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Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:18 pm Post subject: Mac users: Getting RouteBuddy to support .map files
How amenable would Satmap be to allowing a third-party to integrate compatibility with their proprietary .map file format for routes, tracks and POIs?
To be clear, I'm not suggesting that the maps themselves be used with someone else's software, just the user data.
As a Mac user, the only viable software available for offline route planning on OS maps is Routebuddy, which currently does not support the .map file format - so the conversion to and from .gpx still must be done with SatSync - which, of course, is only available on the Windows platform! Catch-22.
What I would like is for Satmap to collaborate with RouteBuddy to allow RouteBuddy to directly load and save .map files containing routes, tracks and POIs. Interfacing directly to the Active 10 would not be necessary, as these files could be saved directly to an SD card using a card reader (the new iMacs and Macbooks even have an SD slot built-in).
If I remember correctly, these files are not hugely different from .gpx files, so this shouldn't be too difficult to achieve. Of course, it would be much easier, and more likely to happen if Satmap were to cooperate with RouteBuddy and give them the necessary schema for the .map format.
This collaboration could benefit all parties: Routebuddy would increase their user base to include Active 10 users, Satmap would finally have a viable interfacing solution for it's Mac customers, and those of us with Macs and Active 10s would finally have access to a fully-integrated computer/GPS system.
I got very frustrated with (amongst other things) the problematic and tedious one way exchange of files using a Mac and moved to Viewranger on a Nokia 5800. I have to say this is how it should be - seamless import and export of standard .gpx files, via bluetooth. So simple, so quick, sorry but Satmap need to get their act together on this, why on earth they've saddled themselves with a proprietary file type I can't imagine. With bikehike I can plot a route in minutes and immediately get it into Viewranger from my Mac (or PC), likewise exporting is just as simple.
Joined: May 30, 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Hill Top Bucks UK
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:23 pm Post subject:
Quote:
I might raise this with both parties and see what comes of it.
I have a feeling that approaches may have been made in the past, but, no names no pack drill, one of the parties did not have Mac as one of its priorities.
Hopefully time has moved on and progress may be made.
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