SMC Maps in Mapsource or Send Map-Cannot even get started !

jimc said:

I have seen previous posts on this subject , and people are very
helpful to others posting.

I have just bought my etrex Legend CX so getting used to it. I tried
to download the SMC contour maps to my unit using Mapsource, but the
Mapsource software cannot even find my GPS ! ( I tried downloading the
latest USB drivers , but nothing helps)

I then resorted to the Send map utility, which appears to just wipe
the existing maps off my GPS, and then I can't even see any of the
ones it is supposed to have transferred.
( I had copies of my basemap and replaced it luckily)

This is all most likely due to the fact that I am not familliar with
any of this software or hardware and cannot follow what seems simple
enough instructions from the SMC site.

Does anyone have a blow for blow instructions on what setting the
etrex Legend CX GPS needs to have , and how to transfer the maps using
SENDMAP or Mapsource (assuming I can ever get Mapsource to recognise
my GPS)

This is from my Vista-C, but I doubt the CX models are massively different:

SendMap.
As you've discovered, it replaces all the maps on your GPS with whatever is
being sent. (There is some other tool, whose name I cannot recall, which
does not delete the existing content).
To use SendMap, I recommend you get the version with the graphical front end
(its pretty minimal, but easier than the command line version). Select all
the map tiles you want to upload (they have .img filenames), and they go up
to the GPS unit.

MapSource.
1) get Mapsource to find your GPS unit. This is a Garmin problem, so, if you
cannot get it to work, contact Garmin or the dealer who sold you the unit.
You'll not be able to send/retreive data of any type (waypoints, tracks,
routes) via Mapsource until you've got this fixed. (Tell Garmin support
you're trying to transfer waypoints to and from the GPS as they won't
support non-Garmin map products).
(Mine was just fine, though I have found that the GPS is sensitive as to
which USB port I use; I must use the same one each time (now have a suitable
cable attached to that port all the time)).
2) Assuming you can see the SMC maps in Mapsource (if not, post again, and
someone can give the "how to hack the registry" instructions), then use the
"map tool" (looks like a five-sided shape) to select the tiles you want to
send to the GPS. Having selected the tiles you want, use the transfer menu
in Mapsource to send the maps to the GPS.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

[crosspost to sci.geo.satellite-nav added, in case someone there has
already seen/fixed this)

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person jimc <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

I have seen previous posts on this subject , and people are very
helpful to others posting.

I have just bought my etrex Legend CX so getting used to it. I tried to
download the SMC contour maps to my unit using Mapsource, but the
Mapsource software cannot even find my GPS ! ( I tried downloading the
latest USB drivers , but nothing helps)

What version of Mapsource? Did you install the USB drivers before
connecting the eTrex for the first time? (I vaguely recall that is
needed). if it's a USB driver problem, other programs should have
trouble too - try Oziexplorer, or similar (one of the two free demo's
can interface to Garmin GPS) and see if you can read/write tracks or
waypoints or whatever.

Quoted message said:

I then resorted to the Send map utility, which appears to just wipe the
existing maps off my GPS, and then I can't even see any of the ones it
is supposed to have transferred.

Putting a new map on the unit always wipes the previous ones. there was
a 'Sendmap' attempt to fix this but I think it's hopeless. For one thing
I believe there is a global POI index built on the PC for all the maps
in the set .. the GPS probably isn't smart enough to add a new map in
itself.

Quoted message said:

( I had copies of my basemap and replaced it luckily)

How did you replace it (i.e. what did you use to send the replacement to
the unit)? The basemap should actually survive anything you can
reasonably do using a PC.

Quoted message said:

This is all most likely due to the fact that I am not familliar with
any of this software or hardware and cannot follow what seems simple
enough instructions from the SMC site.

Does anyone have a blow for blow instructions on what setting the etrex
Legend CX GPS needs to have , and how to transfer the maps using
SENDMAP or Mapsource (assuming I can ever get Mapsource to recognise
my GPS)

That's the first and crucial problem. Try google. Try reading the FAQ on
the Garmin website (www.garmin.com) .. if that fails email Garmin
support (they are usually helpful, or at least try to be).

Quoted message said:

I am not just looking for people to do my work for me here, I have
tried to get this working, but must be missing something crucial.

This is one of those things that's pretty hard to solve remotely. I
assume you do have the GPS set up to communicate using Garmin protocol,
(there are maybe some other options).

Step 1 - get =something= on the PC to be able to see the device, and
upload/download things (waypoints would be easy)

Step 2 - get mapsource to do same with waypoint or whatever.

Step 3 - get mapsource to send maps.

Apart from anything else if your PC can't see the unit, you won't be
able to upgrade the firmware.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Contact recommends the use of Firefox; SC recommends it at gunpoint.

did you get a trip and waypoint manager cd
if so install this the usb drivers are on this then connect the garmin and
the pc should recognize it and install it then
mapsource should find the gps
i tried the sendmap program but it thought it was useless

"jimc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have seen previous posts on this subject , and people are very
helpful to others posting.

I have just bought my etrex Legend CX so getting used to it. I tried to
download the SMC contour maps to my unit using Mapsource, but the
Mapsource software cannot even find my GPS ! ( I tried downloading the
latest USB drivers , but nothing helps)

I then resorted to the Send map utility, which appears to just wipe the
existing maps off my GPS, and then I can't even see any of the ones it
is supposed to have transferred.
( I had copies of my basemap and replaced it luckily)

This is all most likely due to the fact that I am not familliar with
any of this software or hardware and cannot follow what seems simple
enough instructions from the SMC site.

Does anyone have a blow for blow instructions on what setting the etrex
Legend CX GPS needs to have , and how to transfer the maps using
SENDMAP or Mapsource (assuming I can ever get Mapsource to recognise
my GPS)

I am not just looking for people to do my work for me here, I have
tried to get this working, but must be missing something crucial.

Quoted message said:

"jimc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have seen previous posts on this subject , and people are very
helpful to others posting.

I have just bought my etrex Legend CX so getting used to it. I
tried to download the SMC contour maps to my unit using Mapsource,
but the Mapsource software cannot even find my GPS ! ( I tried
downloading the latest USB drivers , but nothing helps)

I then resorted to the Send map utility, which appears to just
wipe the existing maps off my GPS, and then I can't even see any
of the ones it is supposed to have transferred.
( I had copies of my basemap and replaced it luckily)

This is all most likely due to the fact that I am not familliar
with any of this software or hardware and cannot follow what seems
simple enough instructions from the SMC site.

Does anyone have a blow for blow instructions on what setting the
etrex Legend CX GPS needs to have , and how to transfer the maps
using SENDMAP or Mapsource (assuming I can ever get Mapsource to
recognise my GPS)

I am not just looking for people to do my work for me here, I have
tried to get this working, but must be missing something crucial.

In Mapsource and go to 'Help' and 'About Mapsource' and see if it says
'USB Driver Versions'. I'm sure I had to upgrade the program I have
before it would see my new Garmin Legend C which uses USB.

--

Don`t Worry, Be Happy

Sandy
--

E-Mail:- [email hidden]
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
Looking for a webhost? Try http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=2966019
Fishig Wild at http://www.wild-fishing-scotland.co.uk/

In message <[email hidden]>, GSV Three Minds in a Can
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

[crosspost to sci.geo.satellite-nav added, in case someone there has
already seen/fixed this)

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person jimc <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

I have seen previous posts on this subject , and people are very
helpful to others posting.

I have just bought my etrex Legend CX so getting used to it. I tried to
download the SMC contour maps to my unit using Mapsource, but the
Mapsource software cannot even find my GPS ! ( I tried downloading the
latest USB drivers , but nothing helps)

Downloaded Contours V2 and installed yesterday. Mapsource wanted a
reinstall and even after that would not recognise the GPS. Going into
Device Manager in Control Panel showed a ! against the GPS. I deleted
the GPS in Device Manager and reinstalled have had no problems since.

I suspect the reinstall was my fault as I had previous installed
Contours V1 and there are warnings on the SMC site about trying to run
both. I read that afterwards!

--
Dennis Foster

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person
Dennis Foster <[email hidden]> said
<snip>

Quoted message said:

Downloaded Contours V2 and installed yesterday. Mapsource wanted a
reinstall and even after that would not recognise the GPS. Going into
Device Manager in Control Panel showed a ! against the GPS. I deleted
the GPS in Device Manager and reinstalled have had no problems since.

I suspect the reinstall was my fault as I had previous installed
Contours V1 and there are warnings on the SMC site about trying to run
both. I read that afterwards!

Actually both will co-exist quite happily, but I can't see any reason to
do so. Sounds more like a driver conflict of some kind .. hence the ! in
device manager (Mapping content can't make that happen - it can make
mapsource get in a know though). Anyway, glad it is fixed now. Garmin
seem to have more than average trouble coming out with a working,
stable, set of USB drivers/protocols (i.e.t he 60CSx won't work with
half the software that worked OK with the 60CS)

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Contact recommends the use of Firefox; SC recommends it at gunpoint.

Quoted message said:

I suspect the reinstall was my fault as I had previous installed
Contours V1 and there are warnings on the SMC site about trying to run
both. I read that afterwards!

I've got both installed without apparent problems.

--
Boo

rob said:

i tried the sendmap program but it thought it was useless

Try this version with frontend, much easier.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mdipol/img2gps/

Paul