Sunday, Jan 28, 2007 at 14:13
Willie,
I am a "computer expert" - just ask Mike Harding! He'll tell ya how good I am!!
But seriously, the guys above have beaten me to the answers to your question about "calibration files".
However, I'll try and break that term down to even simpler terms.
When map is bought/stolen/scanned or 'acquired' for use on Ozi-Explorer it is not a useable or viable map as such. Its' just a PICTURE. There's no measurements on it, no Lat & Long, no UTM gird - no references of any kind. It will be simply a picture file, that colud be a JPEG, TIFF, Bitmap of some other type of picture file.
In order to make it into a useable MAP, that PICTURE has to be CALIBRATED. You do this by loading Ozi and then,,,,,,,,
Then click on "File" at the top toolbar
Than click on "Load and Calibrate Map Image"
A box will appear that ask you select an IMAGE for CALIBRATION.
You then choose from your list of "PICTURES" which one you want to convert into a MAP that Ozi can use.
Having chosen the PICTURE, you now have to CALIBRATE it.
You will see the PICTURE on the screen in front of you and it will appear to be similar to a MAP.
But you will also see a box down the right hand side of the screen that asks you choose up to nine seperate spots on the PICTURE - for which you know the exact Latitude and Longitude. I use spots at the corners and edges of a map that show the Lat & Long - it's the easiest way.
You then click on
the spot on the PICTURE and then enter the Lat & Long and that's one spot done, You then do the same with 8 other spots on the PICTURE. This is a way of saying to the Ozi programme, "The points that I have shown you are on the PICTURE and from now on those points will be known as the calibration points for this PICTURE."
That's it - now save the MAP (It's no longer a PICTURE, It's a MAP) to wherever you like and the next time you want that MAP you just choose 'Load Map From File", select it, and it will come up on the screen as a CALIBRATED PICTURE or as we like to call it - a MAP.
When the MAP FILE is saved as above, it will be saved as .map file. This file contains 2 important things. First it contains the location on your computer of where to find the PICTURE that made the MAP. This way the computer can go off and find THAT PICTURE. Second, it contains the CALIBRATION POINTS that YOU ENTERED - so that the computer can change this PICTURE into a MAP that Ozi can use.
The above .map file iis the CALIBRATION FILE that I referred to above.
The directions in this .map file to where the PICTURE is located must tally exactly with where the PICTURE is actually located on your compuer system! If the .map file says the PICTURE is on "C DRIVE" and you've got it on "D DRIVE", then it'll never find it. If it's in e.g. "D\Map\files\data" and the .map file says look in "D\Map\Pictures\Data - it'll never find it. Thus you will have a PICTURE somewhere, all lonely like, that has a .map file searching desperately for it, so that it can marry it and they can make a little MAP together.
All say "Aahh. isn't that nice,,,,,,,"
So if you've transferred yer maps AND your /map files from one computer to another and the maps are in a different drive or location or file to where the transfered .map file is telling it to go search - again, it'll never find it.
You scan any old map ya like and turn into a Ozi -map by "calibrating" it. You can even take a picture of yer Mother in Law and turn it into a map!
Hope this helps.
My finger's sore.
You can ring me on 08 95276448 if you want to talk about it.
Just ring "Les - the map trauma counsellor"
But I don't know everything,,,,,,,,,,I just know this bit 'cos I keep on stuffing it up every time I swap PCs!!
Take care Willie,
Blbo
AnswerID:
218180
Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Sunday, Jan 28, 2007 at 17:54
Sunday, Jan 28, 2007 at 17:54
Bilbo ,
Thanks for taking all that time for me . I will load the Natmap files again when I get my CD drive back ,
check out what you have told me and then I will be in touch .
Hope your finger gets better soon ,
Willie .
FollowupID:
478634