FIRST STEP>>>>> View/print the QuickStart document once you have downloaded DMAPPER.
General Dmapper questions....
National Geographic TOPO! & Dmapper.....
Make sure you have.....
1) Dmapper not "Minimized" (but can be in the background)
2) MapTech or other map program not "Minimized" (but can be in the background)
3) The correct Map program Version checked in the Map to post options
4) A file designated to post. (button next to where you select which map to use) We
suggest posting a "trail" for MapTech. (dmapper.mxf)
5) When you press the import now button, look at the program info text box toward the top
of dmapper and see what it says.
Back to Top
Position display on map. Will all the old positions stay on the maptech map when a new position from the same tracker is received? Like a cookie trail?
YES dmapper will leave a "cookie trail" for MapTech and other maps.
You can also rebuild the entire tracking session by importing a file called "dmapperhistory.mxf" found under the dmapper directory or "dmapperhistory.rxf" for a similar display only with lines connecting the different position reports.
Under Street Atlas or Nat.Geo.TOPO! you have an option of showing TRACKS or just where a unit is NOW.
Drawing lines between position track points in MapTech. If I want to connect the dots of all the position markers, by time sequence, will MapTach do this automatically?
MapTech will draw lines between points for you if you import the "ROUTE" (dmapper.rxf) file. If you have multiple units you are tracking, MapTech will show them as separate routes with different colors. You can edit the individual routes and even individual waypoints that make up the route.
The Letter designations are in order of callsigns in dmapper. I used to
post the callsigns to the map but it just got too cluttered. With current versions of
Dmapper, the operator can designate what will display to the map. (Such as Tactical names)
The time is the local computer time the position was received by dmapper via the TNC.
Drawing a line between "MARKER" points posted from the (dmapper.mxf) file is something you would have to do manually since MapTech does not automatically link the "markers". You can use the line tool in MapTech and just click from dot to dot OR just use the option to post the (dmapper.rxf) route file which is identical to the markers only with the lines..
I also like to keep my map as clean as possible during a search and sometimes
"hide" some of the older markers once they are old enough. You can always
"unhide" them to get an historical picture of the search.
Dave W7PDQ
I have noticed that "issue" in the past and haven't taken the time to
search and destroy it since the user can exit using the EXIT button on the program window
or the top menu list FILE - EXIT.
Will add it to my list. Thanks for the report. Dave W7PDQ
<<<< PREPARING *TOPO!* FOR DMAPPER AUTO-POSITION POSTING >>>>
In order for Dmapper to successfully import/post the incoming
data files to TOPO!,
you need to configure the TOPO! import wizard to accept the Dmapper file format.
Load the TOPO! program and follow the steps outlined below to pre-set TOPO! waypoint
file import wizard for Dmapper. This only needs to be done once prior to the first
time Dmapper is used for posting to the TOPO! maps.
Once TOPO! loads....
Hold down the "Ctrl"
key and press the lower case letter "i"
This should bring up the "TOPO! GPS Import Wizard"
Step 1: Select the option button that designates get data from
"a text file that lists
waypoints"
Then choose NEXT to display
"Import - Choose a text file"
Using the navigation buttons in the window, locate the data file under the \dmapper\
directory.
This file should be called "dmapperNGTOPO.txt" or
"dmapperNGTOPOnow.txt"
(NOTE: This file will not exist until you have received some incoming positions by Dmapper
OR you can create a SAMPLE file from Dmapper's CONFIGURATION menu.)
After finding and selecting
the dmapperNGTOPO file choose OPEN.
Step 2: The next step in the
import wizard should display....
make sure the option
"Comma" is selected, then choose NEXT.
Step 3: of the import wizard
you should confirm the following....
Type of objects to import
"WAYPOINTS"
Map Datum "WGS84"
Then choose NEXT.
Final step: of the import
wizard you should....
Say YES to confirm all lines
of data in the file contain Waypoints.
Change the titles of each column of data in the Preview box....
Click on the column data titles of each column and designate the following...
Column 1: Latitude Degrees
DD.ddd...
Column 2: Longitude Degrees
DDD.ddd...
Column 3: NAME
Column 4: DATE mm/dd/yyy TIME
hh:mm
Column 5: Message
Remaining Columns should say
IGNORE
Once the columns have been designated choose FINISH and the waypoints will be
posted to the map and a confirmation box should advise how many were imported.
If you get anything other than the above message, such as a request to rename waypoints,
then you have done something wrong and will need to try configuring the wizard again.
<<<< PREPARING *DMAPPER* FOR AUTO-POSITION POSTING TO TOPO! MAPS
>>>>
Now that you have TOPO! ready, it is time to configure Dmapper to perform the map posting.
Leave the TOPO! program running for this task and switch to the Dmapper screen.
Choose the option button "Post to Nat.Geo.TOPO!"
and choose OK to the message prompt
after you read it.
In order for Dmapper to post to a map, it needs to know the NAME of the map and the
DATA FILE to use for posting. For Newer versions of Dmapper, this is
done by selecting
one of the option buttons to the right that desginate how you want the positions to look
on your map.
NOTE: If you have the most current
version of Dmapper... the following steps should not be necessary. Back to Top
Older Dmapper Versions......
To designate these two options choose "CHANGE
MAP/IMPORT FILENAME" and follow the prompts.
Its easy to "Designate the map", just look at the top title bar of the TOPO!
program and
type in the first word(s) EXACTLY AS YOU SEE IT starting from
left to right.
The first word most likely is "Untitled" unless you have
saved the map as another name or you are using a different version of TOPO!
NOTE: Dmapper needs this information in order to take control of the TOPO! program for
posting.
After entering the text in the map designation box, choose OK
for the next step.
You should now be presented with a file browse box where you will be able to find the
data file to use for map posting.
This file will be named "dmapperNGTOPO.txt" (for posting a TRACK trail
of each unit)
or the NOW file "dmapperNGTOPOnow.txt" (for posting only the current
location of each unit)
Choose/highlight the file and then select the "SAVE as Auto-Import path" button.
You have now successfully configured Dmapper for auto-posting to TOPO!
If you have new position data available, Dmapper will allow you to press
the
"Post to map NOW" button, at which time you should see an instant
switch to the
TOPO! program screen and the rapid file import/posting process completed automatically.
If there is no new incoming data, Dmapper will not perform the posting process.
One final tip... The program windows CAN NOT BE MINIMIZED or
the posting process may
fail. It is OK to run one behind the other but do not minimize TOPO! or Dmapper.
Make sure you have not missed a step in......
Change the Waypoint display preferences in TOPO!
Choose TOPO! menu..... "Preferences" + "Waypoint display" + "Snow Name Only"
This is not something you should normally see but sometimes happens when changing Callsigns that are being tracked.
If possible you can delete the TOPO data file from the Dmapper screen and let it start over capturing data.
TOPO complains when more than one waypoint per minute from a single station are posted to the map. Dmapper should prevent this from happening but we are still working on the duplication filters.
If this continues to be a problem send us an email with the specifics of the problem and we will work with you to get a solution.
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Page last updated 08/22/2008