A few questions :)

[pozzello]

Hi,

I use TopoFusion to create custom mountain biking maps of trails and paths in my area using but have come across a few problems/irritants.

I use the Export View function in Topofusion to generate a kml file of an area, then extract the jpg from the file and modify it in Photoshop to draw trails and paths, add sybmols, etc. Once I'm happy with my custom map, I replace the jpg in the kml file with my own and use a seperate program to generate a set of smaller tiles so I can download it to my Garmin GPS.

2 problems:

Export View limits the resolution to roughly 4000x3000 and crashes at higher settings, so I have to manually scroll the map in Topofusion and export each area seperately, then use a seperate program to merge the various kml files.

When I extract the jpg from the kml file into Photoshop, the image appears streched horizontally, does TopoFusion use a different map projection? The problem is when modifying the file in Photoshop, any added image ends up getting squeezed horizontally when the kml file is reloaded in Google Earth or Garmin GPS.

Is it possible to change the projection of the exported maps? Can the Export View be modified to allow for higher resolution/larger images?

Paul

[ScottMorris]

Hi there,

Let me see if I can help.  I'm a little curious why you are using .kmz files to load up into Photoshop -- seems like exporting direct to .jpg might make more sense?  Or you are trying to preserve the calibration info in the .kmz I guess?

Does your TF crash when exporting a .jpg that is larger than 4000x3000?  How recent is your video hardware?  If you look in the TF diagnostic log it'll tell you the max texture size for your card  But sometimes it will fail below that number too.  You might try looking for newer video drivers.

The projection issue has to do with the requirements for Garmin's Custom Map feature, so there isn't too much we can do about it.  What tileset are you exporting, by the way?

[pozzello]

Hi Scott,

The reason I am exporting to kml instead of jpg is because I need a calibrated image. I'm exporting the MyTopo tileset to kmz as a single image, extracting the jpg from the kmz file with 7-zip, modifying the image in photoshop (drawing tracks and adding icons trail names - making it pretty :-), then inserting it back into the kmz. Using another utility, I split jpg in the kmz file into 1024 tiles so I can use it in my Garmin. The problem is that I can't export a large enough image from Topofusion and have to pan the map manually within TopoFusion and export each section as a seperate kmz file.

ok, I just discovered that I can export a Tiled KML that splits the image into tiles but keeping 1 kmz file, I think this should work (I can use Mapc2mapc to merge the tiles into 1 jpg). What MyTopo tile set/zoom is used by Topofusion when I export this way? Ideally I want a fairly detailed view.

Paul

[ScottMorris]

Paul,

Cool, glad that the tiled feature will work.  That's an interesting way to add more detail to a custom garmin map.

The myTopo export will be in the highest detail setting -- which actually can be changed via a toggle in Options->Preferences->Tilesets.  There's a checkbox there that enables a higher resolution myTopo box -- but beware, it means more tiles for the same area.  I like the higher res maps for use in TF itself, but for exports and custom maps I generally don't find it necessary.