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General Category => GPSr Units => Topic started by: woodstramp on October 17, 2008, 11:09:25 AM

Title: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: woodstramp on October 17, 2008, 11:09:25 AM
Hello, 

I had posted on Groundspeak with questions about my new Nuvi 200, but seeing how I'm having trouble seeing maps (wyoming-from here) maybe y'all can help.

Problem......New Nuvi 200 (it works)....downloaded Mapsource......downloaded your custom WY map (to see what it looks like).   When I pull up mapsource all I can see is a gray grid.  I can see POI's from my Favorites on the gray grid, but that is all.  Wyoming is a grid too, but it's yellow.  I can zoom in far enough and see a topo map.   

I highlighted one small chunk of Wyoming and sent it to the Nuvi using Mapsource, but I can't see any detail like a topo would have in that area of Wyoming.  Just the road map that is already on the Nuvi?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: -Oz- on October 17, 2008, 03:05:02 PM
You should get a map view of Wyoming in MapSource.

Which Wyoming map; the topo or the landuse.

To view the map you have to hide the roadmap.  I don't have my nuvi right now but when I am near it I'll check the steps.

Also, make sure you pick a part of Wyoming to send that you're in otherwise you won't see any topo features (admitadly if you can't see the map thats hard to do).
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: woodstramp on October 18, 2008, 03:03:06 AM
Oz,

Thanks for the reply.

Got to play with Mapsource and the Nuvi some today.  Figured out how to fix one of the problems.  I can now see topo details of your custom WY map on the Nuvi.   There is an option in the Nuvi where you can change the view from "Automoble" to "Bicycle" to "Pedestrian".  If you select "pedestrian" your topo shows up.  Works like a charm.  If you cursor away outside of your map's realm the regular Nuvi road map is there.

Still have a problem while trying to look at stuff on the PC with Mapsource.  That yellow grid where Wyoming is in the world is viewable after all, but you have to zoom in to see the detail.  If you back out too far you can only see a yellow grid.  (I originally wasn't zooming in far enough and thought I had a problem there.)   The problem now is that I cannot see any of the rest of the world.  It's just a gray grid surrounding Wyoming. Zooming in or out makes no difference.   (Maybe Wyoming really is God's country?)  :)
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: -Oz- on October 18, 2008, 11:50:22 AM
Haha to Wyoming being God's country.

Glad you figured out that way to view the topo.  i actually didn't know that way.  I'm working on a tutorial right now with screenshots showing how to change what map you are viewing.

Now, to see the rest of the world... that is an interesting conundrum pretty much because you don't have maps for the rest of the world.

If you look at this image: (http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/images/articles/image/load1.jpg)
You can see that I have a bunch of maps on that drop down list.  Most likely you just have Wyoming Topo and No Map.  This means you don't have coverage outside of Wyoming.  If you want to be able to see the rest of the country (without having to buy a map) your best bet is the IbycusUSA road map: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/19/

Then when you are outside of Wyoming you can select that to view roads (no topo data).  At this time you will still have to manually switch maps to view outside of Wyoming; they won't overlap.
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: woodstramp on October 18, 2008, 08:10:14 PM
Oz,

Now after I've read what you wrote I may not have a second problem after all.   I'm used to using Magellan's topo software and you can see the whole world (continents, oceans, national borders and major cities and a US basemap).  I just assumed that Garmin's Mapsource download would be the same.

I;m thinking now that Mapsource is just a clean slate and you have to plaster the canvass as you acquire map plates (Garmin's proprietary stuff or homemade). Is this correct?
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: -Oz- on October 19, 2008, 01:15:50 AM
That is completely correct.
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: woodstramp on October 19, 2008, 10:03:12 AM
Oz,

Thanks for effort in resolving the non-problem I created.  ;D

Sorry, but I tend to do that from time to time. 

I live in Alabama and seriously considered trying to compile a Bama map after seeing your tutorial.
Then I read your forum where someone with the handle "Neuodoc" is having trouble from time to time while creating a new map set.  If a neurologist is running into snags in the effort then I don't need to waste your time and bandwidth with all the questions I'd be posting.  :D

Thanks for the maps and info, though.
Title: Re: Newbie with a Nuvi - Mapsource is blank
Post by: -Oz- on October 19, 2008, 07:32:59 PM
I would say if you have the right speed connection start working on Alabama.  The most difficult thing neuro has run into is that my tutorial doesn't say where to find Ocean and since Alabama doesn't have ocean you're good.

As long as you're not using windows 2000 it should be pretty easy.  And I love to help out because it means more maps for more people.