Loading custom made maps into Oregon 450 using sendmap20

[EL34]

Hi all
I have been making my own custom maps with cGPSmapper for many years
I have 4 custom maps I update all the time and then reload them into the GPS

I have always used sendmap20 to load all 4 maps at one time into my Map76cs
10000000.img, 20000000.img, 30000000.img, 40000000.img

40000000.img is a huge topo map that I don't turn on until I need it.

In my Map76cs all four maps showed up as individual maps and I can uncheck a box to turn each one on and off.

I just got an Oregon 450 yesterday.
I loaded all 4 custom maps using the exact same method I use on the Map76cs.

The problem is that in the map setup screen, it only shows one big map, not 4 maps.
All four are always on in the Oregon.
Below you can see a screenshot of just one custom amp, even though I loaded 4 at the same time.

How do you load the maps so that they all show up as individual maps on the map setup screen?

Thanks for any help

[Indrid Cold]

I'm pretty sure that that is not going to work with the Oregon the same as the 76, the Oregon will group maps even when sent as separate files by map FID. You might have to build out installers for the separate layers.

[EL34]

Hi thanks,
I am not sure what this means?

build out installers for the separate layers

[Boyd]

It should be even easier on your Oregon and no software is even required. Just copy those four files exactly as shown to the Garmin folder on your Oregon. Do not use Sendmap. When the Oregon starts up, you should see each .img file separately and enable/disable it as you like.

Your old unit will only recognize an .img file named gmapsupp.img. The Oregon recognizes any file with an .img extension. When you use sendmap20 on the newer units, it behaves as you describe and groups them all into one item named "maps uploaded with Sendmap20".

BTW, you now need to change your terminology. Garmin has redefined the term "custom map" to mean raster imagery enclosed as .jpg files within a compressed .kmz archive. I know that many of us used this term previously to describe any map we made ourselves, but using it today will just confuse people.

Welcome to Garmin's new world. 

[EL34]

cool, going to try it right now
I'll be back

[Indrid Cold]

It should be even easier on your Oregon and no software is even required. Just copy those four files exactly as shown to the Garmin folder on your Oregon. Do not use Sendmap. When the Oregon starts up, you should see each .img file separately and enable/disable it as you like.

Yes, that might work. Give that a shot first and let us know how it works for you.

[EL34]

Ok, that worked
I had searched the web for a long time and did not see that info anywhere.

Ok, so Loading maps with sendmap combines all the maps and saves that as GMAPSUPP.IMG

Copying individual .img files to the Garmin folder lets you select them individually in the Oregon.

One thing I noticed is that the maps do not seem to combine on the screen into the same layer.

One of the maps I downloaded off the web lays on top of all my maps and covers them up.
I supposed that has to do with how that map was created?

All my maps merged onto the same layer in my Map76cs

Thanks so much for the info guys. (gals)

[Boyd]

Each map has a draw order value between 0 and 31 that determines how they will stack (maps drawn later cover up the earlier drawn maps). Maps can also have transparent backgrounds, allowing you to see the one(s) underneath.

There are various ways to control this behavior. The program gmaptool is one way. Or you can set these parameters in the Properties dialog in gpsmapedit. You can probably also hand edit the header of the .mp file and put them there, although I haven't done it directly myself. For a quick fix, gmaptool might be the easiest way - do a google search for it. Actually it's probably the only way if you don't have the original source file.

The grouping of maps is controlled by the FID (Family ID) number, as Indrid alluded to. When you use Sendmap, it sets the same FID for every map it creates, so they get grouped. You could manually change this value also, in similar ways to what I described above.

[EL34]

Excellent info, thanks so much
I've got some things to sort out now I guess.

Another thing I noticed is that my topo map had thin black lines in my Map76cs and were easy to see against the light brown background.

The lines are white in the Oregon and hard to see against the light brown background.

I re-did the topo map in cGPSmapper with a different RGN40 type and they still are white.

In Mapedit my topo map lines show up as brown contour lines and can be seen very well.

[Boyd]

The best way to control the appearance of the map elements is to use a custom .typ file. This will force the map to look virtually the same regardless of the device. It adds more complexity however because it involves bundling the .typ file the map file(s). Sendmap20 can do this. But for full mapsource compatibility you probably want to use MapsetToolKit. I found this all very confusing at first myself. 

For the basic concept of custom types, see the tutorial here starting on page 33: http://cgpsmapper.com/download/GM8DocV2.pdf

After reading, you can forget all the stuff about creating the text file and compiling it. Instead, you can use the user-friendly online editor here: http://ati.land.cz/gps/typdecomp/editor.cgi

Click the Create tab to start with a "clean" file. Changing the background color and elevation contour appearance is very simple once you grasp the concept.

[EL34]

I am getting nowhere with creating a custom .typ file and having it work as expected in the Oregon 450.

I created a simple .typ file in the editor http://ati.land.cz/gps/typdecomp/editor.cgi
The .typ file only defines one thin contour line 0x20 that is used in my topo map.
I made the line color red and added some text (topo) so I could tell if the lines were different in the GPS

I created a combined .img + .typ file with sendmap20.

I loaded the .img file into the Oregon and enabled it. The topo map lines are still white.

I loaded the same exact .img file into my Map76cs and the topo lines are red and my text shows up next to all the topo lines.
So there is nothing wrong with the .img file.

What the heck is the problem with the Oregon?
Does it not respond to .typ files?

[Boyd]

It works fine on the Oregon, I have used custom type files extensively. But sometimes it doesn't work to do this with Sendmap 20. For example, this kind of file will sometimes make my Nuvi 3790 freeze and fail to complete the boot process. I have an Oregon 400t, and have not seen this problem, but since the 450 is newer it may share the odd behavior of the 3790. I suggest that you use any test maps on a card instead of internal memory, because if this happens with a file in internal memory you could have a big problem but with a card you can just remove it.

If I create a mapset using the "correct" method with mapsettoolkit, it always seems to work. That should probably be your next stop since it will also display your map in Mapsource with the custom types. http://sites.google.com/site/cypherman1/

It may take a little while to understand how this works initially, but here's a quick overview. Create a folder and put the .img file(s) and .typ file inside. Choose that folder using the Select IMG button. Click select all and Add so the files are listed on the upper right under Selected IMG files.

Choose this same folder in the Mapset Directory box. Give the mapset any name you like. Make up a number for Family ID an leave Product Code alone (defaults to 1). Version and copyright can be whatever you like. Draw priority was discussed above.

In the TYP file box, choose the file you created with the online editor. It is already compiled so don't click that button. Check the boxes that say Install in Mapsource and Blank Overview Maps. Now click Start and if you did everything correctly the mapset will be installed into Mapsource. You computer may give you a warning about the program trying to modify the registry, so you will need to approve that. Note that when the installation is successful you get the confusing message "Convert termined" (the program author is not a native English speaker )

Now you can use mapsource to view the mapset and the results of your .typ file. If you like it, send it to your GPS as you normally would in Mapsource. If you make further changes to the mapset you will need to uninstall/reinstall.

Doing this will eliminate any of the weirdness related to Sendmap20. Others have also noted these issues here.

[EL34]

Hi Boyd and thanks
I don't have Mapsource

The only files I use to create maps cgpsmapper, mapedit and sendmap

I have tried uploading the map two ways and both are no go in the Oregon
Both methods still show white topo lines.

Using sendmap20 to create the GMAPSUPP.img in the Oregon
Copying the .img file directly into the Garmin folder on the Oregon.

Again, this same file works correctly in the Map76cs, so I know the .typ file is working.
the .typ file is part of the custom .img file, I can see that it is inside by loading the file back into sendmap

[Boyd]

Mapsource is free and should be a basic program for everyone with a Garmin handheld. It is used to install almost all of the maps on this website. See this: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-install-mapsource-if-it-didnt-come-with-your-gps/

All I can do is share my own experience and tell you what has and has not worked for me. If it doesn't suit your needs, maybe somebody else can help.

[EL34]

Thanks,

It says this on the Garmin site about mapsource

◦WARNING: This software will not work unless you already own a MapSource product.