Anyone use Mobile Atlas Creator

[+Rifty]

It looks ideal - choice of all sorts of mapping data, google earth, microsoft maps, streetmap etc and exports your selection direct to a kmz file, all geo-referenced up.

 

HOWEVER. Although I can select my chosen area and zoom level using google earth, the download of the tiles fails every time (despite showing them on the screen). So close, yet so far !

 

This would directly replace the Garmin birds eye view offering and with multimap, effectively means OS level mapping available free to anyone oregon user as a custom map !

 

Anyone use this to do custom maps ? (Oh, and it doesn't like going through corporate firewalls either).

 

Mobile Atlas Creator website.

 

Ta !

[+Madproforg]

I've managed to get it to work from home. Writing these from memory so the button names are probably incorrect - but the names should at least give you the idea

 

1) Click the settings, one of the options is for a maximum tile size. Change this to 1024

2) highlight the area you want

3) select the zoom level you want in the check boxes near the top left

4) click the add selection button - Not sure of the wording - about halfway down, a new layer should appear in the box above the button

5) set the output type to Garmin Custom Map

6) click the Generate Album button

 

A window should then appear saying what it is doing.

 

-- corporate firewall issue -- this is probably just he java proxy settings, I have similiar issues with another java app. Manually setting the proxy via Control Panel->Java->Network lets this other app work.

 

Hope these help a bit.

[+Rifty]

A window should then appear saying what it is doing.

 

It does but constantly fails, regardless of whether there is a corporate proxy in the way. Just for google earth, other sources work, even after updating sources. So close, yet so far !

[+Cache Liberation Front]

I've managed to get it to work from home. Writing these from memory so the button names are probably incorrect - but the names should at least give you the idea

 

1) Click the settings, one of the options is for a maximum tile size. Change this to 1024

2) highlight the area you want

3) select the zoom level you want in the check boxes near the top left

4) click the add selection button - Not sure of the wording - about halfway down, a new layer should appear in the box above the button

5) set the output type to Garmin Custom Map

6) click the Generate Album button

 

A window should then appear saying what it is doing.

 

-- corporate firewall issue -- this is probably just he java proxy settings, I have similiar issues with another java app. Manually setting the proxy via Control Panel->Java->Network lets this other app work.

 

Hope these help a bit.

 

Wow.

 

I just took a look at this software, and though I don't have a "next gen" Garmin (I'm using a 60Csx), I would think Garmin OR and CO users would love this! I'm still toying with it, but that 6-step intro sure is helpful in learning the software. Thanks!

 

[edit: I end up with a kmz file after all's said and done, but I'm not sure how this file type would work on an Oregon or Colorado (again, I just have a 60CSx). Can .kmz files be used like .img files on the newer models?]

Edited April 9, 2010 by Cache Liberation Front

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

.kmz is the file type used for Garmin custom maps.

[freeday]

MAC is an excellent tool for creating rastermaps

[+Cache Liberation Front]

I recall reading somewhere on Garmin's site that such custom maps can only contain 100 images. Is that PER .kmz file, or that per SD card? It wasn't quite clear on the site. If there is indeed a 100 image limitation, I guess that would make Birdseye necessary, no?

[+Unobtainium]

The 100 limit is per unit.

 

I find this limit workable as I can have 1:25K OS maps for around 400 Km^2 at a time.

[+paulbarratt]

I've tried this program and produced a KMZ file using the instructions above but when I load it into my Oregon 300 it isn't recognised.

 

Can anyone offer any help??

Edited April 11, 2010 by paulbarratt

[+splashy]

The map should be in the custom map folder.

I learned about this program today and I'm really happy with it.

 

Manual

http://www.tritonforum.com/morel/A%20Guide...s%20Creator.pdf

Edited April 11, 2010 by splashy

[+paulbarratt]

The map should be in the custom map folder.

 

Thanks for the response but that didn't work

[+splashy]

Maybe under another map or maybe your tile is to small you don't see it, disable all maps, keep only the worldmap on. Then goto where this map should be and zoom in out.

[+splashy]

It is even better, you can load your gpx files into the map.

[+RangerR47]

This is a really nice free tool, made 2 maps and both worked great on my Colorado.

[+paulbarratt]

ok. I've got it working but the maps i've made are completely blurred and so totally unreadable.

 

I'm pretty sure I've done something wrong but I keep going over the destructions and I've done everything.

 

Has anyone else had this problem???

[+RangerR47]

sorry double post....

Edited April 13, 2010 by RangerR47

[+RangerR47]

I just did what was said on this forum...basically make sure its 1024 on the size as its default is larger, make sure your saving it as kmz and when saving it also make sure its the best zoom you can get but not go over 100 tiles...so for my maps I could only go to 17 zoom and stay under 100, worked great on a neighborhood and 1 for out in the boonies as well, quite clear or as clear as you can get down to decent zoom on the gps itself. It should pretty much look just like it does on your PC but smaller

[+Cache Liberation Front]

Can you put multiple kmzs in the ./Garmin/CustomMaps folder? If so is the 100 image limit per kmz file, or per handheld device? I'm not sure what "per unit" really means.

 

Thanks.

[+Cache Liberation Front]

Ok, I just received my Garmin 450.

 

First, yay me!

 

Second, I'm messing around with making Custom Maps, and this "100 image" limitation is slightly enigmatic. Through my testing, it doesn't mean "100 tiles." I just used MAC to create a 130 tile .kmz file at 19 zoom. It works like a charm on my 450.

 

I have multiple small kmz files on the 450, I wonder if the limit is "100 kmz files"?

 

Or perhaps the 100 tiles does not mean 100 images, but instead somehow each "tile" consists of multiple "images"? Ugh.

 

I'll keep experimenting, but if anyone's been messing with MAC a bit and has a quick answer, I'd appreciate it. I don't want to UNDER sell my new Garmin and not put the max number of aerial maps on it that I can.

[langy1987]

ok. I've got it working but the maps i've made are completely blurred and so totally unreadable.

 

I'm pretty sure I've done something wrong but I keep going over the destructions and I've done everything.

 

Has anyone else had this problem???

 

if the area you select is to large it loses quality during the JPG compression. i found the best way to create a custom map is to decide on wat zoom level u want. then enable the grid level two zoom levels higher.

 

eg is u want zoom level 14 maps use grip 12.

 

create an individual tile for each square of the grid. remember there is a maximum of 100 tiles

 

it can be tedious to do a large area but this method ensures the maps are highest possible quality

[+splashy]

Why individual? I just slide my mouse to select and have beautiful results.

[langy1987]

Why individual? I just slide my mouse to select and have beautiful results.

 

yes for smaller areas but wen ive tried to do entire districts like south ribble near preston for example ive had better results splitting it into smaller chunks. eg split southribble into 30 seperare tiles

[+hondaatvrider]

I am surprised there is not more discussion about Mobil Atlas Creator. I have been playing around with it and it is pretty cool. It is awesome that all that info is free. So far I like it. It takes some trial and error until you get the map the way you want it. At this point I dont see the need to pay for the Birdseye subscription.

[+Unobtainium]

Hondaatvrider, I think we're in the minority

[+Atschi]

May this is of interest for you: Here is a short introduction how to create Garmin Custom Maps with the Mobile Atlas Creator.

[+splashy]

Well, we know how it works by now, they only wonder why nobody seems to be using it.

It should be said, this is maybe the best gps software to make all kinds of maps with and still people want birdview,

[+Entropy512]

That tool looks promising. So far I have been using MAPC2MAPC to manually georeference arbitrary raster data (like state/city park trailmaps), and GPS Visualizer has a nice KML Network Link that lets you automatically generate a KMZ with various data for your current Google Earth view.

 

http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/kml_overlay and http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/google_earth/...twork_link.html

 

Main thing I don't like about the direct network link is that it won't autotile. One could use the KML overlay to generate a "large" overlay and then use MAPC2MAPC to autotile it.

[+Cache Liberation Front]

MAC is indeed great software, but it's also VERY limiting compared to Birdseye. Please follow the thread at: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...=247375&hl= for MAC's limitation (re: sq miles and tiles).