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Cannot load maps into BaseCamp or MapSource

Started by turf surfer, May 12, 2014, 10:48:25 AM

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turf surfer

Hi everyone.  I'm new to this site and new to attempting to install maps on my Oregon 450.
I've been at it for hours with no luck.
I downloaded a New York State topo from GPSfiledepo.  It was an editor's choice pick.  This map download has an installer included so I installed it on my PC with no issues.  However, when I try to open up these files in BaseCamp or MapSource it says these files are not valid files and can not be opened.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for any help.

Boyd

You don't "open" maps in Mapsource or Basecamp. The installer puts the files into your system and you then choose maps using the dropdown menu in either program. Looks something like this in Mapsource



and like this in Basecamp



After running the installer, just forget about the files that were placed on your system. They are only used internally by Garmin's software. If you don't see the maps listed in the dropdown menus, then something went wrong with the installation. See these:

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-open-maps-in-garmin-basecamp/
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-open-maps-in-mapsource/

turf surfer

Thanks for the reply.  I've tried everything you indicated, but both BaseCamp and MapSource insist the files are not recognizable.  I now have to assume that perhaps the New York topo maps I downloaded are corrupt.  I've spent many hours trying to get things to work, never saw anything so convoluted as this.  I'll try a different map.  If that doesn't work I'll just simply take the Oregon 450 back for a refund.  Besides, why pay hundreds of dollars for a device that have maps on them that remind me of the simple graphics from a 1980's video game.  Sorry for the rant, but I could be out in the fresh air walking a trail instead of sitting in front of my computer for the last few days.  I've been in computers for 30 years and never experienced anything this difficult to manage.

Boyd

#3
Quote from: turf surfer on May 12, 2014, 06:03:01 PM
Thanks for the reply.  I've tried everything you indicated, but both BaseCamp and MapSource insist the files are not recognizable.

Exactly what is Mapsource "saying" when it "insists" the maps are not recognizable? Again, you don't "open" those map files. You just run the installer, then start the program and choose the map from the dropdown menu.

Then, either it works or it doesn't. It will not "say" anything to you. If there was a problem, the map just won't appear on the menu. There won't be any error message. You could try running GMTK, it's a free utility program for managing Garmin maps. When it starts, it will do an integrity check on all your maps and try to automatically fix them. You could post any problems it reports here.

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

What operating system are you using? Some maps here have an issue due to an old installer that prevents them from working on Windows 7 64 bit (possibly windows 8 also). The issue is related to the registry and it can be resolved by installing a map that creates the correct keys. If you are using one of these operating systems, quit from Mapsource/Basecamp, try installing this map, then open Mapsource again and see if fixes the problem.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/53

Aside from that, most of Garmin's devices don't include any usable maps, just a crude basemap. Garmin expects you to purchase one of their own maps and if you do, they will hold your hand until you get it working. When you come to a site like this, the process may not be as simple because the maps are free and the authors may have made some mistakes when they created them. But many thousands of people have gotten them to work, and with your 30 years of experience I'm sure you can too.

FYI - if you have a newer Garmin device, you will want to use Basecamp instead of Mapsource which is discontinued and does not fully support the newer models.

turf surfer

Thanks for your replies.
Here are some pics of what I've done: 

I downloaded the NYTOPO from this site and ran the .exe and let it install itself.
I also let it install itself as it downloaded.  BaseCamp still could not see the map.

Interestingly enough, I was able to download and install a map from another site.  Not a great map but many times better than the base map the Oregon 450 came with.


turf surfer

Here are larger images of the previous ones.
Oh, and by the way, the map I was able to install was from http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Boyd

All of your screenshots indicate that you are viewing the "Global Map". That is the very crude map which is included with Basecamp. Are there any other maps listed on the dropdown menu?

BTW, I lived in Sterling, NY for many years - not far from the area shown in those screenshots.  :)

maps4gps

If you are in a Windows 64-bit environment, have you installed a mapset which uses a 32-bit installer first?  'my trails is often suggested.

Boyd


turf surfer

I'm running Windows 8.1 32 bit.  No, there are no more drop down maps.  The only map that appears is the one I posted, just a crude base map.  Something is not right when I run the .exe from the NYTOPO 11 download.  It places the files in the folder "Program Files x86 and they are all under 3 megs and are all windows media player files along with an uninstaller.exe.  That can't be right.  I would expect some really large files like 100 or 200 megs worth.


turf surfer

Hmmm, just another interesting thing here.  I downloaded a "trails" map from this site and it showed up in the BaseCamp map drop down list. Maybe someone out there could try installing the nytopo 11 map and see if there are problems with it.

Boyd

Maps are broken into many smaller tiles. 3MB sounds like a reasonable size for those individual tiles.

Again, it does not matter where you place the files and you don't even need to care. As stated above, those files are used internally by Mapsource and Basecamp. You should never touch them as a user.

The windows media player listing is bogus. Garmin uses the .img file extension for its map files. Unfortunately that extension is not unique and is used for other things, so Windows is making some wrong assumptions about their content. However this should not affect anything aside from the listing you see. I don't think it indicates any problem.

Have you tried the two suggestions I made in my earlier post? I suggest that you read it again...

Boyd

Quote from: turf surfer on May 14, 2014, 09:23:53 PM
I downloaded a "trails" map from this site and it showed up in the BaseCamp map drop down list.

That is what I suggested in my earlier post. That map installs some resources that are missing from certain other old maps. Now that it works, QUIT basecamp and mapsource, uninstall the other maps (NY topo, whatever). Now install them again and see if they work.

turf surfer

I finally got nytopo 11 loaded into my garmin.  I downloaded the file again and this time I created a folder called "garmin" and did the .exe into that folder.  BaseCamp immediately saw it as one of the drop down maps.  Not sure why it would make any difference what folder it is unzipped to.  All the other times it unzipped into the folder "program files x86" as nytopo 11.  Oh well.  Just have to accept it as it is.  Oh, and I also downloaded and installed on my Garmin a huge map I think called US Northeast.  Huge file, over 500 megs or so.  Worked just fine.
But I appreciated all your replies and help.

Boyd

Glad I could help. FWIW, I don't think it mattered what folder you installed the map into. I think that when you installed MyTrails, it fixed the problem (as I explained above).

Anyway, glad that it works now.