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A Couple of Newbie Questions Here

Started by no_1_u_know, November 17, 2010, 01:20:33 PM

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no_1_u_know

Hi All,

New here, and trying to get the basics. I have a Garmin 276c, which takes only the proprietary Garmin data cards. I currently have only a preloaded Garmin Marine map card in the unit.  However, I plan to purchase an Etrex Vista HCx, and I want to prepare and practice for loading data to an SD card for that unit. 

I have Garmin Mapsource loaded. I have also downloaded the following map from GPSFileDepot:

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/144/

I have run the .exe and the files are all in a folder titled Lousiana Topo. There is a .tbd file and  .img files, one of which has the same name as the .tbd There is no .typ

Of course I do not want to overwrite the data on the preloaded Garmin datacard I have, but I want to make the above map data visible to mapsource, so that it can be selected for later use. I have read the following tutorial: 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-.img-files-into-mapsource-with-mapsettoolkit/

which says:

It could be easy: If you downloaded the map from GPSFileDepot and it had a setup wizard (where you kept clicking next to install the map) the files are already loaded into MapSource so you can just load the maps onto your GPSr with this tutorial.


Here is the tutorial referenced above:

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-maps-on-my-garmin-gps-unit/

The map does not appear, even though I used the .exe I therefore assume that I need to place the data somewhere so that mapsource can "see" it.  Can anyone tell me where that is, and what structure the data should take?

Also, I cannot seem to see the data on the installed mapcard on my 276c using mapsource. Should I be able to see that data, or view the maps in mapsource?

Thanks!!

Steven
New Orleans
   


Boyd

#1
This is the only tutorial you should need: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-maps-on-my-garmin-gps-unit/

The other one is a specialized thing for maps that don't have an installer (.exe file). You do NOT need to mess with any of those files, they are internally used by Mapsource - just forget they're even there!

The key to selecting the map you want is here. Use the dropdown menu in Mapsource to select it and you should see the map. If you don't see that menu, there's a command in the View menu to enable it, or you can use the "switch to product" menu which does the same thing.



Not familiar with your marine unit, but I don't think Mapsource can access those maps. You could try the Mapsource command to receive from device > maps and see if that works, but I doubt that it will. You might have a valid concern about erasing other maps on the card, so you may need to contact Garmin support if nobody around here can give you a specific answer.

Indrid Cold

Quote from: no_1_u_know on November 17, 2010, 01:20:33 PM
Also, I cannot seem to see the data on the installed mapcard on my 276c using mapsource. Should I be able to see that data, or view the maps in mapsource?
You would need to purchas HomePort to view your Marine charts on your computer:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=64242

no_1_u_know

OK Thanks. However, I did run mapsource (MS)  before, and no maps showed up in the dropdown.

Now I seem to have another problem:  After reading your replies, I attempted to open MS and it would not open, giving me some cryptic error message.  Therefore, I downloaded the latest version of MS from the Garmin website, restarted my machine, and now i am getting an error telling me a "Windows imaging component is missing or corrupted" and MS cannot start.  Anyone ever seen this?

Thanks.

Steven

no_1_u_know

OK, I think I found what i did wrong in extracting the topo map i downloaded: I MOVED it from C:\Program files\...  I have uninstalled it and reinstalled it. Now, after uninstalling and reinstalling Mapsource AGAIN, I am still getting the missing or corrupt windows component  message, and MS will not start.  Argh!


no_1_u_know

OK  - looks like I need Service Pack 3 for XP:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209#Instruct

I'll update the thread when I have installed XP SP3

S~

Boyd

Yes, SP3 is a recent change to Mapsource. You could try an earlier version if you don't want to deal with that. Perry has archived them here: http://www.gawisp.com/perry/mapsource/

The whole concept of how mapsource works almost universally confuses people. There are constant posts about it here from new users. It's not like most software where you open the files you want to use. Maps must be installed into the program and this is not trivial - it involves modifying the Windows registry. After installing you definitely want to just leave the .img files alone. This isn't made very clear unfortunately.

And Garmin is not going to help you with free maps like these. As far as they are concerned, we don't exist. Maybe not such a bad thing; at least they don't harass us for using their proprietary map format.  ;D

maps4gps

MapSource needs to be working properly BEFORE you install any mapset.
Most mapsets on gpsfiledepot are self-installing.  Run the .exe file to install the mapset files - you do not 'extract' them, the self installer makes the necessary entries to the computer's regestry so MapSource can use the data.   When you run the .exe file you can change the default location.  Once installed, do not change the location of the files - MapSource uses the info the installer created in the regestry to locate each mapset - both the folder location and the mapset name.

jbensman

Download and install BaseCamp (it is another free program from Garmin that is simular to mapSource.  I suspect it will access the maps on your GPS.  For example, if I plug my OR 550T and start basecamp, it will access the topoUSA maps preinstalled on my GPS.  You have to have the GPS plugged into the computer for it to work and the first time you have to leave it plugged in for a while for BaseCamp to set it up.  MapSource will NOT ever access a map preinstalled on a GPS or on a data card.


no_1_u_know

Thanks to all who responded to my questions/issues.  After loading SP3, I can now run the newer version of Mapsource, and I can view the map I downloaded from this site. I am sure I will have more questions as time goes by, and I hope to be able to help others as well

Best regards,

Steven   

no_1_u_know

Quote from: Boyd on November 17, 2010, 05:13:27 PM
Yes, SP3 is a recent change to Mapsource. You could try an earlier version if you don't want to deal with that. Perry has archived them here: http://www.gawisp.com/perry/mapsource/

The whole concept of how mapsource works almost universally confuses people. There are constant posts about it here from new users. It's not like most software where you open the files you want to use. Maps must be installed into the program and this is not trivial - it involves modifying the Windows registry. After installing you definitely want to just leave the .img files alone. This isn't made very clear unfortunately.

And Garmin is not going to help you with free maps like these. As far as they are concerned, we don't exist. Maybe not such a bad thing; at least they don't harass us for using their proprietary map format.  ;D

Thanks for the info Boyd. Am I right to assume if I want to add data to a map (say, public area boundaries) that I will have to recompile?    No need for a detailed reply. I will read the tutorials :o)

Boyd

Quote from: jbensman on November 17, 2010, 06:24:22 PM
Download and install BaseCamp (it is another free program from Garmin that is simular to mapSource.  I suspect it will access the maps on your GPS.

I don't think so in his case. Again, no personal experience with marine units, but the question has come up over in Garmin's Basecamp forum. The developers said that Basecamp does not work with Garmin's marine maps in this fashion, and that you must use Homeport, their marine app (as Indrid said above).

Boyd

#12
Quote from: no_1_u_know on November 17, 2010, 07:15:10 PMAm I right to assume if I want to add data to a map (say, public area boundaries) that I will have to recompile

Not quite (IMO). This site strongly discourages the modification of another person's work. So if a map does not meet your needs, you should make your own. In creating a Garmin map, an intermediate file format is used - the .mp or "Polish" file format. This file is fed to the map compiler to generate .img files that can be used on the GPS.

Only the compiled .img files are available here, and they are usually packaged with an installer and not intended to be edited. You would need to decompile the files to make changes, and that presents a variety of issues (technical and ethical).

If you wanted to add open space boundaries, for example, you might make a transparent mapset of your own that could be enabled along with another author's map. That wouldn't require any changes to somebody elses' work.

However, to have the most control over map appearance it's best to start from scratch and make your own map.

I suppose another approach would be to start with OpenStreetMap data since (I think?) it can be modified. If you want to do that, it's worth a look at Mapwel because it has built-in support for OSM.