Questions about maps from GPS File Depot

[+Cheminer Will]

I have Topo 2008 but want to try the maps from GPS File Depot.

 

I am downloading a Northwest U.S. map from them right now to try and load to my 60csx. It is a zipped file, but still 1.2 Gb. Says it will take 45 minutes over my cable broadband connection. If it is really 1.2 Gb zipped, how will it fit on my 2Gb card in the GPS'r once it is extracted?

 

The GPS File Depot site has detailed tutorials but skips over the first steps without explanation. It starts with:

# Open Garmin MapSource

# Select the map you want to load from the drop down menu in the upper left corner.

If the map you want is just .img files and didn't include a setup follow this tutorial and then continue to step 3.

 

What I am unclear on is what to do after I extract the zip file, (if it ever does finish and download correctly). Where do I put the extracted file(s) so that Mapsource will find them.

 

If someone has used the GPS File Depot maps, maybe all I need is a simple 1,2,3 step list to get from the downloaded and extracted files to the point where they can be loaded into Mapsource.

 

Thanks!

[+coggins]

GPSFileDepot's maps are made from users to the site such as you... John M. made that mapset and he's the best person to give you an answer. Most of the mapsets have installers, download the file and run the installer and it installs into MapSource. You will have to unzip the download and then see if there is an installer.exe or just the .img, .TDB, .reg and possibly .TYP files. AFAIK, that mapset is @ v1.00 and needs a bit of cleanup, someone had just been working on the FID conflict... As for size, you would just pick the segments you want like in TOPO US 2008, you don't have to select all the map segments. BTW: I believe that the latest software for the GPSMAP 60CSx will allow larger that 2GB, so it might be time for an update an a bigger card.

Edited April 13, 2009 by coggins

[snowfleurys]

That mapset does not have a self-installer. You will have to unzip the files it contains to a folder (of your choice; c:\programs\nwtopo might be a good choice). There will be a lot of .img files - these are what MapSource uses (you select which ones) to build the gmapsupp.img file which goes to the GPSr. They are in a 'compressed' format so do not get very much larger. Then use the free MapSetToolKit program to build the preview and index files for MapSource to use - see: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...-mapsettoolkit/

[+coggins]

That mapset does not have a self-installer.

This one? Then what was up with the FID conflict?

[+Cheminer Will]

That mapset does not have a self-installer.

This one? Then what was up with the FID conflict?

 

Ok - Thanks. I need to spend some time on this I can see. I was told that the maps at gpsfiledepot were better than the topo 2008 maps I have. Is that correct? And yes after downloading and reading the txt file, there is no installer. Here are the details, I'll try to figure it out:

 

Map Features:

Topographic Data

Street Data

No Installer

 

* Roads - Interstates, highways, arterial roads, residential roads, limited unpaved roads

* Railroads

* High resolution water data - lakes, rivers, streams, and washes

* Federal Land Usage - Wilderness area, national parks, and military bases/ranges, native american reservations

* Borders - County and state boundary lines

* Elevation contours - 20ft intervals

* GNIS Points of Interest - summits, mines, falls, dams, cemeteries, towers, populated places, etc.

* 4 Grid Segments to the dergee - no segment larger than 6.7mb most less then 4mb in size

 

The img file names do have meaning.

 

Position 1 and 2 The block number. Blocks 4 degree by 4 degree parts I have divided the map in to.

 

Position 3 and 4 The Latitude of the Northwest corner of the square

 

Position 5, 6 and 7 The Longitude of the Northwest corner of the square

 

Position 8 A number 1 to 4 showing what quarter of the degree the img file map is of . 1 is the Northwest, 2 is the Northeast, 3 is the Southwest, and 4 is the Southeast,

[+coggins]

That mapset does not have a self-installer.

This one? Then what was up with the FID conflict?

Hi, I just downloaded this mapset and there is indeed an installer: just click on the nwtopo_install.exe and it will end up in MapSourse

[+Cheminer Will]

I just extracted and see the same. Horray! The text file just must be not updated. There is also a PDF file? I'll try the exe file and see how it goes.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Cheminer Will

[+coggins]

Ok - Thanks. I need to spend some time on this I can see. I was told that the maps at gpsfiledepot were better than the topo 2008 maps I have. Is that correct? And yes after downloading and reading the txt file, there is no installer. Here are the details, I'll try to figure it out:

 

Map Features:

Topographic Data

Street Data

No Installer

That's what happens when you make an installer and don't update the nwusa.txt file. Some of the maps are better, it would depend on who makes them...

I just extracted and see the same. Horray! The text file just must be not updated. There is also a PDF file? I'll try the exe file and see how it goes.

The .pdf file had an ID legend of all his .img files naming convention... Edited April 13, 2009 by coggins

[+Cheminer Will]

Thanks. I guess I'll see if this one is better. I don't really understand what is behind it, but I am very impressed by the number of img files if that is any indication. It is extracting right now and there are thousands of them. Maybe 10's of thousands?

[+coggins]

Thanks. I guess I'll see if this one is better. I don't really understand what is behind it, but I am very impressed by the number of img files if that is any indication. It is extracting right now and there are thousands of them. Maybe 10's of thousands?

If you find any issues with the maps, please post them on the GPSFileDepot forums or they will never be resolved.

[+Cheminer Will]

OK - Thanks for the help. On first quick look here is what I see. The GPSFileDepot map has closer contours. Seems to be a more detailed scale or something. That is what I was looking for, so its great. The Topo 2008 maps seem to have more detailed and distinct roads on them. Maybe I can find room to have both on the 60csx and switch when I need to.

 

Thanks again!

 

Looks like the contours are at 20 feet on the GPS Depot maps and at 100 feet on 2008 Topo.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Cheminer Will

[+coggins]

OK - Thanks for the help. On first quick look here is what I see. The GPSFileDepot map has closer contours. Seems to be a more detailed scale or something. That is what I was looking for, so its great. The Topo 2008 maps seem to have more detailed and distinct roads on them. Maybe I can find room to have both on the 60csx and switch when I need to.

 

Thanks again!

 

Looks like the contours are at 20 feet on the GPS Depot maps and at 100 feet on 2008 Topo.

Yes, there should be more contours, 20' IIRC. USGS 24K TOPOs for OR are between 10' (flatlands) & 40' (mountains), so they are in the middle. Garmin's TOPO US 2008 is 100K, or about 1/4th the resolution. If the maopset was mad correctly, the road data should be the same or better as both use the TIGER data sets and NWTOPO is newer...