Q - importing SHP file into GPSMapedit - any clue??

Hi all,

I finally got my hands on ESRI SHP files for the area I want to map in my
Garmin (vista and 60cs). I would like to load a map into the gps using
cGpsMapper but first need to prepare a custom one using GPSMapedit. I
somewhat expected the process of making a map in Mapedit relatively easy
once I got my hands on the ESRI data (SHP) for the area but this turns out
not to be the case. I have this data but have no idea what settings to
select when going through the elaborate importing routine. I would deeply
appreciate it if someone could walk me through the steps. Below are the
steps I can see having to go through.

Many thanks in advance,

BN

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When I import a SHP file into GPSMapedit, a sort of a wizard appears
requiring me to select (or not) all sorts of options and settings. Below the
steps:

1 - "type of objects". The "kind"-pulldown menu is greyed out and "polygon"
is selected (and can't be altered). Though this is the unregistered version
I dont think that is one of the limitations, so perhaps mapedit recognizes
the file as such.

There's two tabs, "from list" and "from field", I haven't the faintest what
this is all about.

In "from list" there's three columns, first the colors, (red green blue
grey), second is a hex code starting with 0x and 4 characters following, and
select one row.

The "from field" tab has 6 columns as follows:

column title MAPKEY MAPKEY ID AREA PERIMETER
LINKS_QTY
first line 3C7BA 40FE0 5303 307290.34049
3033.15124 122

Here I can select one column.

When I arbitrarily select something in one of the two tabs (or both) and
click on "next", step 2 appears

2 - "select source of labels"

Firstly I have the option to place a check or not by "select field for
labels". Beyond that the same 6 columns as above appear. Again I can select
a column (as long as "select field for labels" is checked) and have the
option to checkmark "convert from OEM code page". Next comes

Step 3 - source coordinate system

I can select a coordinate system, enter X and Y min and max under "bounding
rectangle in source units" and select a datum. AFter this follows

Step 4 - "Select zoom levels to import".

here ony level 0 shows and is checked. This is a screen I can deal with, the
previous ones have me grasping.

Can anyone help me out here?

Best regards,

Bob

Have you asked at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/map_authors/? There are
a lot of people there with extensive experience doing this.

Rich Owings
http://www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com/
http://www.GPStracklog.com/

"We were desert mystics, my friends and I, poring over our maps as
others do their holy books." - Edward Abbey

Rich,

thanks for your reply, indeed posted there and have two replies already so
for those interested in this thread check out
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/map_authors/message/4600 and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/map_authors/message/4605 .

BN