GPSFileDepot Forums

Please help with (mostly) random polygon generation of topo map

First post here, been reading for a bit now.  I am new to the entire world of map making for GPSr units and have spent the last several weeks playing with all the tools out there and trying to make sense of it all, quite a bit of reading on this forum, which is great. 

I am not a programmer, but computer literate.  That said, there is a lot of info to be taken in on how to go about making a map for yourself and getting it converted to put into your GPSr.  I have gone through the tutorial here on how to do it, and most of it makes sense, or at least I can follow it, maybe not knowing what it all means.

??? What I am having issues with may be due to my lack of knowledge on all the file types and conversion processes.  I am trying a very basic topo map creation.

Using the tutorial here, I have simply created a 100k contour file, nothing else fancy.  I then exported that into polish format (extension .MP).  I viewed that in gpsmapedit and it appeared to be fine.  I then process the .MP file with gpsmapper and can once again open it with gpsmapedit and it appears fine.  When I go through the process with MapSetToolkit to load into mapsource, I end up with a map that is a lot of odd polygons in roughly the same shape as my contours, but useless.  What am I doing wrong?  I would love to get past this issue to go on to figuring out how to make actually useful maps, but don't want to put the work into it yet until I can get through the most basic of steps.

Thanks!

Sounds like you are looking at a preview map underlying a transparent map.  If you make the map "not transparent" or "semi-transparent" the nasty polygons will be hidden. The other possibility is that you have something wrong with your levels, but try the transparency first.  You can address both of these issues in the Map Properties dialog in GPSMapedit.

I apologize in advance for all the very basic questions.  If there is a collection of the more basic principles of map making found somewhere here (or elsewhere), please point me to them so I don't ask questions that have been answered time and time again.

Possible that it could be a transparency issue, I noticed a post you replied to a while back:

http://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php/topic,1105.0.html

I am unclear on what steps were taken to remedy that though.  I set my .mp file to show transparent before exporting to .img.  I looked at the map settings and while viewing it under GPSMapEdit -> File -> Map Properties -> cGpsMapper Tab, Map is trasparent = N - Not a transparent map.  Hopefully this is where I should be looking to determine if there is a transparency issue with the preview map.  Just in case, i ran the whole thing with it set to S - Transparent map with transparent background.  The issue I have with that is that the .img file that I export to has that setting reverted back to not transparent and I can't seem to figure out how to change that and save it with GPSMapEdit, it always wants to take a step backwards and go from the .mp file through an export command.

Until I can figure it out or hear back from you, I am going to proceed as though it is something to do with the levels. 

My initial Polish export .MP map has 4 levels:

Level | Bits | Lat grid | GPS zoom | MapSource zoom
Level0= | 24 | 2.4m | 120m | Zoom0=1 (1.2 - 3 km)
Level1= | 22 | 9.5m | 500m | Zoom1=2 (3 - 8km)
Level2= | 20 | 38m | 2 km | Zoom2=3 (8-12km)
Level3= | 18 | 153m | 5km-8km | Zoom3=4 (12-30km)

I ran the .MP file through the gpsmapper transcode.bat process to begin the .img process and it spits out my seemingly random numerical file.img.  When I examine that file, it appears there is the same information: not transparent and the levels match with above.  All seems to be going well.

I then ran through the MapSetToolkit portion of the tutorial and upon completion, I am left with several different file types: .img, .mp, .tdb.  The original .img was 1.755 KB, the resultant .img was only 12KB.

The levels for the toolkit processed .img file are also as shown below:

Level0= | 17 | 305m | 12km | Zoom0=5 (50-120km)
Level1= | 16 | 610m | 20km-30km | Zoom1=6 (120 - 300km)

I suppose another good thing to know is if those are the actual maps that I should be loading onto my Garmin GPSr or are those simply a preview set (as that portion of the tutorial would suggest).  I will continue to dig around the forums to try to find the solution to my problem and post it.  As always, any suggestions are appreciated.

Here's what I don't understand... you said "I end up with a map that is a lot of odd polygons in roughly the same shape as my contours, but useless." Maybe I don't understand what you were trying to accomplish? Did you expect the map to show elevation contours? If so, those should not be polygons, they should be polylines.

What exactly did you create? For elevation contours you should have the following line objects:

0x20 - thin contour
0x21 - medium contour
0x22 - thick contour

I could never get the free software in the tutorial here to work for this, so I am using Globalmapper to create my maps. It's kind of a no-brainer to create contour lines in globalmapper once you have downloaded the DEM data. Have you seen this tutorial? http://cgpsmapper.com/download/GM8DocV2.pdf

You can download and use the free version of globalmapper for this, but unfortunately it won't let you export the results to cgpsmapper unless you purchase a license. If you contact globalmapper support however, they say they will give you a full limited-time license key to play with.

kzloy, your problem is with MapSetToolKit.  Unfortunately, I only use MSTK to INSTALL, files I've already made with Cpreview.  To do that I start MSTK, click on the INSTALL Button on the lower left center, and browse the resulting dialog to find the basemap IMG and TDB files I've already compiled.

Here's the batch code I use to compile my TDB.
path=c:\program files\cgpsmapper;%path%
cpreview Mymap.txt
cgpsmapper Mymap.mp
pause

Mymap.MP will be generated by the Cpreview command. 

A sample of Mymap.TXT follows, but since I've cleaned it up a little you should check it against the cgpsmapper manual.

[Map]
FileName=Mymap
MapVersion=100


[_id]
ProductCode=1
FID=1234
;ID=1
[End]

Levels=2
Level0=13
Level1=12

Zoom0=6
Zoom1=7

MapsourceName=Mymap
MapSetName=Mymap
CDSetName=Mymap
Copy1=Map is not for sale
[End-Map]
;
;IMG files to be included in new map-set
;!!REMEMBER to fix the path to IMG file!!
;
[Files]
;list full path to your named 8 digit IMG files below
img=c:\\maps\\12345678.img
[END-Files]

The output Mymap.IMG and Mymap.TDB will be the preview files you select in MSTK.

Boyd - you are right, polylines.  Upon looking back at the map, it appears they are just polylines with any smoothing removed.

Seldom_sn - Thanks, I will be working on this today to see if I can follow what you've described to hopefully get different results.  

Don't know how you are getting it, but it looks like Bad is the preview file for Good.  Also, the 2 level set you show for the processed IMG is consistent with a preview file.

Quote from: seldom_sn on July 05, 2011, 07:30:52 AM
kzloy, your problem is with MapSetToolKit.  Unfortunately, I only use MSTK to INSTALL, files I've already made with Cpreview.

I really need to learn more about cgpsmapper. :) However, I have never used cpreview. I use mapsettoolkit to generate all the files that Mapsource needs and it seems to work fine (in Mapsource, Basecamp and nRoute).

No doubt, otherwise there'd be many more questions of this sort.  
Of course, you may not call Cpreview, but MSTK must be doing it.
My idea was to take MSTK as much out of the process as possible.  That may help to isolate the problem.

I am going to try some more troubleshooting by processing and loading different components of the map to see if it is just the contours I am having issues with, or if everything gets messed up past MSTK regardless of what it is.  Very frustrating indeed.

How did you generate the Good and Bad screenshots?

Once you compile your IMG file with cgpsmapper you will be able to view the IMG in GPSMapEdit.  If it looks OK there, then the problem is occurring later in the process.

I am pretty certian this is a problem with your zoom levels. 

In mapsource when you zoom in to 800 or so feet is it nice and smooth?

Open the file in GPSmapedit

crt 0 will show level 0
ctr 1 will show level 1

Go through all the levels and if I am correct one of the levels will look like your screen shot.

The problem is the topo generating programs create too many levels of topo lines.  If you are not careful on your zoom level settings you can get what your screen shot shows.

When I make topo maps I only have two zoom levels with topo lines.  (I delete the rest) I set it up so the topo lines no longer display above the .5 or .8 mile zoom level.  Above that level, all they do is clutter up the map.  When you are zoomed that far out on your GPS, the topo lines don't give you any useful information.

If you see the lines messed up in zoom levels, back up your file, then properties, levels, and delete the level

I like these settings for topo maps

level 0  24 bits zoom 0 detailed topo lines
level 1  22 bits zoom 1 major topo lines
level 2 17 bits zoom 2 (this is blank except a single POI to stop the map from displaying above this level)
Level 3 16 bits zoom 3

Well, here we go again.  ;D  I never define custom zoom levels. I use globalmapper to create contour lines, then feed the .mp files to cgpsmapper. Have never seen a mess like the first screenshot above in my maps. And I use some pretty small contour intervals also, so there are LOTS of lines. They look fine in mapsource, basecamp and on the GPS.

But zoom levels is something I've been avoiding understanding for quite awhile - mainly because it "just works" with the defaults I guess. Where I'm sure it could help would be when I zoom out far - past 1.2 miles. Then things start turning into a big blob.  :D

jbensman, kzloy reports he specifies 4 levels in his MP file but only gets 2 levels in his output file.  My compiled IMG files always show the same number of levels as my MP files, but my compiled preview files only have 2 levels.  That's why I think kzloy is looking at a preview.IMG.

kzloy, what is the map ID in your MP file?  Also, what are the names of your MP files?  The map ID should be 8 digits.  As a convenience, I use the same map ID in the IMG file name.  Your map IMG file and your preview file names should NOT be the same.

Boyd, I didn't much bother with custom zoom levels until my last map got so big that I had to add a 5th one to reduce clutter.  Too many POI.

MapSetTookKit does use cpreview to create the preview map .img file. 

Map authoring for GPSr use is different from making a paper map where the scale limits how much detail can be shown before it runs together.  It takes some testing to learn what and how many featues can best be shown at which zoom display (bit) levels - also what works well for one area may not do so for another. 

'custom zoom levels' ??  By Garmin 'standards', GM is 'custom'.

Quote from: maps4gps on July 05, 2011, 02:39:35 PM
'custom zoom levels' ??  By Garmin 'standards', GM is 'custom'.

Re: GM zoom levels:  I got the first four from Greg Ryker's template in the GM tutorial.  Only "customized" (added the fifth) when the map got big and crowded.  If I was doing a nationwide map, like CNNANT, I'd need a few more.

Everything I have tried is beginning to bleed together as I am on a different machine at the moment, I can't say precisely the steps taken for the two images. 

I essentially created the contour lines using GM.  Didn't include anything else in there except the contour lines of a 100k size map with 20 foot detail (albeit most of it is beachfront so it pulled from only 2 dem files vs. 4). 

Then I processed it through gpsmapper.  I believe the map turned out fine in that stage as well, I do want to go back and check though as I am not sure the elevation levels translated over correctly, perhaps a different issue altogether.

I then ran through MSTK and loaded it into mapsource.  When in mapsource and even zooming in, all i get is what i think to be the preview map.  When I open the .img file in gpsmapedit, it only has the two levels.  That is the one that looks like it can't possibly contain much information at such a small file size.

I have since ran the whole thing again using Dem2Topo from the beginning instead of GM and after loading it into mapsource, I can retrieve the detail upon zooming, no problem seems to exist.  I need to double check the results, but it may be some setting i have selected or didn't select in GM.  ???

Quote from: seldom_sn on July 05, 2011, 02:24:19 PM
jbensman, kzloy reports he specifies 4 levels in his MP file but only gets 2 levels in his output file.  My compiled IMG files always show the same number of levels as my MP files, but my compiled preview files only have 2 levels.  That's why I think kzloy is looking at a preview.IMG.

kzloy, what is the map ID in your MP file?  Also, what are the names of your MP files?  The map ID should be 8 digits.  As a convenience, I use the same map ID in the IMG file name.  Your map IMG file and your preview file names should NOT be the same.

Boyd, I didn't much bother with custom zoom levels until my last map got so big that I had to add a 5th one to reduce clutter.  Too many POI.

Yes I understand that.  I use gpsmapedit and mapsettoolkit.  When kzloy says:

The levels for the toolkit processed .img file are also as shown below:

Level0= | 17 | 305m | 12km | Zoom0=5 (50-120km)
Level1= | 16 | 610m | 20km-30km | Zoom1=6 (120 - 300km)

He is talking about the preview img created by mapsettoolkit.  This is exactly what it should be.  Also what he describes about transparency is exactly what the file is supposed to do.  So this is not the problem.  Mapsettoolkit creates a blank preview map so its not causing the lines as mapsettoolkit will not put contour lines in the preview map.

I've seen this before, its the zoom levels.

Here is what is happening:

The contour lines are drawn on a grid.  The spacing of the grid is based on the zoom settings.  What you see is that the spacing of the grid for that zoom level is to far apart.  The problem is there is not enough grid points for the zoom level he is viewing.  So the solution is to either delete the level if it is not needed or to get the zoom settings right.  

kzloy

Take the img files and open them in gpsmapedit.  Then use ctl 0 ctrl 1 ctrl 2 crtl 3 etc until you have looked at all the levels.  Let me know which ones show smooth and what shows messed up.  I've seen this before, its your zoom level settings.

Ignore the files created by mapsettoolkit, they are NOT the problem. 

Why is he seeing the preview.IMG instead of the main map? 

Ctrl-G clears the image buffer in MapSource.  Also,kzloy, what's your MapSource detail level set for?

seldom_sn - my mapsource detail is set to highest, I have messed with that for a bit with no noticeable change.

jbensman I reran my whole scenario with two different variations tonight.

I went through the tutorial using GM and had the same results of what I guess to be only loading the preview map into mapsource.  I also went through the whole thing using Dem2Topo and it loaded both, I had to do ctrl+g to clear the preview and see the underlying map.  The different layers seem to show up at the correct zoom levels too. 

Below are the steps I took for anyone who wants to figure out what on earth could be the setting that would allow GM to process correctly.  I am only assuming that it is something to do with GM.  I may revisit when I am not as tired.

Thanks for all the posts and help on this.

FYI I am running Windows 7

With GM:

1. Downloaded the ArcGrid files for my 100k area
2. Processed in Globalmapper with tutorial settings to generate contours
3. Created a file: map_catalog.gmc and loaded the generated contour file in
4. Exported using Export to Vector Data -> Export Polish MP (cGPSMapper) File,
   - did not use a dictionary header, not sure but had some issues with that
   - left default checked - make all point features searchable
   - did not check create as marine map or create transparent map
   - Did not set any gridding or export bounds as this is just a fraction of a 100k map
   - Image ID was left to 0 on this step
   - This created MP_Map.MP; copy placed in GM Export folder
5. Copied over gpsmapper.exe, cpreview.exe, process.bat, sendg.dll, sort.img, transcode.bat and TranscodeQ.txt
6. Changed TranscodeQ.txt to read MP_Map.MP
7. Ran Transcode.bat and it created 68326280.img and active_transcode.txt
   - When I open this .img file in gpsmapedit, and press ctrl+0 I shows all contour lines, ctrl+1 shows more major ones with slight loss of curvature, ctrl+2 shows only the thickest with more loss of curvature
   - It also appears that i have levels 0-4 when I examine it in map properties
8. Followed tutorial on mapsettoolkit
   - selected 68326280.img under Source IMG files: and moved to Selected IMG files:
   - Set Mapset directory to point to where 68326278.img was found
   - Set Mapset name: to be GM_Map
   - Set Family ID to be 1234
   - left Draw priority and Transparent to default
   - pointed cgpsmapper/cpreview folder to the folder where 68326280.img was found as that is where I copied cpsmapper.exe to
   - Checked the box for Install in Mapsource
   - Nothing entered in TYP files
   - Nothing entered in gmaptool program
9. After running MSTK I now have the following files GM_Map.img, GM_Map.MDX, GM_Map.MP, GM_Map.reg, GM_Map.TDB
   - When I open the newly created .img file in GPSMapEdit, it is highly angular and no difference between ctrl+0,1,2 etc
   - When the map is viewed in mapsource, same appearance, angular with no fine contouring lines even when zoomed in and changing the detail to highest

With Dem2Topo

1. Downloaded the .tif file
2. processed in Dem2Topo with tutorial settings
   - this created 00732189.mp
3. Copied over gpsmapper.exe, cpreview.exe, process.bat, sendg.dll, sort.img, transcode.bat and TranscodeQ.txt
4. Changed TranscodeQ.txt to read 00732189.mp
5. Ran Transcode.bat and came back with an error about the map ID
6. Opened .mp in GPSMapEdit and changed map ID from 00000000 to 12345678
7. Re-ran Transocde.bat
   - this created 12345678.img
   - When opened in gpsmapedit it appears fine
8. Followed tutorial on mapsettoolkit
   - selected 12345678.img under Source IMG files: and moved to Selected IMG files:
   - Set Mapset directory to point to where 12345678.img was found
   - Set Mapset name: to be DEM2
   - Set Family ID to be 4321
   - left Draw priority and Transparent to default
   - pointed cgpsmapper/cpreview folder to the folder where 12345678.img was found as that is where I copied cpsmapper.exe to
   - Checked the box for Install in Mapsource
   - Nothing entered in TYP files
   - Nothing entered in gmaptool program
9. After running MSTK I now have the following files: DEM2.img, DEM2.MDX, DEM2.mp, DEM2.reg, DEM2.TDB
   - When I open the newly created .img file in GPSMapEdit, it is highly angular and no difference between ctrl+0,1,2 etc
   - When opened in mapsource, the same appearance as above even zoomed in, however, when I use ctrl+G, my contour map appears in all its glory

As has been said before, your GM_map.img and DEM2.img are preview images.  When you view this file, it will display as yours does - very coarsely. 

Contour lines can be put into the preview map.  I have recently done so and it was obviously done here. 

The highest level specifies when the mapset switches to the basemap on the GPSr (if it is enabled).  The next most detailed level is used to build the peview map - if contours lines are in it, they will be in the preview map.

From your second post:
Level3 = 18 - the display level the GPSr will switch to the built-in basemap
Level2 = 20 - featues in this level will display on the GPSr and be used to build the overview map
  GM puts the major contours in level 20 ('intermediate' in level 22, and 'minor' in level 24).
  I have not used DEM2TOPO - it may only build two levels of contours (detail/major).

Adding another level will keep the contour lines out of the preview map.

The detailed contour lines are NOT in the GM_map.img - that is the preview map.  The actual data is in the 68.... img file. 
You may not have zoomed in enough in MapSource to switch from the preview map to the actual data. 
Leave the settings at NORMAL, not doing so makes it harder to determine if everything is as it should be.

Quote from: kzloy on July 06, 2011, 01:04:12 AM
9. After running MSTK I now have the following files GM_Map.img, GM_Map.MDX, GM_Map.MP, GM_Map.reg, GM_Map.TDB
   - When I open the newly created .img file in GPSMapEdit, it is highly angular and no difference between ctrl+0,1,2 etc
   - When the map is viewed in mapsource, same appearance, angular with no fine contouring lines even when zoomed in and changing the detail to highest

What happened to 68326280.img?  It should be in the folder with all the GM_Map stuff.

Seldom_sn - the 68326280.img is still in that folder.  Sorry, that list of files were the newly created files from MSTK.  Total list of files still in that folder are:

68326280.img
active_transcode.txt
cgpsmapper.exe
cpreview.exe
GM_Map.img
GM_Map.MDX
GM_Map.MP
GM_Map.reg
GM_Map.TDB
process.bat
sendg.dll
sort.img
transcode.bat
transcode_log.txt

Shouldn't the GM_Map.img and DEM2.img be referenced to the 8 digit .img file.  I get the feeling that with GM Map that is not occurring, but rather all I have is a preview with no connection to the real file, therefore no switch from the coarse preview .img to a more refined .img when zooming or ctrl+g in mapsource.  I don't disagree (with my vast map program knowledge ;D) it is very likely a level issue because the MSTK process is identical in the two different maps.

When I try to install the GM map in mapsource/basecamp, I am unable to select a map at all (no happy yellow outline, no option to do so).  I am able to select and install the DEM2 map though (used basecamp) and upon zooming in/out in mapsource/basecamp and GPSr, I get different detail.

maps4gps - when you say leave the settings to NORMAL, are you referring to mapsource?  I tried to process this with as little variation as possible from the tutorial to try to keep it simple.  The only major difference is not using a dictionary header as that seemed to yield no map whatsoever for preview files.  Thanks for further clarifying the levels, I will go do some messing with those for kicks.

Quote from: kzloy on July 06, 2011, 08:25:49 AM
When I try to install the GM map in mapsource/basecamp, I am unable to select a map at all (no happy yellow outline, no option to do so).  I am able to select and install the DEM2 map though (used basecamp) and upon zooming in/out in mapsource/basecamp and GPSr, I get different detail.

If you can't get the yellow outline you don't have an 0x4b map selection polygon on your map.
Also, try doing MSTK with Transparent set to No.

Both the GM generated map that doesn't work and the Dem2topo map that did work have the same polygons present when opened in GPSMapEdit:

The main 8-digit .img has: Area of map coverage (0x4b, polygon)
The preview .img has both: Area of map selection (in Mapsource)(0x4a polygon) and Area of map coverage (0x4b, polygon)

I ran the scenario again with MSTK transparent set to No with same results.

Have not had a chance to extensively manipulate levels yet though.

I use dem2topo and gpsmapedit to create transparnt topo maps.  They only display at the .5 mile zoom level and below.  (As I said, topo lines on your GPS above the .5 mile zoom to not give you useful info and just clutter the map.) They are also set to show all the contour lines 500 feet and below.  Only the major contour lines show from 800 feet to .5 mile.

Here is what I do:

Run the geotiff through dem2topo and create a *.mp

Open the .mp file in gpsmapedit.

Set it to transparent, give it a name and 8 digit ID

In map properties select levels

click on level 2 and delete it

Then click on the highest level and select "insert before"

Then you should have 4 levels

Adjust the levels as follows:

Level 0 24 bits zoom 0
level 1 22 bits zoom 1
level 2 17 bits zoom 2
level 3 16 bits zoom 3

select OK

Then select ctl 2 and you should have a black screen
In the middle of the screen (dont need to be exact) use the create object tool to create a point, you can use unknown type and no label.  This step is extremely important as if you do not add the point, the topo lines will show forever when you are zooming out.

Save the file, compile the img file, then use mapsettool kit to install it in Mapsource.

I'm not sure what you are doing with the batch file and splitting it to multiple imgs.  For a 100K area it is extremely rare to need more than one img for the 100K area.  Only when you have an extremly high number of topo lines do you need to break it up. 

"I had to do ctrl+g to clear the preview and see the underlying map.  The different layers seem to show up at the correct zoom levels too."

In MapSource CTR G does NOT clear the preview.

MapSource caches the maps.  So when you update a map, sometimes mapsource will show the map based on the cache.  CTR G twice clears the cache and redraws the map.  So every time after you run mapset toolkit to install the map ctr g twice and then you see the updated map instead of a cached viewed of the previous map.

kzloy,
I just experienced something like you described (for the first time) in one tile of a set of 6.  That tile had two 0x4b polygons sitting on top of each other.  When I selected and deleted one of the 0x4b polygons, and re-compiled and reinstalled, the map showd correctlly in MapSource.

What do I use to go in and edit the .img file?  When I try to do so in GPSMapEdit, it won't allow me to save it, it tells me that I cannot do direct saving to Garmin IMG and that I need to do File>Export>Garmin IMG/gpsmapper.exe.  Understandably, when I follow that instruction, I receive an error telling me "Please save the map in Polish format before export." If I export a map again from polish format, I get the double-poly again, ah a fun endless loop.  Hmmm.  When I open in GM, I have a dialogue that pops up to prompt me to select overlay type, and I have no clue what to select or if it even supports opening .img files.  Also, which poly did you delete, does it matter?

You cannot edit an img file.

Try the way I suggest above.  It works.  I've done it over 100 times. 

jbensman - I ran through your way you suggested above in dem2topo and it works, but then again, the dem2topo way has not been an issue at all GM has been from the start.  Dem2topo worked early on, even without altering the levels.  After I had the problem, I tried starting over with dem2topo to troubleshoot my issue and there was no issue when using it.  The issue comes in when I process anything through GM.  The end product in mapsource is always a rough preview file only.  I have looked at the data as much as my limited knowledge base allows in each step of the way to compare the two processes and the results of each step and can't find variation until it is loaded into mapsource.  I can just cut GM out of the equation altogether and move on, but for whatever twisted reason, I want to figure out what the issue is.

seldom_sn, what file are you deleting the double-polygon out of?  The only one that I find it present in, is the smaller preview .img file produced after running gpsmapper on the .mp file?  Are you saying you delete it out of that one, save as .mp and re-export to .img?

In the middle of this post I may have solved my problem:

To complicate things tremendously and confuse the last few straws of understanding I had clung to, I managed to run it again and to correctly show in mapsource having done it separately through GM and also dem2topo.  I took rough notes, but the best explanation I can come up with is it hinged on the map ID.  I did not alter the levels or transparency in either case.  I took the .mp file, changed the map ID to an 8 digit number starting with a 1 using gpsmapedit.  I then processed the .mp file in gpsmapper that spit out an 8 digit .img matching the 8 digit map ID.  Then processed that in MSTK and money.  I will see if I can repeat the results later when I can think straight and find out if it truly is the map ID.

Delete any duplicate 0x4b polygons from the main MP file before compiling it to an IMG.  Be sure to leave one 0x4b polygon. Glad to know you got it to work. What were the MapID you changed from and the MapID you changed to in order to get it to work?

FWIW, I always use a GM template and assign an 8 digit MapID and file name based on the lat and lon of the tile I'm creating.