[mkgmap-dev] Cutting down the default style

Tue Nov 8 12:58:41 GMT 2011

On 07.11.2011 21:05, Marko Mäkelä wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 07, 2011 at 01:20:06PM +0100, Felix Hartmann wrote:
>> 1. I think the default mkgmap style should be kinda universal and not 
>> only for motorists. It shouldn't be specific and not show advanced 
>> stuff that is only for certain user groups (routes, and so on).
>
> Side note: My family is car-free. If anything, a leaner default style 
> could be making the life of off-road users harder. But, they already 
> need to combine contour lines separately.
>
>> 2. Multi layer maps are not a good solution. a) they work differently 
>> depending on the gps unit (older Garmin GPS only allow only one 
>> gmapsupp.IMG but inside you can disable/enable layers; newer Garmin 
>> PNAs don't allow for this, but you can enable/disable maps only based 
>> on name.IMG being separate).
>
> Thank you for educating me. I did not know that newer units do not 
> allow multiple layers within a gmapsupp.img.
>
>
Actually all of the following cannot activate/deactivate at the same 
time layers or maps (doesn't matter) if they are withing ONE 
gmapsupp.img: extrex 10,20,30, gpsmap 62, Oregon, Dakota, Colorado, edge 
800, Montana. Also nearly all Nuvi (released less than about 3 years), 
and probably the newest Zumo or motorcycle units either. They will show 
all layers or maps at the same time. To activate/deactivate them 
separately they need to be named like srtm.IMG, mtbmap_D.IMG, and so on 
(and I think no name can be longer than 8 characters, at least that was 
the case on older units).
So yes you can layer, but differently and all but the "base"map (meaning 
the one with all Polygons and all roads/streets that are routable) have 
to be transparent. However neither Garmin Basecamp nor the outdated 
Garmin Mapsource can show multiple maps at the same time. Qlandkarte GT 
supports no autorouting on Garmin maps, hence it is not really useful 
for planning trips longer than what is walkable within one day...

Hence the large majority of Garmin users will neither really understand 
the layering concept, nor be able to use it in the intended way. If 
Qlandkarte GT evolves (and the next version hopefully is the first that 
can more or less match Garmin Mapsource/Basecamp on displaying the maps 
nicely (all old versions showed them, but pretty awful rendering 
quality, hence ugly) nor anywhere near as quick (much longer screen 
redraw). I hope someone could help Oliver to implement a simple 
autorouting on Garmin maps in Qlandkarte GT (escpecially as the 
Algorythm used by Mapsource/Basecamp is worse than what new Garmin PNA 
use, overmore it only works well for finding to the next motorway and 
then once at the finish find to the address, but awful for routes for 
cycling/walking that have many turns, and actually etrex 30 does it much 
better) but currently Qlandkarte GT in my eyes is useful only for Linux 
and or Mac OSx (if you want to avoid the hassle to convert to gmap format).