[mkgmap-dev] mkgmap-dev Digest, Vol 143, Issue 10

Thu Jun 4 16:34:00 BST 2020

Hi Dave,

sorry, but your suggestion would be very wrong, esp. this one:
"These parameters must be preceded by a double dash (two hyphens with no spaces between them) which are immediately followed by a command string. Each such parameter must be terminated with a comma with no space before or after it. (example: java -jar mkgmap.jar --parm1,--parm2,--parm3)"

1) For historic reasons, some parameters require only one dash, e.g. -c or -n.
2) Only some parameters expect a comma separated option list, and since r4517 a "dangling" comma in those lists should provoke an error message.
3) The typ file can appear anywhere but it is a good idea to place it at the end

The option handling is very difficult to understand, esp. as mkgmap offers so many different ways to do it. There is no way to document it in a few short sentences.

Gerd

________________________________________
Von: mkgmap-dev <mkgmap-dev-bounces at lists.mkgmap.org.uk> im Auftrag von Dave Swarthout <daveswarthout at gmail.com>
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2020 17:05
An: Development list for mkgmap
Betreff: Re: [mkgmap-dev] mkgmap-dev Digest, Vol 143, Issue 10

Pitney wrote:
"The issue with options and order (of precedence?) still confuses me after using mkgmap for years."

I reckon that was my point in opening this topic all along. I think I've got it now and it makes sense but the documentation could still be made clearer IMO. For example:

Invoking the mkgmap java program involves supplying a list of parameters or commands that allow the user to control the operation of the program and the output generated by it.

These parameters must be preceded by a double dash (two hyphens with no spaces between them) which are immediately followed by a command string. Each such parameter must be terminated with a comma with no space before or after it. (example: java -jar mkgmap.jar --parm1,--parm2,--parm3)

All input file specifications (filename.ext) must follow the last option in the invocation string. You may use a full path for that filespec as long as it is enclosed in quotes. (Windows/Dos example: "C:\Users\username\Downloads\Maps\MyState.osm")

Any type file specification (filename.typ) containing custom bitmaps for Garmin lines, polygons and points must be the last file specification in the list of input files.

Etc.

Thanks also to Gerd for the latest releases which addressed the spurious space issue and improved the program's error reporting. I'm sure these will go a long way toward smoother operations for those of us who are only casual users of mkgmap.

Dave

On Thu, Jun 4, 2020 at 9:12 PM Pitney <mappitney at gmail.com<mailto:mappitney at gmail.com>> wrote:
Hello
The issue with options and order (of precedence?) still confuses me after using mkgmap for years. My solution is to not use option files and to hard code all file references. Not good scripting practice but it works.
I think this is a case of where examples are worth a thousand words. I understand in theory option and file order but do not know how to implement it in practice. Examples (in a separate file?) and how to work out which files they will effect may reduce confusion.
I only have a tablet in quarantine so I apologize for any formatting issues.
Pitney

On June 4, 2020, at 2:11 AM, mkgmap-dev-request at lists.mkgmap.org.uk<mailto:mkgmap-dev-request at lists.mkgmap.org.uk> wrote:

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