Pub. 988-0147-383 www.lei-extras.com Custom Mapping Software for GPS MapCreate 6 Installation and Operation Instructions Copyright © 2004 LEI. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted, distributed, downloaded or stored in any storage medium, for any purpose, without prior written consent of LEI. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. MapCreate is a trademark of LEI. U.S. Points of Interest Data in this unit are by infoUSA, copyright 2001-2004, All Rights Reserved. infoUSA is a trademark of infoUSA, Inc. U.S. eXitSource Database, copyright 2001-2003 Zenrin Co. Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of Zenrin Co. Ltd. Canadian mapping data 2003 by DMTI Spatial Inc. European mapping data 2003 by Tele Atlas NV, the reference in digital mapping. LEI Extras, Lowrance Electronics, or Eagle Electronics may find it necessary to change or end their policies, regulations and special offers at any time. They reserve the right to do so without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. For free owner's manuals and the most current information on this product, it's operation and accessories, visit the manufacturer's web sites: www.lowrance.com www.eaglegps.com To purchase Lowrance or Eagle accessories, visit our web site: www.lei-extras.com LEI PO BOX 129 Catoosa, OK USA 74015 Printed in USA. Table of Contents Sec. 1: Introduction................................................................... I Quick Start Reference ................................................................... 2 How MapCreate Works: The Basics ............................................ 6 File Formats & Functions ............................................................ 7 Map Border File ........................................................................ 7 Custom Map File....................................................................... 7 Important Notes: File Encryption and Card Limits................ 8 Important Notes About Cards and File Size ........................... 9 GPS Data File ......................................................................... 11 ASCII Text File ....................................................................... 11 GPS Data Manager (GDM) File ............................................. 12 Atlas File ................................................................................. 12 GPS Unit Compatibility ......................................................... 13 Mapping Detail: There's More Here Than Meets the Eye. ......... 13 Find Highway Exit Services ................................................... 13 Find Points of Interest............................................................ 14 Find an Address ...................................................................... 14 How to Use this Manual: Typographical Conventions.............. 15 Sec. 2: Installing MapCreate 6.3 ........................................... 17 System Requirements ............................................................. 17 Installation Types ................................................................... 17 Installing MapCreate.............................................................. 18 Care of your MapCreate CDs ................................................. 28 Starting MapCreate ................................................................ 28 Sec. 3: User's Guide ................................................................. 31 Starting MapCreate.................................................................... 31 The MapCreate Screen ............................................................... 32 Closing MapCreate ................................................................. 33 MapCreate Screen Components ............................................. 33 Master Map Window............................................................... 34 Main Menu .............................................................................. 35 Toolbars ................................................................................... 35 Create Map (Easy) Toolbar................................................. 36 Create Map (Advanced) Toolbar......................................... 37 File Toolbar ......................................................................... 37 GPS Data Toolbar ............................................................... 38 Map Navigation Toolbar ..................................................... 39 Map Category Options Window ............................................. 40 Waypoint List Window ........................................................... 41 Icon List Window .................................................................... 41 Route List Window.................................................................. 42 Route Waypoint List Window................................................. 42 i Trail List Window ................................................................... 43 Moving around the Master Map................................................. 44 Pan Arrows.............................................................................. 44 Center Map.............................................................................. 44 Zoom Area ............................................................................... 45 Zoom in/Zoom Out................................................................... 45 Zoom Range Window .............................................................. 46 Creating Rectangle Map Borders............................................... 47 Estimate Map Size (Optional) ................................................ 48 Saving a Map Border File (Optional)..................................... 48 Creating Corridor Map Borders ................................................. 50 Edit Corridor Borders ............................................................. 52 Creating and Saving a Custom Map.......................................... 52 Creating a Waypoint................................................................... 54 Creating an Icon ......................................................................... 56 Creating a Route ......................................................................... 58 Saving a GPS Data File.............................................................. 61 Moving GPS Data Files Between Computer and Unit.......... 62 Creating a Corridor Map from a Route...................................... 63 Creating a Route from a Trail .................................................... 66 Appendix 1: MapCreate Command List.............................. 69 Searching Help............................................................................ 70 Appendix 2: Map Category List ............................................ 73 Appendix 3: MapCreate 6 Symbol Key................................ 77 Appendix 4: Displaying Specialty Maps ............................. 81 IMS Fishing Hot Spots Maps ..................................................... 82 Jeppesen Aviation Maps............................................................. 83 Appendix 5: Planning Highway Routes.............................. 87 Tips on Making Better Routes for Highway Navigation....... 87 "High Resolution" vs. "Low Resolution" Routes .................... 87 Index........................................................................................... 91 LEI End User License Agreement ....................................... 95 ii Notes iii WARNING! A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION. CAUTION When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a waypoint, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint is always available. WARNING! When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or flying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage to property, personal injury or death could occur if the operator of a GPS-equipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions and vehicle operation while the vehicle is in motion. iv Section 1: Introduction How this manual can get you into the field, fast! Thanks for buying MapCreate, the custom mapping software for Lowrance and Eagle GPS units. This manual was written using MapCreate U.S.A. and MapCreate Canada versions 6.3. Beginning with version 6.3, all MapCreate packages work identically, but contain different mapping data. We know you're eager to install the program and make some maps, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab that CD, give us a moment to explain how our manual can help you get the best performance from our software. Our goal is to get you on the road, into the air, or out to the woods and water fast. Like you, we'd rather spend more time outdoors, and less time reading a manual! That's why we designed this book so you don't have to read the whole thing from front to back for the information you want. You can skip around! If you know where to look, we've made it easy to find the tips you may need from time to time. The manual has three main sections: Section 1: Introduction contains the Quick Start Reference, which begins on page 2. We put it near the front of the book so you can turn to it quickly. Sec. 1 also includes background information on how MapCreate and its file formats work. To understand how to interpret our instruction text, be sure to see the Typographical Conventions segment on page 15. Don't miss the important notes on File Encryption and Card Limits on page 8. Section 2: Installing MapCreate (on page 17) will help you get the program and the required LEI card reader correctly installed on your computer. Section 3: User's Guide (on page 31) is the heart of our book. It introduces you to the MapCreate windows and toolbars. Sec. 3 contains easy-to-skim lessons on the program's main operations. These segments show you how to make highly customized maps and GPS information and get them into your GPS unit. After you've gained some experience with the program, you may want to try some advanced features. That brings us to the Command Reference, which is available only in the MapCreate 6 Help file. It contains -- in alphabetical order -- the more advanced command functions in MapCreate. Each entry includes a summary box briefly telling what the command does and how to run it from the menu, toolbar or keyboard. Then, we've 1 included more tips and tricks so you can take advantage of all the power and performance MapCreate offers. You can see an example of the Help file's Command Reference format in Appendix 1 at the back of this manual, on page 69. Appendix 1 contains the entry on the Help Command, which explains how to use Help. In addition to the Command Reference, the Help file includes material from this manual's User's Guide segment. Just press the F1 key to launch Help. You can find facts fast by electronically searching the Help File for the word or phrase you want. In our printed manual, we've included other general supplemental material as appendices in the back of the book. Check out the Table of Contents to see the topics contained in each appendix. After you have the software and card reader installed, browse through the tutorials in Sec. 3 to get you going. Later, when you want to try something new or you have a question about a particular function, skim through the manual's table of contents or search the Help file's Command Reference to read what you need. If you're an experienced computer user, you can probably install MapCreate and the card reader without the manual. But, if you need a little coaching, jump ahead to Sec. 2 and we'll walk you through the install step by step. (If that's not easy enough, just grab the nearest teenager and ask him or her to install it for you!) If you've skipped ahead and already have MapCreate installed, check out the Quick Start Reference below. If you're the type of person who wants more background information before you start, turn to How Map Create Works on page 6, or begin learning about the MapCreate screen components at the start of Sec. 3. Quick Start Reference This 13-step summary will get you started with a simple map. It assumes you have already made a full, default installation of the program, and one of the CDs is in your CD-ROM drive. (Complete installation instructions begin in Sec. 2.) For more detailed explanations, read through the lessons in Sec. 3. Befor ...