Downloading and Installing Open Street Maps (OSM)
 

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable Satellite navigation device. The maps are created using data from portable SAT NAV devices, aerial photography, other free sources or simply from local knowledge.

For the adventure traveller, OSM not only provides the best quality digital nav maps for much of the non developed world, the maps are also free. For the financially challenged traveller, OSM maps can just as easily be used in lieu of Garmin maps in Europe and North America. The OSM map database is easy to convert into a format for both Garmin sat nav units and for Garmin basecamp / mapsource / road trip software on personal computers and laptops.

To get an idea of the detail available on OSM, it worth looking at OpenStreetMap and zooming in on areas and cities of interest.

To get maps that are in a format for use on your Garmin sat nav and Garmin software, you first need to go to a site that can compile the maps for you - such as Free worldwide routable Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap

On that site you will find a map of the world broken up into grid squares. To build a map I recommend you do the following:

(1) click the small box near the top of the page that will "enable manual tile selection"

(2) begin clicking on the tiles you want to build up a map. There is a limit to how large you can build your maps in terms of how many grid squares you are allowed to select. I have in the past selected sufficient squares to do all of Africa, South and Central America and Northern Asia all on one map. Use the zoom buttons and arrows on the map to move around and make sure you have chosen all the small squares around more populated areas that you can see when zoomed out too far.

(3) When the tiles you need for your journey or for one section of your RTW trip have been selected, enter your email on the left of the page in the box marked "email address". Further details about your map request will be emailed to you.

(4) Immediately on entering your email you will be sent an email telling you your request has been received and you can expect further emails. A second email will arrive a few minutes later with tracking details of your request, where you are in the map building queue and a rough estimate of how long it will take before the computer moves onto your map request.

(5) Eventually you will get a 3rd email ... this email will tell you that your map has been built according to the squares you selected, and will provide you with 5 links. There are only two likely to be on interest to you, one will be the map itself, and one will be if you use MapSource or RoadTrip software. If you use BaseCamp or dont need the map on your computer, then all you need to download is the map itself.

The map for your garmin sat nav will be the link containing the IMG format file, which will be zipped. Download it. Note where you are downloading it to so you can find it once it is downloaded.

The link for the software file for mapsource or roadtrip are also clearly labelled in the email. Again, download the appropriate file.

Note, you only have 48 hours to download the files related to the map you have built. After that the links are dead and you will need to begin again.

6) Install the software for mapsource by double clicking on it. The next time you open Mapsource the openstreetmap will be selectable on the drop down map selection box at the top of the page.

7) Prepare a SD or micro SD card for your map ... you will load the map onto the memory card, and then insert the memory card in to your sat nav. Firstly on the blank memory card create a directory (folder) and name it "Garmin". Second unzip the file directly into that Garmin directory. The card is then good to go ... place it in your sat nav and select the map to use it.


- - -

For people who know a lot more about this than me (and there are a lot of you out there) please add more info to this thread for those trying to use OSM for the first time

Thanks that is exactly what I was after. I actually feel a little silly now because it was so simple.

Use gmasupp file
 

Do not use mapsource program to install your maps.
It's prone to failure and pain in the butt. Also very slow.
You will be given several choice of files to download.
Choose gmasupp file,, simply extract one file then make a directory called Garmin/ on your SD card,, simply copy and paste the file under it and boot up.
Your unit will recognise the map.
As for the GPX file, for waypoints ,,I find it must be on the main memory under Garmin/GPX/.
Takes 10 seconds.

excellent info.. thanks

I do not use GPS, but this is certainly a very useful info. Thanks for sharing it.

Maybe another reason to move one day a step forward to GPSing...:mchappy:

Esteban

Mapsource has worked very well for me for years.

Fantastic for planning and sharing information IMO. :)

SD Card
 

Yes you are a few lucky ones ,, with Garmin's ancient software.

As for the SD card ,, map file ,, try to use under 2GB ,, 4GB at the most is you have MP3 on there as well,,,for most of the map covering say two continents are under 1GB. Anything larger will reallllllly slow down the Garmin ,, loading the map.

Looks like I'm another lucky one. I use it for all sorts of purposes on my Desktop and Netbook PCs. Never had a problem with it in more than 5 years of use.

Also found it easier to bypass mapsource on my 60CSX and install the gmapsupp.img directly into the garmin folder, i am wonderig how to get colebatch's brilliant waypoints into the device where i have done a straight SD card install.

Donuk
 

Stick the unit on USB to your PC ,,
Under Explore ,, you have 'e' and 'f' drive or whichever your system shows.
Under first drive ,, most likely 'e' ,, since f is where the map file is. You will see a folder either 'data' or 'gpx' get rid of the 'current' and slide over Walter's gpx. Boot up ..look under 'favourites' Voilla ,, you now can change the symbols for gas,, rest,, motel,,, repairs etc.

Roadtrip - what is that?
 

This input reminds me of the pain I have with Nokia mobile phone software (Nokia Ovi) which appears to go out of its' way to be non-user friendly and difficult to use. So much so, that I avoid using the phone for anything but making calls nowadays (damn the few pics that are on it).
(as an aside, I handle the output of my digi camera in much the same way that Seouljoe outlines).

So, I haven't got into GPS software, yet, but I take the point about bypassing proprietry, "intermediate" software whenever possible.
With this in mind, relating back to the excellent OP, I have heard of both mapsource and, what seems to be its' Garmin replacement, basecamp.

But what is roadtrip and is it any good? i.e. better than the other two bits of Garmin software.

On the new generation Garmin units like the Gpsmap 62/78 series, you can rename the gmapsupp.img file to something more descriptive like CountryName.img.

I have an 8g Class 4 micro SD card installed in my 62s. I use it as a usb drive storing all my gps projects and OSM maps there. This allows me to install Garmin Basecamp on two desktops and a netbook and move between them. Basecamp's 'Backup & Restore' function makes this possible.

I created a Folder on the SD card called 'My OSM Maps' and sub folders named to mirror the continent names in OSM. That's were I store the OSM downloaded *.img files when I don't need them.

daryl

OK, not so simple for me...I downloaded the img file but cannot get it to show up in Basecamp. How do I do that?

Motoreiter
Assuming you have a Garmin Montana - this procedure only works if you have that model of gps.

If you already have downloaded the image (gmapsupp.img) from OSM

1. Create a folder on the micro SD card called garmin
2. Place the image inside that folder
3. Put micro SD in the Montana
4. Start Basecamp
5. Connect your Montana to your pc and wait a bit

Your pc will first recognise your Montana connected via usb port
then Basecamp will 'hear' the Montana and the map will become visible being imported - look at the green progress line on left hand side in Basecamp.

tip: you can rename the gmapsupp file to the name of the country/ies the .img is made up of- This new name will be visible on the Montana to help select/deseect but it revert to OSM worldmap in basecamp.
Whatever you rename the gmapsupp image, do not rename the extension ! the .img is for the benefit of the electronics not for the nut who connects the saddle to the handlebars!!:blushing: :rofl:

Bertrand, thanks, I indeed have a Montana.

I did not realize that Basecamp will only recognize maps which have been installed on the GPS unit, so thanks for explaining that.

Basecamp will recognise maps installed in your Montana's own memory AND those on the micro SD card.
The larger the map, the more time it takes to 'cross over' but you can always see the green progress bar.
Maybe see you in Germany!:thumbup1: Weather forecast is good!:mchappy:

OK, I've gotten the OSM map of Mongolia to show up, but the level of detail is really low--there are very few roads, and once I zoom in below a very high level, all of the roads and terrain features disappear, even Lake Hovsgol disappears; do I need to download separate maps at higher detail levels? Also, where do I get the tracks?

Sorry for the dumb questions, but a lot of this GPS stuff is really counter-intuitive for me.

no that's normal- in OSM map detail will fluctuate wildly depending on how much data has been sent in.
In some places it's as good as city navigator in others it's sparse.

The only way you will get better maps (if they exist!) is to buy them.

Tracks are made by others who may share them with you
Same for waypoints

Just a word of caution if I may- if going anywhere remote DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and verify all data supplied by others.

can you bring your montana to lunch??

heh, brought it with me.

Also, it appears that the battery fried during my last trip, when I had it mounted on the bike, so right now running it off of AAs. Anyone know what the battery would have fried? During the trip I kept getting messages "Unsupported Battery Detected", but I thought that the contacts might have been dirty or loose.

Basecamp will also see maps that are installed on your computer.

daryl

I put a map (img file) in Basecamp's Map subdirectory, but it did not seem to see it.

When you download maps from OSM, you can download a zipped image file that when unzipped can be placed on the gps's sd card. Or you can download an executable file that will install the maps on your computer. BC can see maps that are installed on the PC and the gps.

Maps installed on the PC can be sent to the gps via 'MapInstall' by selecting a map region. 'MapInstall' is included with BC.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorial...rmin-basecamp/
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorial...rmin-gps-unit/

There needs to be a sticky for using Basecamp.

daryl

For what is worth.....I live in the state of Missouri, in the US. I've been using OSM maps to route me around the state finding Geocaches. I've been quite pleased with the maps and their detail. The only issue I have, is not being able to do address searches.

daryl

Reading different forums there seems to be a consensus of opinion that if a Montana is mounted in the power-fed bespoke hard mount, there is no benefit in having the battery remain in the unit - in fact quite the contrary-

I sought Garmin's advice on this and their take was:
"Aside from the battery being charged whilst in the hard mount, there is no need to have it in the Montana."

Its removal seems to possibly avoid running the risk of battery loosening/damage and makes some sense. Some people have placed some soft foam between the battery and the casing to make a tighter fit and lessen possible vibration issues.

My only question, (which I forgot to ask doh) was the issue of compass calibration.
i.e once calibrated, does the unit retain its setting for this as the battery is removed?

Another Q for Garmin unless someone has the answer?

Thanks for this info; I had hoped to keep a battery in so I could take pictures it, but I guess that's not critical. I am also trying the foam trick to see if I can get my battery to work.

Very useful info... Thanks...

I have been following this thread with interest and have successfully down loaded an OSM map that covers Antigua to Base Camp but have come across a problem getting it to work on my Zumo 550 when loaded on to an SD card. It will work fine when loaded to the Zumo memory. I have a Garman life time update subscription and the maps of Europe that I have loaded on an SD card work fine.
I have loaded them in to a file ‘garman’ on the SD card but nothing that I have tried so far has allowed the Zumo to recognize them. Any ideas appreciated.

Is there any way to transfer maps to and from the SD card to the Zumo without the use of a computer?

Is there a noticeable difference in speed when using maps on the SD card as apposed to the memory?

Is it possible to load OSM maps on to an Android tablet and access them with a program like Base Camp and then transfer routs to a Zumo?

If anybody is wondering why I need a GPS map of a 100sq mile island, I don’t, but as I live here it makes for a good test. The detail and accuracy of the OSM map is impressive.

Make sure the *.img files are in the 'Garmin' directory on the SD card.

What size is the SD card?

What SD Card to Use in the Zumo 550 | eHow.com
http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showt...-card-max-size

daryl

All forgive me if this is a n00b question, just bought a 600 and trying to work out how it works.

I have created a map of eastern russia and downloaded to the montana & basecamp, i can view the map in detail and have created a route between 2 waypoints but when I attempt to select it an error appears "Maps do not have routable routes in this area"?
I have tried it in Demo Mode also.
Do I need to do anything before loading the OSM img file into it?
Thanks

Mark

The file should not be called Garmin.

It must be in a directory called Garmin, on the SD card ... the file (for a zumo) must be called gmapsupp.img

I have a Zumo 550 with Europe shared Ireland and UK on the main unit memory and the rest of Europe on a 4gb SD card.
I have downloaded OSM map of Russia in .img format to a SD card
My question is can I put the 2 maps on the 4gb card and would theRussian OSM map take over from the Garmin world map once I get to Russia
Can you enter addresses for destinations as usual and is it easy to decode a Cyrillic address using roman keypad
Thanks
Paul

hmmm...

what am I doing wrong?

I have tried to download 3 sections on OSM and every time I try to get 2 on my computer it overwrites the original. Even if I rename the file.

Any suggestions?

G

1. Download the .img file you want
2. Move it out of your download folder or wherever it has been saved.
3. Rename it to the country/bit you want
4. Create a folder called garmin on your memory card
5. Copy the image into this folder

Do another download of another map &repeat process as above
ad- infinitum

If you are downloading the mapsource with the auto installer to install in mapsource, it will always overwrite the existing OSM file as you can only have one if you do it this way.

But I am keeping these on my laptop. I don't have a normal GPS as I use the laptop for navigation.

I tried messing around with the registry keys but I didn't get anywhere. They have all been re-named but MS will only show the latest one (installed like you said).

Thanks for your help Bertrand

Edit: I think I may be downloading the wrong option.

You get these download options:

The server has generated four different configurations of your map:
* _windows.exe = Installer for Garmin BaseCamp/MapSource (Windows).
* _macosx.zip = Installer for Garmin BaseCamp/RoadTrip (Mac OSX)
* _gmapsupp.zip = Combined image for direct manual placement on the GPS device (gmapsupp.img)
* _tiles.zip = A zip file containing the tiles in the request, especially useful for Linux users (e.g. QLandkarte)

naturally I downloaded the .exe files to use on MS so maybe I need to download the 'combined image' but will this work on MS?

G

IMG file will not work on laptop. Only on a Garmin device. For laptop you need to download and install the exe file

Sorry Griff - did not realise you just use MapSource on pc

OK Walter is correct - use the .exe option but I suggest you chose all the tiles you want in OSM to build you ONE very large map with everything you need as you will ONLY be able to have ONE in MS with this method.

Linky not working Bert :)

Thanks for all your help. Not sure what the max map size is. Seems to struggle over 1500. I have another 3 maps on their way so should be here soon.

G

max size don't know.
I have a single one of Russia, Mongolia, Stans Iran and not reached 2gb yet! so I would not worry too much!
The key is to stay below the maximum number of map tiles which is 2025 per map (or was last year- I am not aware of any changes in that but things change so fast these days-)

Looking at the OSM maps, the tiles (IMHO) are not an issue but would be if you use City Nav Europe for example.

Hi Bertrand

I have done a few more map downloads and re-named them, Kyrg, Kazak, Laos, then copied them to the SD card

When I look in the map database, all I see is 3 of the same

OSM Generic Routable

And when I run basecamp, the maps are available, but the only way to see what they are is to select it with the drop down box and see what are athe tiles cover

Am I doing something wrong here?

Cheer from Moscow
TravellingStrom

Hello 'Strom'
You shot out of HU germany so fast we never had time for a beer!

Quote: "When I look in the map database, all I see is 3 of the same"
Not sure what you mean there.
All maps should be located in a folder called Garmin on the memory card.


When you download the .img file, just rename it to , for example' Kazak010812
(reason you know which country and the date you downloaded the OSM data)
This will become visible in the GPS (if you have a Montana or 62S) and you will be able to select it or deselect it at will.

The name will ONLY be visible on the above gps's (that I know about)

The edited map name will not display in Basecamp when connected via usb to either of the two gps named above and will revert to the generic name which is written in the map data as against just the file name.

Apologies if your gps is neither of the above
I only know about the 276C, 278C, 62CSX, 62S and Montana
Only the newer units support multi maps selection/ deselection amongs many other features.

A great way Garmin keeps our business and keeps giving us new toys! & when I say 'give' I mean you have to deep deep alas. But IMHO, they're worth it!:rofl:
Safe continuance my friend!

Hi Betrand, yep I was running fast, sorry about that.

I have the Montana 650T

I downloaded 3 maps images and they are in their own download folders. I extraced them there and renamed each image
Laos.img
Kazak.img
Kryg.img

I then copied those three images into the GARMIN folder on the SD card.

When I fire up the Montana and look in Setup/map/Sekect map, I see the following extra maps


Enabled - OSM generic routable
Enabled - OSM generic routable
Enabled - OSM generic routable

If I click on one of them it lets me enable or disable it, and if I click on the i it just tells me it is an OSM generic routable map etc, NO info regarding which map it is


So, for me the process failed somewhere along the line

Cheers
TS

When multiple ".img" files are installed, it is difficult to differentiate them in the on-device menu when they all have the default "OSM Street Map" name set in the ".img" file header, but it is relatively simple to change the on-device name.

Every country has a three letter International Olympic Committee, IOC, code. Using the following instructions replace 'OSM' with that code and give it a try.

"LAO Street Map"
"KAZ Street Map"
"KGZ Street Map"

Open the ".img" file in an editor that can handle binary data.

1. Make the change.
2. Save the edited ".img" file.

daryl

Thanks Daryl I will give that a try

Cheers
TS

**edit, nope that did not work at all. I can edit the name and replace those three letters, but when I then copy the image across to the SD card, nothing shows up on the Montana, in the menu screen that is, the actual img file is on the SD card, it is invisible**

It works on my 62s and I can see it in Basecamp. Make sure the *.img file is in the 'Garmin' directory.

daryl

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...lh62c/LAO1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/dlh62c/LAO.jpg

Looks like the OSM file header name has changed to 'OSM generic routable'. But changing the 3 letters should still work.

"LAO generic routable"
"KAZ generic routable"
"KGZ generic routable"

daryl

Nope, it does not work and is invisible to the unit and BC, although I can see it in the Garmin directory

I had to download the whole thing again because when I changed it back it was faulty :(

I will load one at a time, until I can find a better way

I have a thought though, I used Word2007 as my editor, maybe I need something else?

Cheers
TS

Double check the file name, it could be something like 'filename.img.doc' which won't work.

daryl

Thanks for the info.
I have tried dowloaded some sth american maps, but am not getting any of the activation emails after selecting the tiles. Have tried a couple of different email accounts including gmail, but nothing.
Have also tried searching the help files on the osm site but cant find any info.

Can anyone help?

Depending on how many jobs are in the que and the map size, you'll be sent an email when the maps are ready for download. Some maps can be downloaded immediately after your selection.

daryl

Thanks Darryl
Was a bit impatient. Took a couple of hours.

All good now working perfectly.
Thanks you.

No questions about GPS from me today - that makes a change!
I have just completed some experimentation, i.e. new to me, and have downloaded OSM, for the UK only (= about 250 MB zipped).

I can agree with the quote above: in contrast to the excellent description in the OP about how to download from OSM, there seems to be another option (which I didn't even realise I had selected). It provides the options shown above, immediately, without use of email or even providing an email address to OSM; I guess it does this as a consequence of choosing a whole country within the obvious options that the OP describes.

So, I downloaded/unzipped only the gmapsupp.img file for the UK, dragged it across to a clean SD card, placing it into a new folder named "GARMIN".
Then I put this SD card into my Nuvi, switched on and looking under tools, disabled the onboard map in the Nuvi so that only the OSM version is showing.
This has worked fine and the Nuvi now shows a much more detailed map of the UK. For me, that counts as a success for today. :thumbup1:

I hope this is useful to anyone else who is learning to use OSM.

ps As per the OP, all of this applies to the download site http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/
(there seem to be a few mirror sites for OSM)

pps There is another description of how to do this in this thread:- http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...594#post416795
in post number 4 - essentially the same, but a much more cogent explanation!!

As a follow up to my last post in here, I found some "holes" in that last OSM download of the UK and I travelled into one of them when I used the Garmin last. When downloading the 250 Mb I noticed some "tiles" within the UK were not showing on the website, but gave it no further thought.
Sure enough, when I physically travelled toward one of these, the map more or less disappeared (but one major road did stay in the display although it was not plotting correctly - I know this because I was on it at the time).
When I went on a bit further, the full map re-appeared on the Garmin, presumably when I got back onto a tile.

I am now downloading again, and this time the download is 337 Mb and it seems to have tiles to cover the whole of the UK.

Oh, the joys of computers. :D

ps And it unzips at well over 400 Mb, but, hey, the whole world is only about 330 Gb :innocent:

With these OSM maps it is possible to create multiple sets, but it is probably better to create one that covers all areas you want. Each Garmin map has "number" this determines things like which map has the highest draw order ie if you have say City Nav and OSM for the same area which one will show on top of the other. Having multiple multiple maps with the same could confuse some Garmin units.

Also someone mentioned address searching. OSM is very particular about how the search terms are entered and doesn't wildcard anywhere as well a City Nav map would. For example in City Nav the word Lincoln would be found anywhere in the street name. In OSM if we are searching for Ulica Lenin (a nice common street name in Russia) you may need to search for Ulica Lenin, Ul. Lenin or Lenin Street depending on how it has been entered on the base OSM data, you can't just search for Lenin and have it find all the streets that have the word Lenin somewhere in the title.

Apart from that we found that for Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia that these maps rock! We didn't carry paper maps at all. From what Walter told me it runs all over Garmin's ROR.

My experimentation continues, and this procedure works on my second-hand Nuvi 205W; maybe it works for any Garmin product?

ps; The procedure works OK for the first bit in the quote = the 5 steps. For a Nuvi, the file name can not be changed from "gmapsupp".
I get around this by holding different OSM maps in separate folders in computer memory and/or on sd cards - the folders are named with the countries of relevance but the file names in all of the folders are gmapsupp.img, exactly as downloaded from OSM.

Also, I've done the download again (all as below) but this time I acquired the .exe file which puts the mapping into basecamp.
This has worked just fine, and I can now find the same map from two different locations:-
1. Within basecamp, via this .exe file
2. From the .img file held within the GPS unit (or, for that matter, straight from the SD card of the GPS unit when put into the card reader of the computer).

That's probably enough experimenting by me, for 2012.

Name Last modified Size Descriptionhttp://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de/icons/back.gif Parent Directory - http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de/icons/text.gif tiles.txt 04-Dec-2012 20:22 1.1K Contains a list of tile numbers that are used for the maps in this directory. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de...ns/windows.gif osm_generic_windows.exe 04-Dec-2012 20:27 370M Map installer for BaseCamp/MapSource on the Windows platform. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de...cons/linux.gif osm_generic_tiles.zip 04-Dec-2012 20:24 367M Compressed file that contains the tiles and overview map. This is useful for applications like Qlandkarte and Linux users. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de...cons/macos.gif osm_generic_macosx.zip 04-Dec-2012 20:29 365M Map installer for BaseCamp/RoadTrip on the Mac OSX platform. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de...ons/sdcard.gif osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip 04-Dec-2012 20:25 348M Compressed file that contains a single image that can be placed directly onto the SD-card of the GPS. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de/icons/text.gif country.txt 04-Dec-2012 20:22 15 Indicates which country this map represents. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de/icons/text.gif 63240000_license.txt 04-Dec-2012 20:22 225 License information for OpenStreetMap. Also contains the Mkgmap version used to combine the maps. http://osm.pleiades.uni-wuppertal.de/icons/unknown.gif 63240000.nsi 04-Dec-2012 20:22 10K Nullsoft Scriptable Installer script used to create the BaseCamp/MapSource installer.

Maybe there does need to be a sticky about basecamp, but there is this:-
http://garmin-mapsource.wikispaces.com/BaseCamp
and I've found it excellent for getting over the first few steps with BaseCamp.

No Luck
 

Maybe I am doing this wrong...

After a few minutes of waiting, in the build folder I only get two text files, tiles.txt and country.txt. No IMG file whatsoever.
Other times I get absolutely nothing but a Parent Directory... :(

Rather than selecting individual maps I selected a specific country/US State in the pull down and did an override in the tile selection. (First test was Australia, second test was Texas). I also try using individual maps. No joy.

Any ideas what is going on?

~CW

I have just done it again, downloading "Texas" from Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap and it is working OK - in the same way that I have done before (as per my earlier posts).

Of the 5 steps in the web site, marked with question marks in there, I use steps 1, 3 and 5 only:-
1. Choose your map type:
Generic Routable <<<<<<<<<<< I select this
Routable Bicycle (Openfietsmap Lite)
Generic Nautical (non-routable)

2.Include a TYP file (Optional):

3.Choose a predefined country:

4.Perhaps you'd like to add some additional tiles?Enable manual tile selection: , then use the map below to add and remove tiles to the selection.

5. Request your map or download it directly:
Download map now!

The result came back more or less instantly, with a full set of download files like those in my post number 55 of 3 weeks ago.
(I've now deleted them - I'm not going to Texas any time soon).

Somehow solved
 

I did the job again from my Linux machine at home, had a lot more luck.

My first attempt was to select an entire country from the pull down. There was no filed for an email, rather just a link to obtain immediately...I am assuming these are pre-built, as the link pointed to a readily available IMG file.

Second attempt, I chose Australia and manually added some NZ sections. This time there was an email address filed, which I filled and requested the build. One different fromt he previous attempts is that the builds took a lot longer to obtain...about 15-20 minutes, rahter than the immediate responses I would get previously.

So all is well as far as download. Now I have to test reliability.

Anyone knows if these maps contain POIs?

Time reduction - smaller map area?
 

Why don't you download a small map of Oregon? And then you can 'test' from your own memory/tracks? Surely this would be of more use to you? And it would take less computing time on the server ...

Yes there are POI in the maps - in Mapsource or on your GPS use "Find" .. and see.

This does not surprise me at all.
Here's my take on what is happening with OSM downloads:-

1. The OP describes how to obtain a bespoke, made-to-measure suit; this takes time to measure up, sort out the customers exact requirements and make the end product (in this analogy, the suit).
By email, you get confirmation that your suit is ready to be collected.

2. The method I mention in my recent posts is how to get an off-the-peg "high street" suit; it is available immediately, of course sir!

Searchable Addresses
 

I have used OSM maps when travelling in Russia and now in New Zealand with my Zumo 550 and have been very pleased with the quality of the maps with the exception of the fact that anything but the major road names are not searchable. I find this very strange in that nearly every street is named on the map and read in the audible directions.
This means I have had to enter my destination as a coordinate or make a waypoint in Basecamp and download it.
Am I missing some fundamental setting change or is it something you have to live with OSM maps on a Garmin

No.

I haven't had much luck searching for anything either. Keep it mind, you get what you pay for.

daryl

Address Navigation
 

From the start of our trip it will be handy to have address based navigation. Is OSM good for this or is it worth spending the money for the City navigator. £75 seems alot for only 3 weeks worth of traveling??

Re: Searchable Addresses
 

I've been a pretty steady mapper and contributor to OSM for the past 3 or 4 years and have been lurking for almost as long on the developer's mailing list for MkGMap - the program that is used to convert OSM data to the img file used on Garmin GPS's. It's clear that the MkGMap project has an extremely active and impresssive group of developers who must never sleep! This is definitely not a dead project! I've never contributed on that side of the project as my programming skills are not up to it and admittedly much of the discussion is way over my head, but it's an interesting list to follow.

It's clear that address searchability has been a major topic of discussion and the focus of considerable work. From what I have been reading in my mailbox over the past year or so, it seems that the nut has been cracked. My understanding is that the issue seems now to be in the limitations of the OSM data.

Although there are tools in the JOSM mapping software for adding specific adresses to locations or for specifying a range of addresses along a road, mappers rarely use them... mostly because the values just aren't known to them. So if it is not in the OSM data, it's not going to show up on the GPS. Since data tags such as country, state, and city are generally not added to each point, MkGMap does try to fill in those data by comparing the location of each POI, line and polygon to a pre-compiled file of all the world's administrative boundaries. Unfortunately, that boundary information is often incomplete and/or inconsistently applied from one country to another. When all else fails, MkGMap does make a stab at assigning the object to the closest administrative center as best it can. For example, if a road lies outside a city boundary, but close to a small, mapped town, it would probably be found by specifying not the city in the search, but the town.

I've used the OSM-derived maps for a few years all over Europe, NA and now Australia. I think the search feature is definitely getting better... or I'm getting better at using it. I find that the trick when searching for streets or roads is to not get too hung up on what city they're in... If the street is clearly in a big city, then fine. If it's outside a little or you're not exactly sure where it is, just don't specify a city in the search at all. Skip entering the city and use "Search All". Also, the OSM standard is to spell out the whole name in the data. So, look for North River Road, not N River Rd.

Anyway, it's a great project. Best way to give back is to get involved and map your own area.

Sam Longiaru
Kamloops, BC
Now bikeless in Australia :(

Sam, you seem to be "in the loop" with MkGMap. Can you tell me when/if they will ever fix the problem for Japan where place names are all transliterated into Latin characters with CHINESE readings. While many of the characters are the same, the readings are completely different. For example, what should be "Keihin-Kyuko" becomes "Jingbangjixingxian" (or something like that). I pointed it out years ago, but nobody seemed to be interested in fixing it...

Technologically disabled cry for help!
 

Howdy all,

Big ask but would anyone in London, or southern Germany have a whole bunch of maps already to go on to an SD card and thus into my Garmin. I tried and tried to do as colebatch instructed, i have OSM, i have Mapsource, I have Basecamp...... i dont have much time left! im flying to Europe (from Sydney) in 10 hours and i have an emply Garmin.

Im heading to Rome via Stuttgart, maybe Munich, if anyone in that area could even just show me what i'm doing wrong it would be awesome..

Thank you

Tom

If you are really desperate then see my earlier post, number 52, for an alternative approach that has worked OK for me - it delivers a single country map "in real time" i.e. with no delay while waiting for an email confirmation.

OSM and Japanese characters
 

Hi Chris...

It's not really a thread I've been following, but I did find this on the MkGMap wiki and it does seem to parallel my vague recollection of the discussion regarding Cyrillic characters that I was following for a while.

When MkGMap is executed, you may specify numerous options within the command line. One of those options specifies which code page (character set) the program should use when generating the img file. From what I see, code page 932 (Japanese characters) is now supported. It also appears, however, that the Garmin device must have the font installed. The wiki above does have a good link and intructions as to how to install the fonts on an older Nuvi. I'd check out the Garmin site to see if your model supports the character set natively or just what you have to do to get the Japanese character set to display.

The rub is to have an img file created using the --code-page=932 option set. I'd guess that most of the pre-made ones (like those on Lambertus' excellent site) are set to the default Latin. Although, it might just be worth a quick note to him to see if he would be willing to offer the option for Japan...

It is possible to generate your own img file using OSM data and MkGMap with whatever options you want, but it is not a quick and easy job or for those who are hardware-challenged. The data set for the entire planet now runs about 20G, although sub-sets are available. And it does take a machine with lots of memory. I've done it successfully for maps of BC, (but just barely) using a Linux machine (the way to go for this) with only 4G of memory. It took a few hours to generate the img file. Downloading from Lambertus is so much easier!

Anyway, I'm no real expert on this. Just an interested bystander. I think I'd take the easy route first by contacting Lambertus and asking about him offering the option of Japan with a 932 codepage and if that doesn't work, maybe ask the MkGMap folks if there are any problems to watch out for when generating your own. Then, if all is OK... maybe give that a try.

Thanks for the feedback Sam.
I will try to see if Lambertus would be willing to tweak his software to do something about Japan. Most of Garmin's devices not specifically for the Japanese market don't seem to handle the language by default, and travelers naturally don't want to mess with the firmware on the road. I don't use a Garmin myself, but it would be great for visitors to Japan to have something useful. Even something that just removes the non-Latin characters would be better than Chinese reading of Japanese words clogging up the screen. This is especially true as much of the info in OSM for Japan is bilingual.
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/imag...ese-sample.png

Garmin is quite behind the times in language support it seems. My iPhone handles input as well as display of dozens of languages....

Hope you don't mind if I resurrect this thread for some advice that I feel I've already had 27 times in 54 different forms but to no avail..

At this stage I just want to view maps on a laptop.

I have MapSource installed on the computer - in a directory called Mapsource - naturally.

Clicking on Map Source application opens a map screen ready to go.

Then if I go to Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap and request a map - say of iceland and download it immediately, I get a choice of

[DIR] Parent Directory -
[TXT] tiles.txt
[ ] osm_generic_windows.exe 20-Apr-2013 14:56 15M Map
[ ] osm_generic_tiles.zip 20-Apr-2013 14:56 14M
[ ] osm_generic_macosx.zip 20-Apr-2013 14:56 14M
[ ] osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip 20-Apr-2013 14:56 14M
[TXT] country.txt 20-Apr-2013 14:56 19
[TXT] 63240000_license.txt 20-Apr-2013 14:56 379
[ ] 63240000.nsi

Now I understand that if I had a Garmin I could just drag [ ] osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip onto a sd card - maybe into a folder called Garmin and I would be away.

However as I want to run this on my laptop for now, I believe I have to download osm_generic_windows.exe

But - BUT - this is where I come unstuck.

What on earth do I do with this - meaning where do I install it. Do I install it in the Map Source Folder, in its own folder or where. I know it installs several files, mostly image files but ????

Then, how do I open the map on mapsource.

BTW - I know I can only open one such map at a time, but iceland iss the next trip so it will do for a test. Later I will swap to bottom half of S America which is what I really need.

Phil has made his files available for download but not having any luck with those either.

I've just has a quick play myself Tony.

I closed Basecamp to start off with.

I downloaded the OSM Windows file like you, ran it and during the install it already had "C:\Garmin\Maps\OSM generic routable" as the destination.

I then opened up Basecamp and along the top toolbar where all the icons are, there's a text dropdown box, I clicked this and there's an "OSM generic routable" option. This was the map I had just downloaded and it displayed fine.

Hope that helps. Dan

Bloody amazing - after lots of messing around last night I must have done the right thing and there is was, just as you described.

My problem stemmed from first getting on the OSM site and following some of their suggestions as to a map viewer, and where to get the maps Just ended up annoyed at broken links, obsolete software and stuff written by "experts' for "experts' that just never worked the way I thought it should.

Found this post through an internet search and it seemed to be written in a way that made sense, but something was still missing.

Just one little extra point - I have ended up with two maps available, the generic one you mentioned, plus one that Phil provided - both of Bolivia - which seems to contradict the advice that only one map can be referenced at a time.

Oh, the other problem that was giving me problems was I don't have a Garmin so was cheating a bit with how I got the Map Source to run, but then it still needed a base map to hang proper maps on so that slowed me up a bit too.

Thanks for the thread.

Is anyone having trouble loading these onto Mapsource recently?

It use to work fine. I had some downloaded before we left the UK.

now it downloads, the files are on my computer, but is not in the drop down box when you open MS. Seems someone changed something somewhere and it now wont show.

Luckily I still have it on my GPS60CX so I can get around but it would be nice to scroll through OSM in the evening on the laptop so what is what.

G

Best Equipment For Viewing Open Source Mapping?
 

I'm interested in hearing opinions on what is the best/easiest option, equipment wise, for utilising OSM. I'm completely new to using anything other than Garmin mapping, so please forgive the basic questions. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the OSM option.

I do have the Garmin Mapsource World map on CD that I've been using for trip planning on my computer - using Garmin RoadTrip. I understand that I could save the route and waypoints that I have created onto an SD card for use in the Nuvi, but the detail on the World map is quite sparse.

I'll be travelling in a Land Rover Defender to Russia, Mongolia and the Stans. I have a Garmin Nuvi with 45 European countries loaded, so I am covered until I exit Ukraine into Russia. I'm looking at OSM for the areas not covered by the Garmin Nuvi mapping.

Having read this thread, it seems that installing OSM onto devices can be problematic. Before I move down the road of downloading OSM, I'd like to determine which equipment option would be the most suitable.

As I understand it, I could download map files and install them onto an SD card for use in a Garmin Nuvi (I have a second Nuvi that could be dedicated to use with the SD card). I could also purchase a hand-held Garmin such as the Oregon or Montana and load the maps directly to that (I think). Is either of these options easier or preferable?

I will also have an iPad and probably a Macbook Air laptop in the vehicle. Am I correct in thinking that OSM can be loaded onto the Macbook and somehow linked with the Nuvi (bluetooth?)? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to this option - other than having a significantly larger display screen?

I'd appreciate any advice on the best way to proceed regarding equipment. Then I'll try to follow the instructions in this thread for actually downloading and installing the maps.

OSM maps will load into both Mapsource and Roadtrip (and Basecamp) just fine. Basecamp is your best bet for a MacBook Air as it will allow you to create tracks also.

You shouldn't have any problems loading it on to your Nuvi as long as you have enough space. I am not sure if the most recent Nuvi firmware allows you to show tracks on the map view, earlier versions did not. If your budget extends to it replace the Nuvi with a Montana.

No current Garmin software allows realtime mapping between a PC and a GPS.

For your Ipad I think is an app that allows you to have offline OSM maps.



Sent from my GT-I9305T using Tapatalk 2

Craig
Just a thought if someone has a windows based pc, ( sorry I now zilch about apples unless they my favourite Braeburn variety!) you can install the old N-Route software and link up your gps via usb lead for real time scrolling map.

Bermudarover
If budget allows, a Montana will serve you well. OSM maps can be installed on a micro sd and under Basecamp.
Easiest way is just to take the image and place one on a a usb stick for Basecamp to read and one on a micro sd for the Montana to use.
You would have to install the map on a tablet running windows if you want to use N-Route and be visible as you drive*
* not recommended due to safety issue aka keep your eyes on the road!

Just wanted to mention that I was amazed by how well OSM worked in Mongolia, it was amazing. It had a route to everywhere I wanted to go, regardless of the lack of paved roads in many places. And no mistakes where it would send me 50km down some track and then change its mind (as my Garmin devices have done several times). OSM Mongolia, for instance, was far better and more reliable than the Garmin maps I bought for Morocco a few years ago.

Since discovering OSM about 6 months ago and realising they'll work on my Garmin I'm always curious which maps to use. For example the new Garmin Europe City Navigator 2014.20 maps or OSM. I often end up taking both, just in case but use the Garmin maps most of the time. However I can certainly see that changing should I go to Mongolia or similar.

I have 2 sites I enjoy looking at. One overlays OSM (or another) data real-time on Google Maps so you can see the differences, just use the slider at the top to increase/decrease the transparency:

transparent map comparison openstreetmap google bing yahoo

The second site I use has any 4 maps in quadrants so you scroll on one and can see the differences between 4 map-sets.

Map Compare | Geofabrik Tools

Maybe someone will find it useful if they're not already widely used and I'm just late to the party :)

I have mentioned it before but not in this thread, so will add it for the sake of completeness.

A tool I use all the time for comparing maps and sat imagery between Google, Bing, Yahoo, OSM, and about 30 other sources is the great Russian utility called SASPlanet. It also allows you to download and cache maps and images from any and all of those sources at any and all levels of zoom you want. Its a programme so works online or offline. You can also hook up a GPS feed to it. I find the programme needs to be operated as an administrator to work properly.

It also is the best tool I have found for drawing off road tracks based on satellite images as you can switch easily from one source to another while you draw to maintain the greatest level of detail on the map.

http://sasgis.ru/download/ SASGIS - SAS Planet Download

er, sounds rather time-consuming, Colebatch!

Thanks for the feedback guys. It sounds as though getting a Montana (or similar) would be the best way to get OSM in a format that I can view whilst driving - with the added option of putting the maps on a stick for the macbook for non-driving use.

I've just been looking at the soon-to-be-released Garmin Monterra. Based on the reviews so far, it seems like it has everything that the Montana has with a few extras. It is Android based, so can have apps downloaded to it. It also has a dual band receiver for GPS and GLONASS, which may be a useful feature in Russia and Central Asia. It allows you to merge maps for a 3D viewpoint. It is compatible with Montana accessories, so I could mount it in the vehicle.

It will be more expensive that the Montana - estimated retail price in the US is $650. It is expected to be released around October, so it is something that I could consider as well as the Montana.

I was taking to someone who had seen a prerelease one of these he was was very impressed.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using Tapatalk 2

Maybe I missed it, but is there a way to download multiple maps to MapSource?

When I select an area on the OSM site and download the EXE file to install to MapSource, it works fine.

If I choose another area on the OSM site and download the EXE file, it overwrites my previously downloaded region.

Any way around this?

Jamie

See the post below - it's number 37 in this thread and you can read the discussion around that post.

Guess I did miss it.

Thanks. Not the answer I was hoping for, but I can work with it.

Jamie

More than one area...
 

Having more than one OSM map ... Works for windows (7 + XP) with mapsource

1) You can chose to have an OSMlite map - by choosing the bicycle option when requesting your map .. it will appear different on the screen - remove the .typ file in the folder C:\Garmin\Maps\Openfiesmap Lite if you want it to appear the same. This will be in addition to your normal OSM map.

2) In your C drive there is a folder - default position - \Garmin\Maps\OSM generic routable OR \Garmin\Maps\Openfiesmap Lite where you will find your map tile files .. make sub directories here for each area - eg Asia, Australia, Europe, North America etc. In each of these place a copy of the files in the main directory after you execute the relevant .exe file of each area .. then when you want an area copy the files back from that sub directory. You can still only have one map area at a time ..but you can preselect what area. This means you are not requesting/updating all of the world at once thus reducing your work requests to OSM and the delays.

?
 

Sweet. and what GPS were you using? Did you have laptop along as well?

C

Loading direct to Garmin
 

Hi Folks,

I've just got a new Zumo 660 after losing my old one and need to get some maps on to it. Is their any way I can download the OSM files direct to the device instead of putting them on to a memory card via a computer? I don´t have easy access to a computer with a micro SD port at the moment.

Thanks!!

I am a complete novice at GPS, I have just bought a Zumo 660. I have downloaded the OSM map for Central Asia, Russia, Mongolia.

If I want to download Waypoints I save them in a separate file to the OSM map which is on an SD card? Are the Waypoints completely independent of the map?

If I get rid of the 'current' file will I lose all my current POIs related to my Europe or Australia Garmin maps? In short are the way points saved to the GPS itself or a SD card?

I may not be making any sense here, sorry just trying to get my head around it!

Hi Tom, yes, that is basically what is happening. If the unit has internal memory, it will save what it can on the memory until its full, then it will continue on the SD card. Some units have fixed maps in a fixed memory, additionally installed maps like OSM or other Garmin maps will have to be stored on the SD. Maps are indeed separate from the hand made routes, tracks and waypoints! On the other hand, if you select a number of map sections (mapset) in Mapsourse /Basecamp to be uploaded into your GPS, you can add manual routes, tracks and waypoints to that same mapset. When it is uploaded to your GPS it will all be there. The OSM maps and Garmin maps will have many embedded waypoints and POI which are part of the displayed map but the manual routes, tracks, POI and waypoints (manually added in Basecamp or Mapsourse) will be in a separate folder location in the GPS and can be selected manually on the unit. When you exit Mapsourse/Basecamp on your PC you have to save the mapset with all POI/routes/tracks that you have created (file type will be gmapsupp) or you will loose it on the PC. You can later reopen it in the relevant selected map and everthing will be there. I hope that helps a bit....

Cheers,
Noel

My experience is that the best way to do it is to load them as POIs on the Zumo. That way they are saved in the POI menu in stead of the Favourites menu or as waypoints for routes. They are also persistent, even when you clear all routes, favourites, tracks, current.gpx or update or delete maps.

You can load them with the Garmin POILoader tool, but that gets a bit complicated if you want to load different sets of points.

A more manageable way to do it is to use GPSBabel. Select the source file, choose how the category needs to be called on the device, save the set as a .gpi file and copy it to the POI folder on your zumo. The main pitfalls are that you should avoid using a category name that is already in use and that you should not use a file name that is already in use as that overwrites the previous POIs.

I think I finally have my head round this now, at the risk of sounding stupid what sort of a GPS do I want to get now?

AS in what's the difference between a Zumo 600 and also from Garmin a 62S? I like the idea of the handheld type as I also like to hike:blushing:, but I don't want to buy something that can't then be used properly for the purpose of this thread.

I've used satellite imagery on the laptop and combined that with paper maps the last couple of years, but I'm ready to take the next step now..

Umm start anther thread? There must be some (lots) around on this subject! this tread is about getting OSM onto a Garin GPS. Maybe you want to use the Garmin GPS in a 4WD? - As I said another thread.

I've a 60Cx. The 64 is coming out. The 62 and 64 have a less than robust power connection for use on the bike. The 7x series may be better? Not giving up my 60Cx.

Sorry, I thought my question was clearer than it read when I looked at it again.

What I'm trying to ask is do the smaller GPS like the 62 say allow you to use this or do the memory limitations limit it to only being practical on the bigger type ones?
I would like to be able to use the smaller portable one if possible.

That's why I didn't start a new thread, I'm not really concerned which the 'best' one is, rather is there some kind of limitation on the types you can use to do this?

I'm quite happy using paper maps etc, but I like the ease with which waypoints can be listed on the internet and then (simply?) added.

I am quite new to this GPS thing. I bought a bike last year with had a Garmin Zumo 660 mounted. The 660 had a Europe map with free map-upgrading. Although it took me a long time to figure out how to activate this free upgrading stuff, but finally I think I have managed.

So the next step is that I would like to have maps that covers China and southeast-Asia installed on the device. Or I probably need a memory stick I guess...
Garmin offers a map of China at around 130 € and another for southeast-Asia similarely expensive - I think that seems too expensive.

So does OSM have a decent coverage of China and southeast-Asia?
Is it easy to download this and install in a memory stick and is it functionable?

Any experiences anyone?

Are there other sources for free maps that can work on a Garmin 660?

Read the first post?
 

Read all of it. Put Garmin basecamp / mapsource / road trip on your PC and download one OSM map of interest and look at it .. see if it is 'good enough' for your use.

----------------- The choice between paying for Garmins map or using OSM gets down to personal opinion ... for the money I'd go with the OSM .. as that gives you more money to spend on your trip.

-------------------------
For Androd phone users there is an ap - OSMAnd that installs OSM maps (limited to 10 maps on the free version) on your phone ... that will also give you an idea of the level of detail available on where your going. Oh .. iphone + OSM ... http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/IPhone

Thanks so farWarin

I have comed to step 5 in the opening post instructions - so then the question is which of there files should I download?

Index of /garmin/generic/31-05-2014/c4d06ba61f0a805dc3497c184e52cd8e

If you want it on a micro sd card to place in your gps and which can also go in a micro card reader so that Basecamp can also see it, you want to download:

osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip 11-Jun-2014 12:22 203M Compressed file that contains a single image that can be placed directly onto the SD-card of the GPS.

Just extract the gmapsupp file.
No installation needed and, of course, place this file in a folder called Garmin on the root of the memory card.

There are tons of tutorials out there to help you- google it/Youtube etc and even in this very thread!!- it does save us having to repeat the same basic stuff over and over again- (pretty please?!)

Well thanks so far. Things like these might be obvious and simple to you guys who know and understand how these things work. But for me that is as good as an analphabet on this stuff this is extremely complicated.

I have downloaded the version gmapsupp that you mention - I think I have at least - and I even think that I have put in a SD card. But when I put the card in the GPS I cant seem to find those maps I downloaded. What I am possibly doing wrong?