Tutorial 05c - Create Map by xGPS Manager (v2.3)

Prepare Map tiles data at computer by xGPS Manager application

1.    Prepare Map Tiles data at Computer by xGPS Manager

Download and install xGPS Manager at http://xgps.xwaves.net/index.php/Downloads, to download it directly. The xGPS Manager is free application for Windows, Macintosh, Linux with Java Runtime please detail please read xGPS home page, http://xgps.xwaves.net.

After install the xGPS Manager, press xGPS Manager icon to start the xGPS Manager and the follow screen should be shown:

Remarks:
xGPS Manager will accumulate all downloaded and visited map tiles. All map tiles will store at a single database so the map tiles files created by xGPS Manager may contains some unnecessary maps tiles and will affect the performance of Flexible zoom-level function at zMap. The follow procedure will guide you to create one which will work for Flexible zoom-level at zMap but it may be difficult and complex.

Flexible zoom-level is a function in zMap which allow map tile with non-continuously zoom level or skip unnecessary zoom level to reduce map tile file size, e.g. you can only download zoom level 1 and 3 without zoom level 2 and zMap will use zoom level 3 image with appropriate scaling when you are navigating at zoom level 2 on your devices.

If you already have the xGPS, you can delete some unnecessary zoom-level of map tiles by SQLite tools like SQLiteManage in FireFox please see the procedure 14-17.

2. Press “Setting” to choose, the “Application Language” and “Maps Language”. Press “save” for any change.

3. Back to “Main” page then press “Manage maps” button at the main page. Press the “Download a map” button for creates the map tiles file.

4. Now, you should see the map, adjust the zoom level by right scroll bar and move to your destination area.

5. If you really need the flexible zoom level function at zMap, after you move and zoom in your destination region (Your zoom level should as same as the less detail zoom level of your expected map).  Close the “Download maps” and close “Maps Manager” window then go the “Setting” window, press the “Deleted all download maps” at Maps page.  Now the database is cleaned. Go to “Download maps” window again, and don’t navigate, zoom-in, zoom-out the map any more, and just add a region at the next step.

6. Press “Add a region” button then move your mouse and click to point out the region and double click to finish your selection.

7. Press “Download the maps” button then select the zoom level and name the map.

8. The xGPS Manager will computing the size of the map to download

9. The pop up message will shown the estimated size of map. Press “Yes” to confirm the download process.

10. The progress bar will be shown.

11. When the download completed, the follow message will be shown. Pres “OK” then you can close this window.

12.  The “Maps Manager” page will show to display the new downloaded map. Close this window and quit the xGPS Manager.

13.  For Macintosh user, the map will be located at follow folder with name “Doucment\xGPS Manager\xGPS_map.db”

For PC user, the map tiles file will located at the “MyDoucment\xGPS Manager\xGPS_map.db”

Now import this map to zMap via iTunes or other method. Please refer to Tutorial 06 - Import file by Apple iTune File Sharing or other App.
If your map tile file is larger than 500MB, we suggest you to optimize the file at the computer first please read the Tutorial 07 - Read large Map Tiles File (>500MB)

14. If you already have xGPS map tiles files, follow procedure 14-17 will help you to make which works with Flexible zoom-level function zMap.  If your xGPS file is created follow procedure 1-13,  the follow procedure will not required for you.
Start FireFox and SQLiteManager, the detail of SQLiteManger you can read Tutorial 07 - Read large Map Tiles File (>500MB) for detail.

15. Open the xGPS map tiles file. You will see tiles table on the left side pane.

16. Go to “Execute SQL” page, enter “delete FROM tiles where zoom = x”, x = the unwanted level.  (In xGPS map tiles file, the less zoom level mean more detail) then press “Run SQL”. (Please make sure which zoom level you need to delete because it is irreverse process)

17. To verify the process, enter “Select * FROM tiles where zoom – x” and press “Run SQL”.

The “Number of Row Returned” at the bottom should be 0 for sucessfully

Now you can follow Tutorial 7 to optimize your map file then you can display your xGPS map in zMap with flexible zoom-level function.