It seems like I've seen this topic before but I can't find it. I log my tracks to the data card (Map60csx) for obvious size reasons and then upload to the PC. I would like to take groups of say 10 or so logs and convert to an overlay and reinstall in unit. I have both mapsource and basecamp (which I prefer) and mapedit(unregistered) and Depot's SE Topo. I've read the tutorials but they deal with a lot of information I don't need. It's probably simple but I need step by step. Do I also need Toolkit? Many thanks!! lb
There are a lot of ways to do this, although I have never tried myself. If the author would finally release his promised program, then this would no doubt be the easiest way: http://www.gpx2img.com/
Any software that reads .gpx files and outputs .mp files should work though. GlobalMapper would do it (expensive, but they will send you a free license key to evaluate). GPSMapEdit probably also would work.
Basically, you need to convert the tracks to one of the Garmin road types. With either of these solutions, you would use cgpsmapper to compile the transparent map. You could then use custom types (.typ files) to change its appearance.
Or a more user-friendly approach would be to use Mapwel. It has its own built-in compiler and editor for custom types, so it's a one-stop solution that doesn't need cgpsmapper. The free version works on your computer but won't send the map to your gps unless you buy a license.
If you should decide to tackle your own map it's not extremly difficult. Free software needed GPSmapedit, MapSetToolKit, CGPSMapper, all of which have links on this site. A good tutorial also is avaiable here which contains lots of steps that you can omit since you will be using only tracks, routes and waypoints. (you just load that data (gpx) in mapedit after downloading it from your GPSr to mapsource or basecamp. You will end up with a simple line map that can be displayed on top of other maps, say a topo. If you get started and stuck lots of folks here will help.
Good Luck
I did a quick summary of tracks to a trail map in the second item on this thread:
http://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php/topic,1015.0.html
Read further and you'll find some trials and tribulations.
I apologize for not responding back on your replies until now but something came up I had to attend to. On to the task at hand. Boyd: I followed up on your link gpx2img but it's still not up and running. It sounds like the ticket though. Seldon sn: I followed your advice and did all the steps and ended up with a transparency mp file and tried to export to mapsource img through cgpsmapper that came up and then I've stalled. I'm missing something at this point and not sure what and would appreciate more advice. Thanks again! lb
You would need to use MapSetToolKit to get the .img file(s) into mapsource. See:http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-.img-files-into-mapsource-with-mapsettoolkit/
Horserider, the following code is my quick and dirty command line way to compile MP files. It will compile every MP in a folder to an IMG.
The "ac" switch below sets the IMG file name to match the 8 digit Map ID you set in GPSMapEdit. For example if you have an MP file named MyTrails.MP and you have given it a Map ID on the Map Properties header tab of 12345678 it will create 12345678.IMG.
Save the batch file as MakeIMG.bat in the folder where you have the MP file you have created. Also, edit the path to point to the location you have installed cgpsmapper.
Also, don't have any spaces in your file names. My Trails.MP should be MyTrails.MP.
(Oz may know a way around this with a "for" loop in Command language, but I don't.)
path=c:\program files\cgpsmapper;%path%
for %%i in (*.mp) do cgpsmapper ac %%i
pause
Quote from: maps4gps on May 16, 2010, 04:04:41 PM
You would need to use MapSetToolKit to get the .img file(s) into mapsource. See:http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-.img-files-into-mapsource-with-mapsettoolkit This is still a step ahead of me because I haven't been able to convert to img yet I loaded it into the gpsmapper "box" but couldn't get anything to happen. It had the path to mapper exe labled but nothing would move. It's like there is no way to initiate it. Any how, thanks for the input. lb Ok I just got Seldom sn's post so I'll try that after a while Thanks
OK, I must be a simpleton. Here"s what I've got. I ran 3 small tracks thru mapedit following Seldom's list and ended up with TrialTrack.mp...ID12345678 in my gps maps folder. I downloaded batch scripts and copied the 3 files to release-version-1.00 folder along with cgpsmapper's exe. and sendg.dll files. I opened transcodeQ in notepad (ok?) and typed in TrialTrack.mp...double clicked transcode.batch...double clicked process. I saw cgpsmapper black screen come up briefly and disappear and then I had a transcode.log file but no transcodeQ in release folder (is that normal?). I opened mapsettoolkit...clicked select img files....pointed it to release-version-1.00 and it said No files containing 8 digit ID. I tried drag and drop TrialTrack.mp to notepad with same result. Both times I had to go back to my download and copy transcodeQ back to release folder. Seldom, I did not try your quick and dirty command line suggestion because I didn't quite understand. Command line is totally new to me. Any ideas anyone? It's probably simple and just me. Once again Many Thanks lb
Two suggestions/questions:
1) Did cgpsmapper output an IMG file? If so, when you open it in GPSmapedit do you see anything you recognize?
2) My quick and dirty batch file works pretty much like the ones you downloaded from the tutorial, but it doesn't require all the interlinking between files. Try it. If it works, then you'll know you need to debug your batch file set up.
If cgpsmapper output an img file I can't find it. Where would it be? What about the disappearing transcodeQ file? Your quick and dirty does sound easy but I'm still confused with it. lb
The IMG file should be in the same folder with the MP file.
If your MapID is 12345678, your IMG file should be called 12345678.IMG. That's what the "ac" in the command line is for.
If your copy of cgpsmapper is installed in c:\program files\cgpsmapper, my batch file should run from any folder on your machine (if it's not there, put it there or edit the path). Once you have the path sorted out, put my batch file and your MP file in the same folder and double click on the batch file to run it. It will open a blue command line window which will stay open long enough for you to see if it's worked or not. Once you have an IMG try opening it with gpsmapedit to see if you see anything you recognize. If you do, THEN put it into MapSource using MapSetToolKit.
I have no img file. My cgpsmapper is installed c:\program files (86)\cgpsmapper. When you refer to my batch file, do you mean the "batch scripts" I downloaded from this site which came as "cgpsmapper.bat"? If so, do you mean put cgpsmapper.bat and TrialTrack.mp in same folder and double click on cgpsmapper.bat? Not on the individual files as per tutorial #9. I know this sounds so simple to you but I'm trying to comprehend it step by step not really understanding what's taking place. In the words of one of my friends, "I'm old as dirt" and have turned on a computer for the first time in feb 2010, but I'll get it. Thank you lb
It seems you are having a problem with the batch files you downloaded from the tutorial, so this might simplify things a little. For the time being, forget about the BAT files you downloaded from this site. Once you have this working, you can figure out what was going wrong with the other work flow.
Copy the following code into notepad.
path=c:\program files (x86)\cgpsmapper;%path%
for %%i in (*.mp) do cgpsmapper ac %%i
pause
Save the notepad file as makeIMG.bat.
Put makeIMG.bat and TrialTrack.mp into the same folder.
Doubleclick on the bat file. It will run. When its done you should have an IMG file in the same folder as the MP file.
Ok, I followed your post exactly and still no img file. I even went back to mapedit and started over just to make sure. Either I did the same wrong thing or somethings wrong. When I double clicked on makeIMG.bat I did get a small black screen as before for only a second. You mentioned a blue command line window but I didn't see it. Should I remove cgpsmapper and download it again? (I tried to put the quote of your last post in here but when I did it wouldn't let me type without jumping all over ???) anyway, I'm still lost lb
I'm running out of ideas. What I described for you is the way I do it every time.
I'd reinstall cgpsmapper.
open a command prompt and browse to the folder where makeIMG.bat lives then run it that way so that rather than opening and closing right away you can see what its issue is.
OK, here's where I stand. I've reinstalled cgpsmapper I think 7 times. The last time I put it in a folder instead of program files and it seems to be working. I don't know if that would matter or not. I ended up with (36436410.IMG) but when I put it in mapedit to check it under file/properties/cgpsmapper.... the TRE changed from 1000 to 12 and transparency s changed to not transparent. Problem 2: In the tutorial.. How to load img files into mapsource with mapsettoolkit(v 1.77 beta) on #17 ...Where does the typ or txt file come from? I put 36436401.img in the TYP files box and compiled it and got 36436401.typ but Install in mapsource and Start yielded a Convert Failed. I don't think these solfware like my computer(New Dell, Duo core, Win 7). Could it be a compatibility problem? Thanks for listening lb PS: Seldom-sn, I have not re-written your code with the new path to cgpsmapper and tried it yet.
The type file would contain information for a custom line (etc.) style. If you have not made nor are using one from someone (therefore, using the Garmin default for the feature type) leave the type file blank.
Quote from: Horse Rider on May 24, 2010, 12:38:50 PM
PS: Seldom-sn, I have not re-written your code with the new path to cgpsmapper and tried it yet.
If you've got a recognizable IMG file. That's all my batch file was supposed to do.
do you have the right cgpsmapper for the processor? there are multiple options now.
Ok, I know you're getting tired of hearing from me, but things have finally started to work. Yes Oz I did have the right program. The only thing I changed was to put the cgpsmapper cpreview.exe along with the cgpsmapper.exe and sendg.dll which were already in the release-version-1.00 folder. Cgpsmapper is still in program files. Mapsettoolkit did it's thing and the map was installed in mapsource......But.....when you click on it with the map tool in mapsource or mapinstall in Basecamp it won't "register". I've loaded many maps into gpsr in the past but this one doesn't want to move. It zooms in and out and good detail but it won't load. Four or five files came back in the release folder when I converted from mp to img, is there something I needed to do with one of them? I'm sorry for the trouble but thanks again. lb
Quote from: Horse Rider on May 25, 2010, 01:26:52 PM
......But.....when you click on it with the map tool in mapsource or mapinstall in Basecamp it won't "register".
Glad it's starting to work, and welcome to the joys of debugging.
By won't register, do you mean that you can see it in MapSource, but it doesn't turn pink when you select it with the map select tool?
I haven't had that problem for a while, but when I did it was caused by a bad TDB or Basemap.IMG file. Look at both of those with GPSMapedit and see if there's a rectangle for the map region. If not try a semi-transparent or non-transparent map and see if those give you something you can pick.
By register I think OP might mean that it's not being selected for "send to device". Clear info means so much. Don't remember seldom_sn but I'm sure some body would have suggested zoom-in-out. Suggest OP that you start all over with your raw data and see what turns up. you now have more experience at least.
OK, first of all...IT FINALLY WORKED!!! Seldom-sn...to answer your question...It did NOT turn pink when selected with map select tool. I went back to square one multiple times with the same results. I talked to a computer programmer instructor at the college and they said that Windows 7 had a lot of issues with command line programs so I scrapped everything and downloaded Mapwel. I spent a few days getting used to their system and got my trail looking like I wanted. It's pretty user friendly after you get used to it. Before I spent the $90 on the advanced version(so that I could export .img files) I sent them 2 emails asking about their compatibility with Windows 7, but have yet to get a reply. Then I saw Seldom-sn's link in another post in "Map Making Support" about another "tutorial" on map making. I started over again. I opened cgpsmapper in my program files and copied cgpsmapper..application cpreview..application sendgll..application.ext all to my release folder along with my "map-name.mp" from mapedit. Nothing would work unless all 3 of those files were there. I clicked "Map-name.mp" and dragged and droped it on cgpsmapper.application and it converted to "Map-name.img". Tool Kit would not accept this because it wasn't 8#.img. I went back to map-edit....file..export..garmin.img...cgpsmapper and ended up with "Map-name.img" same as the other way. I went back to map-edit..file...properties..left the ID with the same 8 digits but also put the 8 digits as the map name. It exported this time as 8#.img. I put it in toolkit and on to mapsource and gps. I tried the same thing in my release folder and dropped it on cgpsmapper and it worked there also. You guys are the computer genius, not me, I just know it worked. I would be curious to know if anyone has used these programs with Win 7 and had any of the same results. Seldom-sn...Thank you, you're a good man to stick with me on this. I know this is a long reply but this topic has stirred a lot of interest(maybe some laughs) being read over 900 times so maybe it might help someone else. Thanks again to all lb
I do everything I described above in Win7-64bit. I didn't see anything change when I migrated up from XP-pro-32bit.
Glad you've got it working.