Messages

It's not really a raster file if it can be converted to a vector graphic. Raster data are pure bitmaps, much like what comes out of a digital camera. Vector data is all about lines, points and areas - with area fill properties, etc.

Many image (raster) programs claim to be able to trace raster graphics, few do it very well, especially for high resolution bit mapped graphics that contain data on the meter or less resolution level.

What is GPSMapper?  

Do you mean "cgpsmapper"? Or maybe "GPSMapEdit"?

For the definitive list, just read the cgpsmapper manual. It's as definitive as it gets, since it's the program that compiles the map. See http://www.cgpsmapper.com/download/cGPSmapper-UsrMan-v02.5.pdf starting on page 107

You cannot assure that point, line, or area types look the same on different units unless you create your own custom types, as we discussed elsewhere. Even then, you will find differences in rendering style between models.

I had a reference brain fart. GPSMapEdit. Sorry you could not figure this out.

Your advice about building custom types is well taken in the other thread... and YES, the cgpsMapper user manual was thoroughly gone over before posting this query. In fact' another very useful response was previously found re tying typical Garmin handheld images to the codes by thoroughly going though the postings within this board (it's not all that "busy" ... something that can be done in a few hours).

By the way, do you have any custom maps installed on this site's download link? The reason for asking is to obtain something to ask the question in a PM "How did you do that? - Thanks!

Is there a definitive reference on which Hex codes defines the symbols (lines, POI, etc) in a Garmin handheld? The reason for asking is that I am finding some differences between GPSMapper and a handheld unit (basic etrex Venture unit) in terms of what either shows, with the Garmin being the reference.

The desire is to keep what is prepared to a lowest common denominator basis so all Garmin handhelds can read the symbology. Customizing .img files with a .typ header will leave many handhelds out in the proverbial cold so to speak, so I want to avoid this unhappy outcome. Any pointers as to where these codes lay would be most greatly appreciated!

About my Knox Co, KY cemetery POI project, things are nearly complete!   The cemetery locations and underlying base map that shows contours, roads, hydrography and the cemetery locations work well within the Garmin handheld.

All that I need to do now is prepare the installer that also registers the map with MapSource. It will be posted on the download part of this webpage. Many genealogists will find resource useful for cemetery hunting in Knox Co, KY!

Thanks again about any pointers as to where the Garmin hex codes can be found. The ones displayed as a graphic in GPSMapper do not always correspond to a 1:1 translation to what the handheld shows.

Why can't archive the source data for the base maps and combine the archive with new data to generate a final?  Don't know what formats your data is in, but Global Mapper can open and export to a lot of formats.

All of my back office work involves GIS and there is a pre-existing investment of scripts and processes (some bought, others developed) that are the real secret to for obtaining a profit for services rendered - which does not involve copyright violations. I use GPSr units principally as data collectors. Plus, the end clients almost always require their deliverables to be in an established GIS file format (mostly ESRI or MapInfo derivatives).

I'll check out Global Mapper. Both professionally and personally. I do stuff on my own for the enjoyment of things, such as the referenced mapping cemetery locations in the OP for family historians. (I am one too and can relate as to the difficulty of finding cemeteries our ancestors are buried in.) !


About some other helpful responses provided thus far, an old thread on this forum was found - sorry I cannot cite it (found it a couple hours ago and immediately downloaded the reference Garmin "Map" that show codes & symbols, but had to take care of some business since then). Anyway, the codes/visuals found on this "map" represents to a tee the visualization errors observed when the import codes were used from GPSMapEdit.

I have inserted the code changes into my GIS basmap, but have not had to time to check them out via what is laid out in the topo map tutorial.

Stay tuned.....

Thanks,

I'll check out these tutorials and "play" with things in these links.

I am not interested in plagiarizing or violating copyrights within other work - no need to lecture. I work with proprietary and confidential geodata all of the time. The question about translating the Garmin format to a more standard GIS format pertains to back office GIS processing of collected data if the same custom base map is present when the data is collected and then everything retrieved for follow up work within a genuine GIS environment. Such GIS base maps are my own or others obtained via various express written agreements (NDA's, contracts, etc). These are the ones I use in my handheld and others that may be working for me.

I know this thread is old, but for posterity purposes the following is being thrown out there from the been there/suffered through it department:

* The shapefile format is really a relational database, with the primary relations being between the .dbf (data) and .shp (geometry) file. You can add columns to your heart's content to the .dbf file with an outside editor. This doesn't affect anything. Just save the .dbf as its original name and the shapefile will be "none the wiser."

* DO NOT delete or insert rows in the .dbf file. Doing so will screw up the relationship between the records and the geometry. If the shapefile loads at all, very strange results can be had.

* In terms of using a .dbf editor to modify the .dbf in a shapefile make sure it is dBase III compliant, as the shapefile really uses a dBase .dbf file. The reason for saying this is that some dBase file editors natively save to a dBase IV format. One of the big differences between the two is that a dBase III file does not support null values. Missing or omitted ASCII and numeric data is represented as a blank or a zero in a dBaseIII file. Nulls will make third party readers that closely implement this standard puke if they closely implement the shapefile spec.

Hi all,

I just got a little Garmin etrex Venture to replace my ancient Sporttrack Pro that finally gave up the ghost ... then I discovered this site. What a cool site!

I went through the topo map tutorial with a some differences to keep this learning exercise manageable from a processing and time spent debugging details missed when going though the steps. First, I used my own transportation layer for Knox Co, KY (more accurate than TIGER) and a custom layer that identifies where all of the known cemeteries are in the county. These started out as layers in Manifold GIS, converted to shapefiles and Garmin map codes were inserted prior to being imported into GPSMapEdit. In a nutshell, I got everything to work and these data are comfortably roosting in the etrex!

Below are some questions that maybe the gurus might know something about:

1. For the streets, I used four codes, as the underlying base map only supported that distinction level. I got these from the GPSMapEdit shape file import dialog and then inserted them into the shape file records before actually importing the shapefile. They were:

0X0001 - Major highway; heavy red line;
0X0004 - Arterial road; slightly heavy black line;
0X0003 - Other road; brown? light line;
0X0016 - Trail; light dashed line.

In GPSMapEdit it looks great. In the Garmin and MapSource the major highways show as heavy blue (should be heavy red) and the roads classed as "Other" show as heavy red (should be a light line showing black ... or brown?).

Are there differences in the feature code set between GPSMapEdit and the Garmin? I got the feature codes from GPSMapEdit. The resulting .img file was checked and it looks fine in GPSMapEdit, but shown as described above when installed within the Garmin or viewed in MapSource - which is not is not the desired look.

2. I guess as a follow up question, I am looking to load contour data in to this map and want to show major (every 100 ft), intermediate (every 20 ft) and minor (every 10 ft) contours, using the codes shown in GPSMapEdit. Will the Garmin support these as shown in GPSMapEdit?

3. Finally, are there any utilities out there that will take a Garmin map file and export it to either a .MIF or shapefile? (I can work with a lot of other GIS related file formats too).

Thanks in advance!