Import Photos as Waypoints

Overview

Photograph files can hold information about where each photo has been taken. FancyRoute is able to import such photos in a way that it places waypoints at the position of the photo origins.

example map

Such waypoints can be clicked in order to show the enlarged photos.

How it works

FancyRoute is able to import so-called geotagged JPG-files. This is what most up-to-date smart phones and some digital cameras generate if one takes a photo. Beside of the image information the JPG-file can contain GPS position, date and time, exposure settings and some more information about the circumstances of the photo. FancyRoute is able to extract these information and to create a waypoint out of it.

Tip: Some smart phones do not store the position information on default. It must explicitly be allowed in the camera settings of the phone.

How to import

  • Enable position information in the settings of your smart phone or digital camera.
  • Take your photos and copy them onto your computer.
  • Open FancyRoute.
  • Drag and drop the photos or the enclosing folder into FancyRoute.
  • Now the map contains waypoints as depicted above, you may zoom out in order to view all waypoints.
  • Additionally, the project pane shows the number of waypoints created.
  • The name of a waypoint represents the date the photo was taken.

If you were to drop your entire photo gallery into FancyRoute you could easily see which places you visited in the past years. That can be an interesting journey.

Tip: Sometimes the sheer amount of waypoint labels may flood the map. Go to ‘Menu-Options-Preference-Style’, in group ‘Waypoint-/route-/track-options’ untick the checkbox ‘Show labels’ in order to hide waypoint labels.

How to show the photo

Under the hood such a waypoint contains a file system link to the photo-file. When the user tries to open the photo using one of the methods below the operating system is invoked and finally shows the photo.

Using the menu

This works in the map pane as well as in the waypoints pane.

  • Select a waypoint showing the camera symbol.
  • Use ‘Menu-Edit-Open Link’ in order to open the photo.

Using the mouse

This works in the map pane only.

  • Hold down CTRL+SHIFT keys, then left-click onto a waypoint showing the camera symbol.
  • FancyRoute opens the underlaying photo.