Garmin Map

Overview

FancyRoute supports the very common Garmin image file format. It is a vector-based map format that contains precise topographic information about streets, areas, buildings, points, boundaries, waters and much more. In addition maps may contain routing information for navigation.

The Garmin map format is very handy because it is just a single file and requires no special installation attention. The same file format is used in Garmin navigation devices. The entire European area for example fits into a single 12GB file what is very compact considering that it contains everything required to drive, ride, walk, on-road, off-road, even to fly an area of 10 million km² without missing a single detail down to every mailbox and sometimes to every bush.

Precompiled maps of this format can easily be installed. Garmin maps are freely available from various sources - the FancyRoute Tutorial lists some of them.

Show Garmin Maps

In order to show Garmin maps in the map pane select ‘Menu-Map-Navigation-Garmin Map’ or use the related button in the Navigation toolbar.

Map Installation

The easiest installation method is to just drag and drop the gmapsupp.img file into the FancyRoute window.

Manage Multiple Garmin Maps

Setup Multiple Garmin Maps

In ‘Menu-Tools-Preferences’, tab ‘Garmin Map’ use the buttons Load, Save and Remove in order to store or restore particular map settings. Assign a meaningful name. This name can later be used to quick-switch the map.

Quick-Switch Garmin Maps

In the main FancyRoute menu click the arrow head next to the Garmin Maps button, then chose the wanted map.

Garmin Map Preferences

The preferences dialog can be found in ‘Menu-Tools-Preferences’, tab ‘Garmin Map’.

In section ‘Map’ certain settings can be arranged that defines what map is used by FancyRoute as well as how the map is displayed.

Map file

This field points to the map file location in the Windows file system. Multiple maps can be combined.

A detailed description of all features of this field can be found in Garmin Map File Setup.

Typ file

Using this field the look of roads, ways, paths, areas, points of interest can be defined. The map key lists all types.

A detailed description of all features of this field can be found in Garmin Typ File.

Typ filter

Typ filters can include or exclude certain map elements.

A detailed description of all features of this field can be found in Garmin Typ Filter.

Tile filter

Tile filters can include or exclude particular areas of the map.

A detailed description of all features of this field can be found in Garmin Tile Filter.

Details

Use the slider in order to manage the details shown in the map. Move the slider towards high in order to see more details before the map switches to the next map layer.

Font scale

Use this combo box in order to adjust the size of labels in the map. This can be useful if the labels appear too small on high resolution monitors.

Labels

Use the check boxes in order to show or hide the labels of certain map features.

Check/uncheck Point labels in order to show/hide the names of points of interest, like:

• Shops
• Churches
• Mail boxes
• Restaurants
• Bus stops
• ATMs

Check/uncheck Polygon labels in order to show/hide the names of areas, like:

• Residential complexes
• Lakes
• Farm lands
• Forests

Check/uncheck Polyline labels in order to show/hide the names of:

• Streets, paths, etc.
• Power lines
• Rails
• Administrative boundaries
• Cable cars, etc.

Check Tips with typ ID in order to add the Garmin map typ-identifier to the title tips shown if the mouse hovers above a map item. The typ ID can be helpful in order to create typ filter using the field Typ filter above.

Projection

In order to show the spheric real world on a flat screen a technique called cartographic projection is applied to the real world data. By using the right projection parameters the way the entities on the world’s surface appear on the screen can be determined. Projections can let the world appear flat or distorted in a way it is suitable for the user. What at the first glance looks funny is an important mean for geodesists and cartographers and even normal users.

An excellent example for useful projections is the polar region. The projections we got used to (Mollweide Projection) shows the polar region very distorted whereas e.g. the Universal Polar Stereographic Projection would show the region as we expect it.

Mollweide Projection of the polar region
Universal Polar Stereographic Projection of the polar region

The combobox lists the projection types whereas the fields beneath specify further parameters for the selected projection. The parameters itself follow the PROJ format for cartographic projections.

Use the Test button in order to show an example globe in the preview windows next to the parameter fields.