Author Topic: Question on New download method? (Read 8950 times)

m38a1guy · « **on:** July 05, 2007, 05:07:13 AM »

Hello Kurt,

I was thinking about adding to my map file through Nasa's server but you added that new format to the new version, can I download and add to my dat files or am I going to have to redownload everything to add more content?

Also this new format has nothing to do with the DEMS right? So those should work in TF with or without the new format for image maps?

I only get about 500k download speed which isnt bad but its not as nice as the 2mb crowd so downloading these maps for the area I need takes Days.

Another question is how much space is saved with the new format? Lets say I Have 10GB of data what would the new download format be? 5gb?

I'm tempted to redownload everything but its a BUG process for me since I AM cover Millions of Acres for work. I also found out Google Caches so I have been using thier free software as a more up to date lookup and your software and my main GPS map tracking. I wished you could take this Cache files at import them into Topofusion. lol They got a great compression rate.

Grant

Krein · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2007, 03:12:57 PM »

Hi,

Sorry about the post not showing up. This forum (and this forum only) is moderated by hand, due to spambots constantly posting. This one fell through the cracks.

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I was thinking about adding to my map file through Nasa's server but you added that new format to the new version, can I download and add to my dat files or am I going to have to redownload everything to add more content?

No need to redownload. If the "Use DXT1" checkbox is not checked, TF will continue to operate as before -- downloading and saving in .jpeg (and .gif) format.

If you enable DXT1 compression, new tiles will be downloaded and saved as DXT1, but your old maps will still be there (again, no need to redownload). Your old maps will just be slower to load from the HD than newly downloaded maps.

Quote

Also this new format has nothing to do with the DEMS right? So those should work in TF with or without the new format for image maps?

Correct. No change in local DEMs or 3D download.

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Another question is how much space is saved with the new format? Lets say I Have 10GB of data what would the new download format be? 5gb?

No, the size of map files is about the same, with the newer format being slightly LARGER than the old.

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I wished you could take this Cache files at import them into Topofusion. lol They got a great compression rate.

Keep in mind that the google cache file is not permanent. Meaning, just because you download it once, doesn't mean it will always be there. That's probably why your cache file is small.

With TopoFusion, once you download, you'll always have it.

Thanks for the questions, Grant. Hopefully it'll help clarifiy some stuff for other folks, too.

Larry · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2007, 05:27:01 AM »

Quote (Krein @ July 06 2007,6:12)

If you enable DXT1 compression, new tiles will be downloaded and saved as DXT1, but your old maps will still be there (again, no need to redownload). Â Your old maps will just be slower to load from the HD than newly downloaded maps.

Krein, any progress on a DXT1 converter? For what it's worth, on my computer if I enable DXT1 compression the old maps, of which I have plenty Â

'> Â are just slow enough to load to be annoying.

Larry

m38a1guy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2007, 09:17:03 AM »

Something else I noticed When wanting to download more areas I noticed that the areas I already have saved seemed to be added to the download tiles. So I get the 1679475 etc instead of less since I Already downloaded the tiles, does the program try to redownload existing tiles? I know its not suppose to but I am wondering if it is? I did some tests on sections I know I have all tiles on and yet there was a slow process or downloading that shouldnt even be?

m38a1guy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2007, 10:40:35 AM »

That would be nice, BTW On google I noticed they have a cache to disk which can go to 2gb which is what I spoke of, I dont think it overwrites until it reaches it limit, but their compression isnt bad. I test it by removing internet access and then loading google and see what it caches, it seems to cache all that you look at, but I was just wondering if there was a way to import their Dat file. lol

Krein · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2007, 11:33:56 AM »

Quote (Larry @ July 08 2007,6:27)

Krein, any progress on a DXT1 converter? For what it's worth, on my computer if I enable DXT1 compression the old maps, of which I have plenty

'> are just slow enough to load to be annoying.

Yep, definitely slower.

Haven't made any progress on the converter. Started a project for it and got some of the necessary libraries, but it's not a trivial program to write, unfortunately.

m38a1guy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2007, 01:12:25 PM »

Did you have a reason why TF is downloading tiles already downloaded? I was testing this out and it was going through the lengthy proceedure of downloading them again, or atleast taking the length as if it was. Is there some way to make them bypass the tiles downloaded already and go straight for ANY tiles NOT downloaded already? It would be faster when trying to add to existing map sections since as you know Terrasever can hang on long downloads. I get about only 560k download speeds. Bypassing the existing Tiles in the download box will save me hours, software should know already not even to count the tiles that are downloaded.

Krein · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2007, 01:41:44 PM »

Quote (m38a1guy @ July 08 2007,2:12)

Did you have a reason why TF is downloading tiles already downloaded? I was testing this out and it was going through the lengthy proceedure of downloading them again, or atleast taking the length as if it was. Is there some way to make them bypass the tiles downloaded already and go straight for ANY tiles NOT downloaded already? It would be faster when trying to add to existing map sections since as you know Terrasever can hang on long downloads. I get about only 560k download speeds. Bypassing the existing Tiles in the download box will save me hours, software should know already not even to count the tiles that are downloaded.

TF won't re-download any tiles. There was a problem introduced in 3.0 that caused the totals to not be computed given the tiles already download, but this was fixed in a later revision:

3.02 - [2/21/07 - 2/23/07]

Turned DXT1 compression on user maps
Speedup - user maps loading using IJL instead of D3DX
Fixed batch download totals not updating
Fixed bug causing fuzzy networks and stray lat/lon points
Fixed bug causing hang with downloading disabled
Fixed runtime 13 error with logbook and international settings
Added ability to cancel a calibration point
Added airplane icon

But even when the totals were not correct, it still wasn't re-downloading any tiles that already existed.

m38a1guy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2007, 02:50:29 PM »

No but it goes through the slow process of ACTING like it downloading, in other words taking time to count them or something which increases the time, They should Zip by Fast on the number of tiles needing download instead of checking the server for tiles that already exist.

Basically its like the software is checking the tiles your already have which takes time when dealing with thousands of them, when ALL of them are already downloaded it shouldnt take but a couple minutes for the software to know that. Try it yourself. take a section that you KNOW you have all the tiles then use the tool to download and draw a box then let it download, if you look, even though its not technically downloading the tiles again it goes through the slow process as if it needs to download them. Same time as if you didnt have them downloaded already.

Its easy to check and makes doing extra sections a pain as you can never be sure what the program is downloading and what is just Wasted time on tiles already done.

Krein · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2007, 05:18:35 PM »

You're right, if you grab a new area that's largely been downloaded before, there will be a delay as each tile is checked to see if it already exists.

There really isn't too much we can do about this. Downloading batch is a 'set and forget' kind of operation, so I don't think it's that much of a big deal--as long as you know you aren't wasting space (or bandwidth).

Out of curiousity, how many mapsX.dat files do you have? The larger your collective map set the slower this operation (starting a batch) is going to be.

m38a1guy · « **Reply #10 on:** July 11, 2007, 09:26:14 AM »

10 I have 10.7gb and really need to add to it, lol My problem is Terra sever Hangs and the delays over already downloading tiles is a shame as it slows and ties up the internet connection for HOURS.

Krein · « **Reply #11 on:** July 11, 2007, 11:28:48 AM »

I see what you are saying. Does it really take hours to go through the already-downloade tiles?

I'll have a look to see if there isn't something extra slow about the code.

As always, thanks for the feedback.