I received a Garmin 255W Nuvi for Christmas and need to know the step by step instructions for getting the CA topo map onto my computer then onto the GPS unit. (I think I can follow the instruction for installing into unit) I have downloaded Mapsource but when I open it all I get is "no previous ... found, setup terminating". Can somebody PLEASE give me the step by step instructions from beginning to end. I have a 4 GB SD card I plan to use for the topo map(or the revelant parts I need for an off road trip) When I have the topo on the card do I slip that into the GPS, choose that map then go from there? Any help really appreciated.
You need to follow the instructions EXACTLY as given here: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-install-mapsource-if-it-didnt-come-with-your-gps/
Mapsource will not install unless you already have at least one map on your computer. So download and install Training Center FIRST: http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835
Now install Mapsource. It will see the simple map that Training Center has installed and then it will work. Your error message indicates that you did not install training center first.
After you have Mapsource installed, download the topo map and run its installer. After completing this, see: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-maps-on-my-garmin-gps-unit/
After transferring the map to your Nuvi, press Menu > Tools > Settings > Map Info. Uncheck the box next to City Navigator and check the box next to your topo map. Return to the map screen and you should be good to go.
Boyd. What a quick response!!!! Thanks so very much. What I didn't do was down load a map first, so I'll remove Mapsource, download the topo I want, then reload Mapsource. Just one (?) more question: When I download the map do I run it, save it or what? Thanks again.
No... just go back and read what I posted carefully, then do exactly what it says. Downloading your maps is done after installing Mapsource. Most of the maps here are packaged with installers. After you download the map, just run the .exe file and it will do everything. Again, see my post above along with the links.
Boyd, again thank you so much. I'll give it a shot over the weekend.
I followed all the instructions and got the CA. topo into the computer and onto a SD card. My question is: the computer version and the version on the GPS (thru the SD card) are different in as much as the one from the SD card has two separate topos, one with elevation lines only and one with streams only. Is this the way it should be? Also, I put the whole state on the SD card at the same time. Should I have divided the state into maybe three or four sections so I could get better detail on the smaller GPS screen? Thanks for any help and/or suggestions.
You did fine, that map is in map two layers as you have found out, loading all at once is recommended, but you can also load just the numbered map tiles that contain the contour data when you want to add that to a GPS that has City Navigator preinstalled like on your unit.
Ed: That map is an anomaly; most maps will just load and show only one version on your GPS.
Oz, is that CA. topo map the best available on this site. I want to use the topo for 4 wheeling and have noticed that when the elevation lines are added the map becomes almost impossible to read at a "zoom factor" where I can see trails and dirt roads when using the GPS screen. On the computer I can see trails and dirt roads much more clearly even with the elevation lines. Any thoughts? Thanks.
It has been observed that many things appear differently in MapSource, on different Garmin GPSrs, and even with different setting on a GPSr. Since Nuvi's were intended for vehicle use, I expect Garmin did not intend high visibility of contour lines. You could try the SW Topo, but I would expect a similiar result.
By 'when the elevation lines are added the map becomes almost impossible to read', do you mean too crowded with contour lines?
This is a general problem with garmin topo maps IMO. The screens of just about all Garmin units just don't have enough pixels to render contour lines nicely unless you zoom WAY in. The fat (major) contour lines are especially problematic. The Oregon does the best job of all the models I've tried though.
However, mapmakers can do a lot to improve this, and I have spent a lot of time tweaking my own maps to look good on the Nuvi. It's really pretty easy. First, I only use the minor contour lines. Major and minor contours look nice on USGS maps that are printed at 1200 dpi, but not on a little LCD screen.
Second, use a custom type to redefine the contour lines. A lighter color helps, but the most important thing is to define them to be only one pixel wide this makes a HUGE difference on the Nuvi, and it also improves their appearance on handhelds IMO.
Regarding your specific issue Ed, if you learn enough about mapmaking it is not very difficult to create your own custom type file and add it to an existing mapset to improve its appearance on the Nuvi. That gets way beyond what I can explain here though.
Or you might consider getting an Oregon since it has been optimized to work with topo maps.
maps4gps: That's exactly what I'm saying. The contour lines block out any road or trails that are behind them.
Boyd: I'll try working with some of the stuff you mentioned. How do I make the contour lines narrower? Are those modifications made in Mapsource?
Thanks to you both for the help!!!
You can modify the appearance of a whole mapset by adding a special little file to the mix. This file tells your GPS (and mapsource) to replace the standard style of the map elements with a new style that you create yourself. See pages 33-41 in the tutorial here: http://cgpsmapper.com/download/GM8DocV2.pdf
To make this even easier, there is a very powerful online editor available here: http://ati.land.cz/gps/typdecomp/editor.cgi
Specifically, this is how I define contour lines
[_line]
Type=0x20
String2=0x04,contour line
Xpm="32 1 4 1"
"= c #b1ac6a"
" c #b1ac6a"
"3 c #a7a591"
"4 c #a7a591"
"================================"
[end]
As I mentioned, I've been making my own maps with only minor contour lines. If you want the heavier lines, you could create a similar definition for them with a 2 pixel width.
If your map of interest already has a .typ file, you can modify it with the online link above. Otherwise you would need to create it either there, or using a text file and cgpsmapper. The free sendmap 20 program should let you add or subtract a .typ file from its mapset, then send it to your GPS.
Both mapauthors used a 20ft contour interval. In areas where the USGS printed 24k topos used a 40 or 80 ft contour interval this can come close to creating an 'unusable blob' of lines. If you do not need contour lines, my US Planimetric SW and/or NW may be of use to you. CA, both topo and contour overlay are on two hope to do list, but there are so many things that could be done. Boyd has indepth knowledge and excellent suggestions so I would try his method.
Sorry to say, but after looking at the sites suggested by Boyd they are WAY WAY over my head. Therefore I'll ask these two questions of maps4gps: do the two mapsets you mention download etc. the same way as the regular CA. topo I got from this website and (2) can I make use of the CA. part only when I go to copy onto my SD card? Thanks guys.
Both mapsets are self-installing; both have all their data as a single non-overlay mapset. Since the SW Topo used the same contour interval (20ft) for the entire country as the CA Topo used, I would expect them to be just as obcuring, however, they may have been set to fully show at a more zoomed in level which would result in less clutter. Both mapsets allow you to select as many or as few quads/tiles as you like to customize the area you place on the micro memory card. SW Topo and NW Topo would be required to cover all of CA; as would US Planimetric SW and US Planimetric NW. Each would be installed in MapSource and the necessary quads from each listed in the box at left and built and sent to the GPSr as one gmapsupp.img file. See: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-maps-on-my-garmin-gps-unit/
I should have thought of it earlier; you would not have to download the US Plaminetric SW/NW as you already have the CA TOPO which is composed of two mapsets, one planimetric and the second with the contour lines. Just hide the CA mapset with the contour lines when you want better visibility of road and trail data.
maps4gps: Now that's a thought. As soon as the weather here in central CA. improves, I'll be able to go outside (so I can get satellites) and check if that will give me what I want. Thanks.
maps4gps; It finally stopped raining so I could get outside and try out your idea - IT WORKS. I was able to use the "stream" topo and get roads and trails down in the desert where we go without the elevation lines getting in the way. Next I need to get my Jeep to the local off hiway vehicle park and see how things work in reality. Again much thanks for your invaluable help.
Glade to hear the progress is good.
I am currious; if you are in the desert the 20ft countour interval should not be a problem, caould you give lat & long coordinates for an area which is an issue for you?
maps4gps: I used the desert only because I'm very familiar with the area around Lake Isabella and the Piute Mtns. near there. Specifically the area around N35 27.01 W118 20.59 where there's an old cabin and mine. I wanted the GPS to show the road(s) leading to it. If those roads showed up I figured others would as well. I also 4 wheel in the Northern Sierra around N40 11.42 W121 50.79
That is 'totally' useless.
The 20ft contours come on at the 500' zoom and the 100ft contours stay on through the 1.2 mile zoom. Laura mentions she only used 20 and 100 ft CI's
A usable design would have been 20ft at 500' zoom, 100ft to 0.3 miles and 500ft to 1.2 miles.
Interesting that no one has mentioned this before - third most popular download with over 10,000.
wow that is pretty bad; a rather difficult map since the state is quite large.