ReefMaster: From Drdepth to Reefmaster (3/5)

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TOPIC: From Drdepth to Reefmaster

From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 6 months ago #4931

Martin
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Avek wrote:

Two easy questions, my personal data (tracks), remain my data or Reefmaster take it from my pc
to generate a database for everyone in the future ?

No! Complete control of your own data is one of Reefmasters advantages, ReefMaster does not transfer your data.

Avek wrote:

The second, i'm creating shorline and islands in Reefmaster, i see it save automatically everything,
can i create a back up or have save it in a different folder or a pendrive to preserve
my works from pc crash for example.

Yes, locate the rmdb-file and backup that (or move it to another place).

And as you probably know, always keep a backup of the logs as well - you never know what is possible to do with them in the future.

/Martin

Last Edit: 11 years 6 months ago by Martin.

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4986

Avek
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Matt wrote:

Hi Avek,
Martin's advice is good - split the map into as many areas as required so that each can generate on your system. Running 32 bit Windows is a limitation, as the maximum memory that RM can use is something under 4GB, so you'll probably need to split your map into at least 4 sections (9 miles per cell).
We don't have an automatic way of doing this yet within ReefMaster, but we are planning on including something in a later update.

In the mean time, I would suggest that you make a total of 4 copies of your map project (use the Copy Project menu option available in the asset library right-click menu). Then define the map area of each project to each of the 4 areas - you will need to work this out by hand at the moment. You can then either add the results of each project to a single, large User Map or simply export each project separately and combine the AT5 files on your memory card. If you are going to try the second option, note that you will need to rename each of the generated large.at5 files so that they don't clash (e.g. map1.at5, map2.at5 - you must keep the at5 extension). Multiple at5 files will all be loaded in to memory on the unit. Note also that you will have to use a vector-only format (no raster or shaded relief background) because of the way at5 maps handle transparency (there are ways around this, but you would need to export your map and raster files and run the IMC yourself - let me know if you need details).

Matt

Hi Matt, here we are again, now i have a project,a BIG project, TOO BIG project.
I created shorline and Islands.
I made 8 copy of main project, how can i do to define the map area of each project ?
In define map mode, using mouse, i'm not able to split with necessary precision, i'm not able
to have same boundary beetwin areas as suggested Martin.
Can i defin map areas editing 4 coordinates for each map ?
after that i read i'll use at5 and vectors ... and 'IMC' ?? what's it ?
excuse my ineptitude, now i've no problem with a map, problems come from the too big dimension

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4987

Matt
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Hi Avek,

Splitting a map is not as easy as it could be at the moment - this is something we have plans to improve.

The easiest way now to create maps of the same size would be to first define a map area that is the square you want to use (assuming you are splitting into squares). After you've define the area, make the project copies and just drag this area using the square in the middle. This will ensure that each of your sections are the same size, but you will still have some issues lining them up perfectly. It doesn't really matter if the areas overlap a little.

The IMC is the Insight Map Creator. This is a Navico tool that takes Shapefiles and turns them into AT5 map files that can be used on Lowrance and Simrad units. You need this is your ultimate goal is to put a map onto your Lowrance. If not, then you needn't worry.

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4988

Avek
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Thank you Matt !
Reading you i have to create several projects as you said ( 8 exactly ) :(
" You can then either add the results of each project to a single, large User Map "
to use it in my Lowrance HDS 10
I'll need IMC to to that for my BIG FAT LARGE User Map ??
You also said: "You need this is your ultimate goal is to put a map onto your Lowrance.
If not, then you needn't worry. "
'couse my difficult reading (and writing) english i'don't understand this concept, i beg your pardon :/

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4989

Matt
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Hi Avek,
Yes - you can split your map into as many sections as you like, and either combine all of the resulting iso-areas and contours into a single (very) large user map, or export each project separately directly to the AT5 map format. In the latter case, you need to rename each exported file as you go, from large.at5 to, e.g. large1.at5, large2.at5 etc. Lowrance units will read multiple map files and display them all - but of course you can't have multiple files with the same name, hence the need to change them.

The IMC is a free tool from Navico, which you must download from the insight store. You then unpack the zipfile that the IMC came in, and point ReefMaster to the InsightMapCreator.exe file on disk (you will be prompted to do this when trying to export a map in the AT5 format). ReefMaster then takes care of the rest - creating the required files for the IMC and running it.

I would recommend starting off more simply. Try and export a single map project using one of the preset map styles and view it on your HDS, just to get a feel for the process.

Matt

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4990

Avek Offline	Downloading Insight Map Creator i don't see HDS Gen 1 ... may i choose Gen 2 or Elite 7 for example ?
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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4991

Matt Offline	Doesn't matter what you choose there - the program you download is the same, and maps will work fine on a Gen 1.
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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4996

Riba
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Matt wrote:

You can then either add the results of each project to a single, large User Map or simply export each project separately and combine the AT5 files on your memory card. If you are going to try the second option, note that you will need to rename each of the generated large.at5 files so that they don't clash (e.g. map1.at5, map2.at5 - you must keep the at5 extension). Multiple at5 files will all be loaded in to memory on the unit. Note also that you will have to use a vector-only format (no raster or shaded relief background) because of the way at5 maps handle transparency (there are ways around this, but you would need to export your map and raster files and run the IMC yourself - let me know if you need details).

Matt

Hi Matt!
I saw this interesting advice to Avek about creating multiple at5 files. Up to now I had about 15 projects and when I did some changes in one of them I would have to add all of them again into a single User Map :( and do it every time I make a change. This second option sounds much better. This way I could make the change in one project, create only that at5 file again and save it on memory card. The other at5 files would remain the same :) Am I correct and what do I do with the at5.xml file that is also created together with the large.at5 file?

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #4999

Matt
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Hi Riba,

First up, there are some issues with this method that you need to be aware of, the main one being that although multiple .at5 files are allowed, there can only be a single at5.xml file. The at5.xml file can be important, because this is the file that manages transparent areas - without it, all areas will be opaque.

If you are not using transparency, then you don't have any issues and you can ignore the at5.xml file.

If you are using transparency, then all of your vector components need to be exported to a single .at5 file, and the associated at5.xml file is required. In this case you have a few options - the first is what you are doing (recreate a single, large user map), the second is that you can keep all of your map sections in separate user maps, and then export all of these maps together (multi-select in the asset library, right-click, write to file). This will export a group of user maps to a single at5 file (you could also add all of your user maps to a data set, so that they can be exported more easily as a group). The advantage of the second method is that you would only need to recreate a single section.

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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #5009

Martin Offline	Or export all differents bits to shapefiles and select them all in IMC, that is the way I do it. I have one single at5 from all my mapped lakes, in this way it is not problem there is only one at5.xml
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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #5010

Avek Offline	I've a problem with IMC, ask me a registration before download, no problem, since arrive to insert PLOTTER DATA, ask me to choose my plotter and there's no Hds Gen1, ok, i choose Gen 2, then ask me serial number and content ID, i have a serial number and it likes it, but I DON'T HAVE CONTENT ID !!! so it wait for it and i can't reach next step, no download, no IMC :(
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From Drdepth to Reefmaster 11 years 5 months ago #5011

Martin Offline	insight-planner.insightwebstore.com/mapcreator.zip Not sure it is OK to link to that file directly - let me know if not and I'll delete the link. It is free of charge on their site but as you noticed there are many trapdoors in the site before you manage to "buy" it.
	Last Edit: 11 years 5 months ago by Martin. The administrator has disabled public write access.

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