maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

My commute to work is 50 miles each way, and I wanted to get involved with openstreetmap...But in addition, its pretty cool having the moving map on my N810.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to get the hang of tethering the NIT to my crackberry (and AT&T has been no help so far). So enroute, I do not have internet access to download maps. Is there a way I can cache maps prior to leaving work (or home as soon as I finish setting up wireless)?

Thanks,
--vr

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Of course. You can "download maps along route." You can also download maps in a certain radius around you.

Also, you can download vector maps for programs like Navit, so you can have the whole statewide maps on your device at all times. Just delete the maps that came with the device to make room.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

I believe you can, but could not get to work because the maps take HUGE amounts of space. Also, you still need to be online to get on-the-fly routing. After much trying, I just gave up and bought a dedicated GPS device, but each person has their own personal needs.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

While I think a dedicated GPS is probably much better if you care about Voice-Assisted Navigation or want to be re-routed en route, I think you'll be very satisfied with Maemo-Mapper if those aren't important. Pre-caching maps is easy.

While connected over broadband:

Go to Maps and select which type. I'll assume you've selected Google Street.

Zoom out so that your whole route is included on the screen. That's probably about Zoom Level 12.

Go to Maps>>Manage Maps. In Setup, have Download Maps checked, and have By Area checked. In Zoom, you'll already have 13 checked; I suggest you add 10. Click OK, and wait until the maps are downloaded and processed.

Now zoom in to, say, 10. Find a portion of your route that includes your house. Do the same thing, but this time with 11 and 8 checked. Then move to the next part of your route, leaving a little overlap, and do the same thing. Do it again, until your screen includes that part of your route that includes your workplace.

At this point you can comfortably watch yourself move along your route at the 8-level of Zoom, which is enough for highway and primary-arterial driving.

For areas where you want more detail, just go to the 8-level of Zoom (sounds like a video game :)), and do the same thing, but with levels 9 and 6 checked. You probably don't need to do the whole route at that level of detail. And if there are sub-areas where you want even greater detail or a nice closer-up picture, do it again at, say, Zoom-6, with 7 and either 4 or 5 checked. I doubt you'll want closer-in than that.

I don't think the files are too large. I have an area of about 30 miles x 30 miles around Seattle down primarily to a 4-level, plus the whole United States at 12, and the whole world at 16, plus other parts of the US at different levels, and its 380 MB. What I've described above, going along a 50-mile route, should be much smaller.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Install flite and you'll have Maemo Mapper gives you voice assisted navigation in addition to the text popups you already get.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

so wait a minute... the n810 doesn't have maps for the gps???? i have to download the route before i use it? no on the fly without a internet connection????

help me understand this please

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Yes that's how it works on the N810. Doesn't seem like such an imposition to me. Once maps are downloaded they remain available. I've never owned a standalone GPS with display so I don't have a frame of reference.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Not for maemo mapper, but I think with the pay service (Wayfinder?) you may get maps.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

ew who wants to pay anything... All I'd really need is central florida maps... can i download just central florida somewhere?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

I know there're downloadable maps for the Nokia Maps (Symbian) application. Any chance they could be ported to Maemo Mapper?
Edit: I meant the maps being (im)ported to Maemo Mapper, not the symbian app of course. :)

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Maemo Mapper works with maps from a large number of sources including Google Maps. All of these maps are free.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

how do you download the maps? or how do you save the maps?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

As long as you're connected to the Internet Maemo Mapper will download what it needs. You can however download any map you like manualy in Maemo Mapper. http://FragosTech.com/MaemoMapper is a complete HowTo that covers map download.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Um, didn't I answer that in Post #4 on this thread?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Yes, yes you did.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Guys, Maemo-Mapper is not the only mapping software for the tablets. Yes, its the best, but it has many shorts.

For example, like I said, you can use Navit

http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...t=18093&page=1


It is not 100% working yet, but it has:

Vector Maps: You can download the whole US of A, and still have space (on a big memory card :) ).

Routing Engine: Yes, you can find directions offline!

Text-to-speach: I think using flite???


So, there are options if you don't mind using openstreet instead of google.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

So you're saying I can keep a permanent map of my area to use as my gps map? Can I set POI's on the map like open hotspots?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Actualy multiple permanant maps and associated POI's are saved. They will not be deleted as your GPS location moves outside the map you're on. You can also save navigation Routes you've downloaded for future use.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

lets say i travel to point a then then i want to go to point b but while on the way to point b i get a phone call and need to travel to point Z can i put the address into the mapper and get directions from my gps location?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

To get directions with Maemo Mapper you need an Internet connection. If you tether to a cell phone over bluetooth and have a data plan directions would always be availble.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

is there no free gps software on the n810 that gives you directions without a internet connection?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

yes.

Navit will do that. It's based on vector maps (like a regular standalone GPS), so can do routing, etc. As I understand it, you can use commercial map products (if you have them) or the vector-based map product from OpenStreetMaps (which is free). The plus side of the latter is that you can join in the project and take part in improving the map in your area by correcting streets, adding POIs, etc.

Once you've downloaded the map image file, you do not need an internet connection to use the GPS, and you can do re-routing, etc as you outlined in your previous message.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

awesome man!! totally awesome!!! i'm sold! ahha

so why doesn't maemo mapper do that?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

...because maemo mapper uses raster based maps -- each tile within the map is just an image of a particular area at a specific coordinate; there is no concept of roads, towns, etc.. just an image.

In a vector-based system (as most "mapping GPS units" would utilize), each element (street, city, shopping mall, highway, etc.) is defined by a set of coordinates (or, often, several sets of coordinates) individually within the map, and rendered (or drawn) on the screen... so the unit "knows" that the entity defined by a given set of points between an area called "Tampa" and an area called "Orlando" on the unit's current view is a limited access, multi-lane highway called "I-4". If that entity is properly defined, it also "knows" that portions of the road, near the area called Orlando, are toll access...

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Advantage of using the Nokia maps is that you can selectively download the entire state/province/country worth of maps in one go instead of selecting a point on the map and then picking the radius you want to download for.

Additionally, you can download the Nokia maps from your computer (fast) and then load them on tablet.

That is, of course, if the Nokia Maps could be imported into Maemo Mapper format. :)

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

There are lots of choices in the open source world including purchasing commersial stuff. Each has their own advantage.