailed map file, and it can be pretty freaking large...something like 229mb or something. There are no performance degradations I know of due to large files (although conducting address or POI searches on larger files are more cumbersome than in smaller files since there is more stuff to sift through). Make the file as large as you want; if MapSend says you are going too big, though, I would heed the warning.

 

Edit: I peeked in the Mapsend.ini file and saw the parameter "Conv_Memory_Size=246784," which I take to be the maximum region size in KB. I don't know of anyone editing that to allow larger files, but that's already huge. One other slight downside of larger files I didn't mention above is that they can take very long times to compile.

Edited June 14, 2006 by embra

[whitetailfan]

I was refering to MapSend Topo USA, sorry for the confusion. A check on the Magellan web site indicates that the current product for Explorists in Canada is the title you have, but I dont have any familiarity to know if the version number is current.

That's fine, I guessed it was Topo USA, but my question is if the Topo program is not current for explorist, I assumed that the Topo Canada would be equivalent to the Topo USA. I have read descriptions of Topo3D and it looks like it includes Canada.

 

I will give this one a shot, but I'm leary. The disk for TopoCan lists compatibility with Meridian and Sportrac but no reference to eXplorist. If the topo program is incompatible for USA it makes sense to me it would be incompatible for Canada.

 

I will look at the website for the info you found showing it is current for Canada. Thank you for taking that step for me.

[Argyleist]

So now I'm over that bridge...how much does the size of the region (.imi) file effect the performance of the unit? and generally how big should a that file be?

Not knowing how you resolved your problem, I have to give two answers. If you are using files from the old Mapsend Topo USA, they were limited to four combined 16mb regions within a single file: 64mb total. Exceeding that by changing mapsend.ini parameters sometimes would work ok, but overly large files were prone to corruption (e.g., incorrect road names, or even outright failure to operate) and could create performance lags.

 

In MapSend Topo3D, these aspects were overcome fairly well. You create a single region for a single detailed map file, and it can be pretty freaking large...something like 229mb or something. There are no performance degradations I know of due to large files (although conducting address or POI searches on larger files are more cumbersome than in smaller files since there is more stuff to sift through). Make the file as large as you want; if MapSend says you are going too big, though, I would heed the warning.

 

Edit: I peeked in the Mapsend.ini file and saw the parameter "Conv_Memory_Size=246784," which I take to be the maximum region size in KB. I don't know of anyone editing that to allow larger files, but that's already huge. One other slight downside of larger files I didn't mention above is that they can take very long times to compile.

 

I resolved my first problem by exchanging V4.2 for 3D, now everyhing is working great. I created a few regions with the file size being around 30,000KB and I was just wondering if I should keep them smaller than that or if I could even go much bigger, because I couldn't really find any info on how big they should be.

 

Thanks for your help!

[+embra]

That's fine, I guessed it was Topo USA, but my question is if the Topo program is not current for explorist, I assumed that the Topo Canada would be equivalent to the Topo USA. I have read descriptions of Topo3D and it looks like it includes Canada.

 

I will give this one a shot, but I'm leary. The disk for TopoCan lists compatibility with Meridian and Sportrac but no reference to eXplorist. If the topo program is incompatible for USA it makes sense to me it would be incompatible for Canada.

I think you've got the right product. Topo3D USA has only a few highways in Canada; certainly no topo data for your side of the 49th.

 

I bought MapSend DirectRoute when it first came out, oh three (?) years ago. Although the 4/5/600 didn't come out until last year, they were compatible with the program. This was somewhat surprising, as they take imi files rather than the img format of Meridians and SporTracks. But DR was able to recognize the explorist serial number as something to invoke the new format. Obviously, Magellan was thinking about Explorists and designing their needs into their software well before the Explorists were available--or even announced, if I have my timelines right.

 

At the same time, they couldn't write on the label that they were compatible with a yet-unannounced model. So think of yourself as in a crease of an unfolding product line. It also helps to bear in mind that Magellan is often less than transparent in numbering sequences, product announcements, firmware upgrade improvements, and other communications that would make sense to you or I to do differently. I just don't expect them to be entirely rational anymore.