Operation

• What is a Map
• Opening a Map
• How a Map Image is Located
• Index Files for Faster Map Searching
• Scrolling the Map
• Map Objects, Popup Information
  and Menu
• Screen Control
• Moving Map
• Finding Maps
• Map Scale
• Map Zoom
• Map View
• Working with Tracks
• Replay Track
• Working with Waypoints
• Waypoint Proximity Alerts
• Working with Routes
• Navigation
• Speed Monitor
• Using SRTM Elevation Data

What is a Map

A map in OziExplorer is an image of a map which has been calibrated (georeferenced) so OziExplorer can use any pixel position on the map to determine the true geographic position.

When you calibrate a map in PC OziExplorer a map file with a .map extension is created which contains the calibration information and a link to the image of the map you are using.

A Map file therefore contains at least this information

• A link to the image of the map
• The datum of the map
• The map projection used for the map
• The calibration (georeferencing) information for the map

Map Calibration and the creation of the .map file must be done in PC OziExplorer and then copied to the PDA.

When you want to use a Map in OziExplorerCE you must open a Map file which has a .map extension (example name : World.map).

OziExplorerCE then reads from the Map file

• The name of the map image file from the .map file and opens the image.
• The map datum and map projection are read.
• The calibration information from the .map file and calculates the factors necessary to convert the map image pixel coordinates to geographic coordinates.

A map consists of 2 files

1. The (.map) file which contains the information detailed above
2. The image file (.ozf2, .ozfx3, .ecw, .jpg, .png and .bmp) which is the image of the map

Before map images can be used in OziExplorerCE they must be in one of the supported formats - ozf2, ozfx3, ecw, .jpg, .png or .bmp. Maps in other formats must be converted to the special OziExplorer ozfx3 format using the Img2Ozf program. This program is available from the web site www.oziexplorer.com

Opening a Map

Use the Open Map File option on the File menu or the button on the Toolbar.

Maps (the .map file) must be created in the full OziExplorer on a PC and then copied to the CE device, OziExplorerCE does not have the capability to create maps.

Select a map to load from the list in the Open Map File dialog. (You can navigate through the folders on your system to find a map path.)  

How a Map Image is Located

When a .map file is opened OziExplorerCE searches for map images in this order.

The map image name is read from the .map file and the path and file extension removed.

The .ozf2, .ozfx3, .ecw, .jpg, .png and .bmp extensions are added to the file name to search for maps in any of these formats.

• The Image File Path 1 is searched for the name.
• If not found Image File path 2 is searched.

If not found

• The path where the .map file was loaded from is searched.

If not found then the name of the map file name is used for the image name and the above process repeated.

If all this searching fails the message "Image File not Found" will be displayed.

Index Files for Faster Map Searching

For faster map searching, the map files are indexed and the indexes are stored in the "System Files" folder attached to the main "OziExplorer" folder.

These index files are created the first time a map search is initiated. The time it takes to create the indexes for the first time will vary depending on the number of map files in each of the active Map File Paths (see Configuration / Map & Data Files).

The indexes are used to find maps when -

• looking for a map during moving map operation if the "More Detailed Map" option is turned on
• using the Map Menu or Screen Control options
  • Find Maps at Cursor
  • More Detailed Map
  • Less Detailed Map

Scrolling the map - There are 3 ways to scroll the map.

1. Tapping the screen with the finger or stylus moves the point you tap to the center of the screen. Tapping near the edge of the screen scrolls quicker than tapping near the center.
2. Moving the stylus across the map will drag the map. If "Drag Object" is selected, do not press on an object at the start of the drag motion or the object will be moved.
3. Using the arrow or cursor keys if available.

You cannot scroll when the screen control is activated.

In moving map (real time tracking) mode and if the Track GPS Position option is ON, the map can be scrolled but Track GPS Position will be turned OFF. (Note: all GPS functions remain active but the map is not moved to track the position). To turn Track GPS Position ON, use the option on the Program Menubar.

Map Objects, Popup Information and Menu

Popup Information - Press and hold the stylus on the map or any map object (waypoint, route waypoint or active track point) until a red circle appears (approximately 0.5 seconds), release the stylus to show a window with information about the map or map object. (The circle color may change depending on the underlying map color.)

The window will display for 10 seconds, to hide it immediately tap the stylus on the window.

Popup Menu - Press and hold the stylus on the map or any map object (waypoint, route waypoint or active track point) for at least 1 second to show a popup menu with several menu options. The map popup menu has zoom selections, Full Map or 100% Zoom, Create Wp and Track GPS. Map Object popup menus are different for each object type.

Moving Map (Real Time Tracking)

For Moving Map operation you need a GPS which can output the NMEA sentence $GPRMC, $GPGGA, $GPGLL, the $GPVTG sentence is also use to obtain additional information if required.

You need to configure OziCE and select the sentence type your GPS outputs, if your GPS outputs $GPRMC always select this one as it contains most information, the next best is $GPGGA and then $GPGLL.

Select the highest baud rate you can for communication, make sure OziCE and the GPS are both using the same baud rate.

Configuration options to improve performance :

1. Increase the time between screen updates to 2 or 3 or more, position data is still collected, speed is still updated on screen, proximity waypoints are still checked but the screen is only refreshed each update interval. This is the BEST and preferred method to prevent these problems.

2. Have "Use Chk Sum" (Use Check Sum for NMEA sentences) turned on in NMEA (GPS) configuration. The checksum will be calculated and compared to the checksum in the sentence, if they do not agree the sentence will be rejected. This prevents bad data from being processed but does not prevent the NMEA position from lagging behind your actual position.

3. Reduce the Track Tail length set up in configuration, there is a limit of 1000 points. If set to zero, up to 1000 points will be shown.  Turn the screen track tail off if necessary.

4. Reduce the Track Tail width as narrow as possible, no more than 2 pixels.

5. Set the Screen Track Tail Log interval to a reasonably high number so fewer track points are collected for on screen display, this has the advantage that a shorter track tail can be used. This will not affect the logging of track points to disk.

Changing maps

• A new map will be searched for when the neat line (corner markers) are crossed. The most detailed map will be selected.
• If activated in configuration a more detailed map will be searched for at the set interval.
• Manually activating the Search for More / Less Detailed Map options will turn off the automatic Search for More Detailed Map option. This means a particular map can be displayed and the program will not automatically change the map at the set interval. To turn ON automatic searching, use the Detailed Map option on the Main Toolbar.
• The maps are searched for in the Active Map File paths only (marked as active in configuration). This Active option allows you to separate your maps into different categories, I keep my touring maps separate from my marine maps etc.

Starting Moving Map - Select the Connect to GPS option on the Map menu or press the button on the Program Menubar.

Track GPS Position - The Track GPS Position optionon the Program Menubar will turn GPS Tracking on and off. When tracking is turned on the map will be automatically centered. When turned off, the gps is still connected but will not automatically center the map, so the map can be dragged to view other sections of the map.

Finding Maps

Selecting the Find Maps at Cursor option on the Map menu will scan the folder where the current Map was loaded from and the active Map File Paths and find all the maps which will have the current cursor position contained within them.

A map in the list can be opened -

• by double clicking on it (Map Find dialog will remain), this allows additional maps to be viewed quickly if desired.
• or highlighting it and pressing the OK button (dialog will disappear)

Map Scale

Selecting the Scale option on the View menu will display a scale bar on the map. The number shown on the bar is the distance covered by each segment of the bar (in other words the number represents the distance covered by the white segment, all segments are the same size.

The scale bar can be moved by dragging the scale to a new location with the stylus. The scale bar cannot be rotated.

Map Zoom

The map can be zoomed by selecting a zoom option on the view menu or (if shown on the map) clicking on the magnifying glass buttons. Configure the zoom levels above 40% you require in File / Configuration / General Settings / System menu. Zoom levels below 40% are always available.

The Full Zoom option means a zoom level will be chosen for the map so it just roughly fills the screen, the zoom level chosen automatically must be one of those in the zoom list so the map may just exceed the screen size or be smaller than but it will be close.

The Full Zoom option is available on the Main Toolbar as a button and on the popup menu which can be activated by pressing and holding on the map, the 100% zoom level is also available so you can quickly return to normal zoom.  The Full zoom can be used a little like MapView.

Please Note - Infinite zoom levels will not be made available (technical reasons), zooming by dragging on the map is not available.

Map View

The map view window displays the full map. Show the Map View window using the option on the View Menu and on the Main Toolbar.

• Clicking on the Map View map will scroll the main map to the same position.
• Click on the colored border around the map to display a list of the available maps at that position.
• Use the + / - buttons on the MapView window to change the size of the Map View window.
• Use the button with the red dot to turn On/Off the display of Waypoints, Map Features and Map Comments.

Replay Track

To replay a track select the "Replay Track" option on the View / Tracks menu option. Load the track you want to replay. Select the "Connect to GPS" option on the Map menu or press the button on the Program Menubar. The track will be replayed using the same configuration settings used for normal moving map operations. To cancel track replay mode you must select the "Replay Track" menu option again.

The CE track replay option can use track files produced by the full OziExplorer.

Navigation

Navigation can be set up by -

• select a waypoint in the Waypoint List and click the GoTo button.
• pressing on a waypoint on the map for more than 1 second to display a popup menu and selecting the GoTo Wp option.
• create and/or load a route and turn on navigation along the route. Note: this is not auto-routing, you must define the route manually.  See the "Working with Routes" section for details.
• select a location in the Name Search dialog and click the Gt button.

Speed Monitor

The Configuration / Speed Monitor will play wav files when the speed thresholds are crossed. If the wav files are not found the standard beeps are used.

• Min Speed - The minspeed.wav file is played when the speed goes below the specified min speed. The sound will not play again until you go above the set speed and then below the min speed again.
• Set Speed - The setspeed.wav file is played when your speed goes above the specified set speed.
• Max Speed - The maxspeed.wav file is played when your speed goes above the specified max speed.

The speeds can be activated independently by ticking the active check boxes.

Using SRTM Elevation Data

The OziExplorerCE Screen Designer is used to add parameters to a screen which can display SRTM Elevation data.

In conjunction with SRTM data, some of the parameters in the "Map" category can display data calculated from SRTM data (eg. "Height Above Ground").  To use SRTM data, the files (.hgt) should be placed in the "Data File Path" folder.