New KMZ Map Source

[mattyj]

Hi All -

I'm the creator of the mapping website caltopo.com.  I just launched a new feature that allows you to easily generate .kmz files of my map layers (topo, forest service and aerial imagery, among others), and I'm looking for help testing it.  As a disclaimer this will eventually be a paid feature, but it's free for at least the next month while I work any bugs out.  You get free KMZ maps and I get some testing, hopefully.  All I ask is 1) please contact me with any issues so that I can fix them and 2) please don't abuse my server by stockpiling hundreds of large KMZs.  I don't yet know how the load from this will impact the rest of my site, as it all runs off the same server.

Instructions are at caltopo.blogspot.com/2012/12/garmin-custom-maps.html, or you can go directly to caltopo.com/kmz.html (forum software prevents me from making them links).  You can combine multiple layers using the +0 in the top right, to get things like relief shading and contour lines on aerial imagery.

In order to make the most of Garmin's 100 image restriction, the service combines 16 standard 256 pixel web map tiles into a single 1024x1024 image.  The selection tool moves in increments of 1 image / 4 web tiles at a time, which is why it's a little jerky.

- Matt

[Boyd]

I didn't try to export anything but I had a look at your site and I like it. It loads very quickly and looks good - nice job!

[schweady]

I found it to be an incredible resource. Well done.

Only frustration I had was making sure I didn't highlight an area that was too large, resulting in lower resolution map results when downloading. Found myself wishing that I could just default to a 10x10 tile -- or maybe whatever the max would be at lower resolutions -- and then move it around the map.

[mattyj]

It doesn't default to 10x10, but you saw that there's a red dot in the center which allows you to drag the selection around once you get it to the right size?

Wondering if I need to make it more visually obvious.

[schweady]

No, the dot is fine, and very intuitive.
Perhaps additional info at left that tells the dimensions of your selection, not just the total area... like '32x36' or '8x9' in addition to the '1152 tiles over 72 images' info.

Just thinking about when downloading a series of consistently-sized map files...

[93ToyTruck]

After a while I figured the dot to drag but it would be more intuitive if it looked more like a "gripper" or if there was a visual change when you hover over the correct area to grab it.

[sroof]

I downloaded a couple of 7.5' USGS maps for my region - very nice results!  But it took me a couple of test downloads to figure out how setting the Target Zoom to different numbers affected the final map.