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How do I get maps into Basecamp?

Started by Tim Hoover, May 10, 2014, 10:15:25 PM

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Tim Hoover

I am running Windows 8. I downloaded Basecamp and it seems to run fine. I installed California topo 2011 but Basecamp does not seem to see it. The only thing that shows in the dropdown menu is Global Map. The tutorial implies that Basecamp should automatically detect the map. Am I missing something?

Thanks for any help on this.

Tim

artee

What's going on with BaseCamp and Windows 8?????

I have been working on this same issue since late January 2013.  But not very often.

I have Windows 8 (NOT 8.1)  I installed Training Center, then BaseCamp in February 2013.  Since I've worked on this sporadically, I've basically forgotten what I've done and have to 'relearn' when I revisit the issue of getting BaseCamp to run every 5 months or so.

I only have the Global Map and now today Florida Topo (from gpsfiledpot) that show as available maps.   I have unsuccessfully tried MANY TIMES in MANY LOCATIONS to install other topo maps from GPSFileDepot using their built in installers.  I downloaded Florida Topo (123-9888-fltopo_gmap_install .exe)  from gpsfiledepot today and installed it after download.  The installer DID NOT ask or allow you to browse for a location to install the program.  When the install was complete, I closed basemap (I had accidentally left it open) restarted basemap and checked the "Global Map" button under the menu line in BaseCamp and saw Florida Topo was now included as an available map.  It also shows if you select from the file menus "Maps"  and  in Map Product Manager (both Florida topo, then Global map are listed, the newest install first)

I have been trying to install from gpsfiledepot  Michigan Topo,  Alabama Topo, and Tennessee Topos.  These were downloaded in February 2013.  I have tried installing these (never more than one at a time) in multiple locations, multiple times.  BaseCamp NEVER sees them after the install and after RESTARTING BaseCamp.  The install programs ran fine EVERY TIME and looked normal, and as on my old VISTA laptop.  Yet, again, BaseCamp never sees/recognizes the new map.

Today, after the successful install of Florida Topo,  I downloaded again MICHIGAN Topo (154-3904-michigan_topo_install.exe).  I closed BaseCamp and ran the install.  As in the past BaeCamp did not see/recognize or add to the map list Michigan Topo.   This is the SAME file that I had downloaded in February 2013.  It has NOT been updated.  Same file with same file dates.  The Michigan Topo installer, again ASKED for a location for the install today.  The FLORIDA Topo  installer DID NOT ASK for a Location.  The location must have been built iinto the install program.   I can not find where the FLorida topo files were installed at (to duplicate the directory if that directory is critical for BaseCamp to 'see' a newly installed map.   NOTE  Windows 8 Control Panal PROGRAMS and FEATURES  listed both FLORIDA TOPO and MICHIGAN TOPO as installed programs.  It also lists GPSFileDepot.com as the Publisher for FLORIDA but not for MICHIGAN.  Version 1.60 is listed for Florida but no size is listed.  neither Size nor Version is listed for Michigan Topo.  Each has todays date as the Installed Date.

What's going on?   All the above named  "State"Topo maps installed into MAPSOURSE on Vista Fine!

Note,  Garmin says •Microsoft .NET framework 4.5.1 is REQUIRED for BaseCamp.  Not finding it listed as installed on my laptop, PRIOR to the successful Florida install, I redownloaded/installed it and rebooted the laptop  I then tried installing Michigan Topo.  Again no luck.    I installed the Florida Topo  downloaded today.  SUCCESS.  I installed the Michigan Topo Again.  No Luck as described above.   According to Garmin, if you didn't have .NET Framwork installed, BaseCamp was suppose to install it so BaseCamp SHOULD have installed it in the past.  It did not show up  in Control Panal earlier today,  nor did it show up AFTER installing it today (and, as a system program I don't think it would).

What's going on with BASECAMP and Windows 8 ??

artee

One other thing to note:
The successfully installed FLORIDA TOPO  file is called 123-9888-fltopo_gmap_install.exe
   NOTE the  "   _gmap_  "   in the name

All the other state topo maps I tried installing into Basecamp are like Michigan Topo called
154-3904-michigan_topo_install.exe
  NOTE   "  _topo_  "   in the name.

Boyd

.gmap is Garmin's newer map format. It has the advantage of working on both Windows and the Mac. Garmin's older format uses the Windows registry to store important information, but the .gmap doesn't - everything is stored in regular files and folders.

But this is a technical detail about how the maps are stored on the computer and probably shouldn't make a lot of difference to an end user. If the .gmap version is working and the other one isn't however, that suggests the problem could be related to how Windows 8 uses the registry.

Under the 64 bit version of Windows 7, there was a problem with some of the maps on this site. This is because the standard gpsfiledepot installer script (not required, but used by many authors here) did not create a specific registry key that is needed. Without that key, the map was not visible to Basecamp/Mapsource.

That installer is no longer in use today, but some old maps may still use it. The solution has been to install a map that does create the correct key first, then re-install the problem maps. That usually fixes the problem. This map is known to use the correct installer, so installing it first may fix this registry issue: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/53

Another thing you can try is Javawa GMTK, which is a free utility program for Garmin maps. On startup, it will scan your maps, detect problems and try to fix them automatically. If it can't it should give some error messages that might help debug the problem.

http://www.javawa.nl/gmtk_en.html

artee

#4
I sued search to track down the "uninstall.exe" file that is always in the folder once a topo map is installed to find that the FLORIDA TOPO map installed  (without asking for an installation location as the other Topo map installers do)  this location:

C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps\Florida Topo.gmap
  ProgramData is a HIDDEN FOLDER
inside Florida Topo_gmap  in the uninstall.exe file,  3 small  files less then 1 KByte  eac and two folders 
  Florida Topo_mdr  with  FLoRIDA.MDR  2134 KB  and FLORIDA.SRT  1KB
  Product1  with many folders each with 3 files in them

It may be a registry issue as you say,  but the installed file structure and file types are Completely DIFFERENT than what the other/old style Topos install as

I tried installing MI Topo into the same folder   (ProgramData\Garmin\Maps
without success.

It would seem almost EVERY state Topo on GPSFileDepot is USELESS for Windows 8 users

artee

 SUCCESS    SUCCESS  SUCCESS SUCCESS

Downloaded and ran:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/53

This "map" installed and was seen by BaseCamp   (as a series of dot-pairs   hope that's what it suppose to be)   It's installer asked for a location.  I choose the same as the successful Florida Topo install  (C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps)   Fired up BaseCamp after installing and BaseCamp now lited  My Trails

Then ran  Michigan Topo  and had the installer place it in the same location  (C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps)
Fired up BaseCamp and Michigan Topo is now listed as an installed map

THANKYOU BOYD

maps4gps

Have you installed a mapset that uses a 32-bit installer BEFORE trying to install one of my state topo maps? 
OZ had time to redo his FL topo to a 64-bit installer which works properly in a 64-bit Windows environment.  I did this once, but mistakenly used the conflicting installer again.

See Boyd's post on the 'my trails' 32-bit installer.

artee

SUCCESS
Where you install your Map at doesn't seem to matter.  After the above success with My Trails and Michigan Topo,  I put Alabama Topo on in this location:
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Garmin\BaseCamp\Maps    into  \altopo11   

BaseCamp started   and found the newly installed Alabama Topo

Again,
  Thankyou Boyd, and Tim (for getting the post going)  (I bet I spent a hundred hours on this before breaking down and posting!)

Perhaps the GPSFileDepot instructions should be updated to make My Trails a First step map download for Windows 8 users.

artee

Maps4gps:    I didn't see your post until AFTER my 10:38:03 post.   I don't know what installer is what 32/64 bit wise.    I did list the 2 state Topos I've tried that didn't load before My Trails and do load OK after it.

Boyd

Maps4gps is suggesting the same thing that you have already done, so it's all good.

You don't need to actually use the MyTrails map in that link. Just ignore it if you don't want it - it is a transparent overlay that is only useful on the GPS itself, not on your computer. The GPS allows you to combine it with another map but Basecamp/Mapsource can't do that.

The point is that the MyTrails INSTALLER will put a resource on your system that is missing from some of the other installers.

Glad you got everything working.

Tim Hoover

I tried Boyd's solution and it worked perfectly.

Thank you Boyd, and everyone else who responded to this query.

Tim

Boyd

Great, glad that it is working now. :)