GPSFileDepot Forums

General Category => Map Making Support => Topic started by: Pooneil on September 25, 2015, 01:27:01 PM

Title: GPX track overlay onto jpegs of a map going into a KML map
Post by: Pooneil on September 25, 2015, 01:27:01 PM
New to the forum and I am glad to find this place.

I am working on making maps for an upcoming trip to the Smoky Mountains.  I have the tracks for the hikes and many side trails.  The GEOPDF files of the latest USGS TOPO series have been converted into KML files.  What I would like to do is overlay the track data into the jpeg image when making the KML so I see all the tracks without having to have them loaded and turned on in my GPSMAP 62S.  I know it can be done with screen captures from Google Earth, but wow, what a pain.  I also tried doing a manual overlay in GIMP, but wow, what a pain.

I know this can be easily done using GPS Visualizer for older topo maps, but I prefer the newer less cluttered and non-shaded format on my GPS.

Does anyone have some guidance on an automated way of accomplishing overlaying tracks on a jpeg image?   
Title: Re: GPX track overlay onto jpegs of a map going into a KML map
Post by: Boyd on September 25, 2015, 01:36:36 PM
It would be trivial in Globalmapper. But that is rather expensive software that's over-kill unless you are also making other kinds of maps. G-Raster and MAPC2MAPC are pretty nice looking programs for creating Garmin Custom Maps (.kmz files). I haven't used either very much since GlobalMapper does it all for me. The G-Raster author is a member here.

http://www.the-thorns.org.uk/mapping/
http://moagu.com/?page_id=155

Another approach would be to put the tracks in a transparent vector format overlay (.img file). You might check out JaVaWa IMGfromGPX, it's free. Have not used it myself: http://www.javawa.nl/imgfromgpx_en.html

GPX2IMG is another one, haven't tried it either: http://www.gpx2img.com
Title: Re: GPX track overlay onto jpegs of a map going into a KML map
Post by: Pooneil on September 25, 2015, 01:56:53 PM
Thanks Boyd, I'll take a look at those links.

Ya, I didn't mention that I wanted to do it for free, or at least very low cost.  I really wish Caltopo or GPS Visualizer had the latest TOPO series as background maps because they have such nice online mapmaking tools.  The small donations I've made to them are the right price for me as a occasional mapmaker. 

ETA, I actually have a registered version of G-Raster installed.  But was unable to do what I wanted with the program.  I'll look into it again ask back here if I need some help. 
Title: Re: GPX track overlay onto jpegs of a map going into a KML map
Post by: Pooneil on September 27, 2015, 06:20:24 PM
Thanks again Boyd. 

I found that GPX2IMG will work very well for me. Different from what I was thinking to do, but the maps I can make will be very helpful on the trail.  It fits into the price range for a hiker who occasionally makes personal maps, so I'll register my appreciation with the author.


I'd still like to find a way to merge the tracks into a JPG for a KML custom map.  If something comes up I hope it will get posted here.


Edited 4/7/2016 to add:

To follow up.  I have finally succeeded in overlaying the GPX tracks onto a map using QGIS.  QGIS is free software that while not intuitive to use is a very capable GIS package for the amateur user.