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BaseCamp software version 3.0.1

allory

By allory
in GPS technology and devices

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allory

+allory

Posted
Posted

BaseCamp software version 3.0.1

as of March 31, 2010

Changes made from version 2.0.9 to 3.0.1:

 

Added download, display, and transfer of BirdsEye satellite imagery to supported devices.

Added download, display and transfer of Garmin Custom Maps to supported devices.

Added the ability to use BaseCamp with the pre-installed maps on a connected device or pre-programmed SD card.

Added poster printing.

Added printing of USGS Quads and other public land survey areas.

Added tools for auto-routes.

The full information set for Geocaches is now correctly transferred to the device.

Improved handling of back-up database.

Improved the drawing speed of certain European maps.

Improved the reading speed and display of Geotagged photos.

Improved stability while running on Windows 7.

Numerous refinements and problem fixes.

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4435

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larryc43230

+larryc43230

Posted
Posted

Among the updates listed for BaseCamp 3.0.1 is the following intriguing item:

 

Added the ability to use BaseCamp with the pre-installed maps on a connected device or pre-programmed SD card.

 

Does this mean what I think it means, that pre-installed maps on a GPSr (on an SD card or preloaded on the unit at purchase) can now be displayed in BaseCamp and used for route planning and such? If so, that would eliminate a major reason to favor the DVD version of maps over the pre-installed version. You could use the card on multiple GPSr's and use the maps on a PC.

 

I can't test this because I've never purchased maps on a pre-programmed SD card. Has anyone tried this yet?

 

--Larry

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Redwoods Mtn Biker

+Redwoods Mtn Biker

Posted
Posted

Does this mean what I think it means, that pre-installed maps on a GPSr (on an SD card or preloaded on the unit at purchase) can now be displayed in BaseCamp and used for route planning and such?

 

I think so, but can't tell. I'm in the middle of a big BirdsEye download. I have my Oregon 400t attached, but don't see it in the drop down map list.

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larryc43230

+larryc43230

Posted
Posted

I think so, but can't tell. I'm in the middle of a big BirdsEye download. I have my Oregon 400t attached, but don't see it in the drop down map list.

I just installed BaseCamp 3.0.1 and did some testing. I own an Oregon 550t and had it connected in mass storage mode when I launched BaseCamp.

 

When I launched the program, I received an error message that "There was a problem communicating with the Garmin device. An error occurred when transferring the following file(s): P:/Garmin/GPX/Userdata.gpx". P: is the drive letter for the SD card on the unit, and O: is the drive letter for the unit itself. When I later closed and relaunched BaseCamp, the same message appeared again. I'm not sure what that indicates yet. And yes, those are forward slashes in the path name, not the correct back slashes.

 

After I dismissed that message and the program launched (I also saw a message asking if I wanted to download Birdseye imagery), there were new entries in the Devices section in the upper left window:

 

Oregon 550t (Unit ID ....) (O:)

All Data

GMAPPROM

Removable Media (P:)

All Data

 

When I hovered the mouse over the GMAPPROM entry, I saw a tool tip that said, "Performing initial setup for map". A thin green line began to slowly grow below the GMAPPROM entry. After several minutes, GMAPPROM was replaced by "TOPO U.S. 100K".

 

I selected the new TOPO U.S. 100K entry, and the Map Properties window at bottom center had the following information:

 

TOPO U.S. 100K v2.0.1

O:\Garmin\GMAPPROM.IMG

Restrictions: No map printing

 

When I right-clicked on the new TOPO U.S. 100K entry, the only non-dimmed choice was "Show Map". When I selected "Show Map", I was presented with a "Product Restrictions" window that reminded me that "Certain limitations are placed on TOPO U.S. 100K due to licensing restrictions. These include: No map printing".

 

After all that, the basemap from my 550t showed in the main map windows. In addition, I now saw a new entry in the map dropdown list that read "TOPO U.S. 100K".

 

Just for fun, I then closed BaseCamp, disconnected the 550t, and relaunched BaseCamp. "TOPO U.S. 100K" no longer appeared in the map dropdown list. I closed BaseCamp, reconnected the 550t in mass storage mode, and relaunched BaseCamp. The program saw the 550t and immediately showed "TOPO U.S. 100K" as available in the map dropdown list, so it apparently (and thankfully) doesn't have to download the maps from the unit each time.

 

BaseCamp does indeed now allow you to work with at least the basemaps on some units. I'll be interested in finding out whether the program also works with the pre-installed maps on SD cards that Garmin sells.

 

--Larry

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snowfleurys

snowfleurys

Posted
Posted

Does BaseCamp obtain a position from the GPSr?

 

There was a question a few days ago about displaying the image on the GPSr on a laptop and also showing the current location. In looking into it, I was surprised that MapSource obviously would show the data that was in the gmapsupp.img file sent to the GPSr but could not receive the current location from the GPSr to display on the computer screen. Other programs I had available could either display the .img file or plot the GPSrs location on some other format of map, but not both.

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larryc43230

+larryc43230

Posted
Posted

Does BaseCamp obtain a position from the GPSr?

I don't see any option for obtaining positional information from a GPSr like the Dakota, Colorado, or Oregon in BaseCamp 3.0.1, and I would be a bit surprised if it could. As far as I can tell, the only way BaseCamp can communicate with one of the more "advanced" GPSr's is if the unit is in mass storage mode, and the unit (again as far as I'm aware) can't communicate position information to a PC when in that mode (it's seen simply as one or more external storage devices).

 

I have no idea how BaseCamp might communicate with older units like the 60CSx since I don't have one readily available to test with.

 

At one time, MapSource could connect with some GPS units and show the current position on a map, but that feature was discontinued. There is (or was) a free Windows program from Garmin called nRoute that could communicate with some Garmin GPS units and track your location on the PC screen. nRoute was bundled with some GPS units, but in a quick search I couldn't find a downloadable copy on the Garmin Web site.

 

--Larry

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myotis

+myotis

Posted
Posted

I am glad to see that I can now access the built in maps. I have only messed with basecamp a few times and did not see the big deal about it. I was messing with it again and while other maps rendered OK (seemed slower than in mapsource), City Navigator (2010.4) rendered extremly slow. In some cases blocks of the map would not render at all. I have 2010.3 and 2009 loaded too and they also had rendering problems.

 

Other than supporting the birds eye maps and preloaded maps, what is so great about basecamp? Why should I switch to it from MapSource?

 

One thing I would like to be able to do is view City Navigator and transparent overlay maps at the same time. You cannot in MapSource and I messed with Basecamp and did not see anyway to view more than one map at a time. Is there a way?

 

Thanks

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jmundinger

jmundinger

Posted
Posted (edited)

Does BaseCamp obtain a position from the GPSr?

 

There was a question a few days ago about displaying the image on the GPSr on a laptop and also showing the current location. In looking into it, I was surprised that MapSource obviously would show the data that was in the gmapsupp.img file sent to the GPSr but could not receive the current location from the GPSr to display on the computer screen. Other programs I had available could either display the .img file or plot the GPSrs location on some other format of map, but not both.

 

nRoute is the function that does that.

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/agree.jsp?id=575

 

ooops. I guess that program is no longer free.

Edited by jmundinger
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vds

+vds

Posted
Posted

I also get the "There was a problem communicating with the Garmin device. An error occurred when transferring the following file(s): G:/Garmin/GPX/Userdata.gpx." with my Oregon 200, Win7 Home Premium.....no clue what if anything it means. I got into notepad and created the file on the SD card (it wasn't present) but it didn't help/hurt at all.

 

FWIW, I find BaseCamp indecipherable from a user interface standpoint. If it's not the lamest interface ever created, I can't think of anything much worse. Can't figure out why I'd possibly want to use it at all other than to view the BirdsEye stuff on the PC (which admittedly 'did' look pretty nice). The images when downloaded to the Oregon were so faint they're unusable in my opinion.

 

I suppose for pre-planning a trip on the laptop it might be worth $30 but the dim display on the Oregon makes it a no-value-added thing for me in the field. I could barely see the image even inside the house in a reasonably dark room.

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Timpat

+Timpat

Posted
Posted

Can anyone who has subscribed to BirdsEye answer this? I have a CO 300 and loaded a couple Demo images just fine and liked it well enought to subscribe last night. I paid, activated it, and received an email from Garmin I'm set to go. In MyGarmin it shows I'm subscribed. When I use BaseCamp to select images it searches Garmin's server (when connected to my CO 300) and it says I'm NOT subscribed. Is it that Garmin is on vacation over the weekend?

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Suscrofa

Suscrofa

Posted
Posted (edited)

I can't believe this, on european topo maps , when I move the cursor on the curves for eg. 90m it displays 94.9m for 350, 349.9m. The error is from 0 (100m curve displays as 100m) to 0.3 m !!!

 

I bet it is true worlwide except may be the US and due to mixing up fingers, feet, furlong and god knows what !

 

Looks like these idiots have not yet understood that the only smart way is to use metric units or dimensionless data internally and eventually convert to archaic measures at the display level routine !!!!!

 

Even US CNC machine tools work that way, wich makes sense as the so called imperial system is defined based on metric standard (see NIST site)

Edited by Suscrofa
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