[Tom]

Admin note: this feature is no longer available Do you want to embed an interactive Topo map (or GPS track) in a post? Does techno-babble scare you away? Not to worry, it's easy! Techno-babblers, please KEEP OUT! How to embed a topo map without a track or route in your post: 1) Go to acme mapper and search for the location you want to display. 2) Center the location in the crosschairs, right click on "link to this page" (to the bottom right at acme mapper), and copy the link. 3) Click on the GMap button here (with the other buttons at the top of the posting screen) and paste the link. That's it!* How to embed a topo map with a GPS track or route in your post: 1) Ignore the steps above. On the posting screen, just click on the "Attach GMap file" button (look for it a few lines below the first Submit button). 2) A form will appear below the button where you can upload a .gpx, .kml, or .tpo file from your computer (note: NG .tpo files are usually stored in your C:\TOPO! folder). 3) Attach your file and the map will automatically appear at the bottom of your post (feel free to move the map anywhere in your post). That's it!* *You can also change the width or height of the map (maximum width is 900 or 100% and maximum height is 600). You can also change the type of map that is displayed by changing the t=t2 parameter to: t=m (Street map from Google) t=s (Aerial photo from Google) t=h (Aerial plus street names from Google) t=t1 (Terrain from Google) t=t2 (Topographic map from MyTopo - USA 1:24,000 & Canada 1:50,000) How to embed a topo map with a GPS track or route using Google Maps: 1) Ignore the steps above. If you already have a .gpx file or .kml file you are good to go. If you have NG Topo 4.x you can save your route as a .gpx file per GeoHiker's comments below. If you have NG Topo 2.x or 3.x you can download GPSBabel to convert your .tpo file to a .gpx file. 2) Go to google maps and import your .gpx file, give it a name, and click done (note there is a link to google maps at the bottom right of the posting screen). 3) Right right click on "Link" (at the top right at google maps), copy the link, then click on the GMap button here (with the other buttons at the top of the posting screen), and paste the link. That's it!*

[Slugman]

Ha! Tom beat me to it by one minute. But since I took the time to write it, here's what I posted in a new thread, then deleted: There is a new mapping feature popping up on this website. You may have seen it in action. It enables you to share maps with anyone even if they have no mapping software. Until today I was unable to use it, because the descriptions and discussions of it were so technical and complicated, I tuned them out as if I was listening to Charlie Brown's teacher. Then Tom sent me a PM with about two sentences in it, and I was in business. Sure, I had to figure out a few things, like how to use a program called gpsbabel that I had to download. But it was pretty intuitive, so no explanation was necessary. Here is what Tom wrote me: "All you need to do is save the file as a gpx (download gpsbabel to convert tpo files to gpx), then go to google maps and upload the gpx to your mymaps, then click to get the link, and click the gmap button here." With that little bit of advice, I was up and running in about 15 minutes. Here's a more step by step version of one way to use the mapping software: Draw a route in NG TOPO and save it, or use one you've already drawn. This is called a .tpo file. Use gpsbabel to convert the .tpo file into a GPX file. Get a google account. If you have a youtube account, you already do. Sign in and go to googlemaps mymaps. Create a new map, name it, and then click on "import". Browse for your GPX file and upload it. (You can then see your route in google maps and 3-D satellite view, which is very cool and worth the effort by itself). Click on the tab that says "link", and copy the link. When you go to post your map here, click on the GMap button above the posting box. Paste your link into the space provided, and then submit the post. You will then see something like this: View larger size in new window There are other ways to accomplish the same thing I did, and other things you can do with the maps, like show real gps tracks that you download from a gps unit. But being a newbie, I'll let others describe those. This post is just to show a beginner how to get started without any technical data they don't need to know, or instructions that get bogged down in all the tiny details.

[Obi Tony Kenobi]

Thank you Sluggy! I just imported the data from my iPhone 3GS to Google Maps the way you said to do it and I added it to my Gem Lake Overnighter and Wright Mountain Summit Trip Report and it worked! Didnt have to download the program either since my iPhone gave me the option to download it as a .gpx file.

[GeoHiker]

Tom if I'm not mistaken you can update any 2.xxx-3.xxx version of TOPO to at least 4.xxx on the NG website for free. TOPO 4.xxx will let you save a .gpx file. Open the routing tool and either open a route or make one. Draw a route and then right click it. You'll get a route box. Click the button GPS Route. You'll get another box, GPS Route Wizard. Do what ever you need to the route, waypoints etc then click Finish. You'll then get your Content Viewer box that comes up and shows you your waypoints etc. Right click on the route on the far left and you'll be able to open up the Export Wizard and save the file as a .gpx I think there's a way to save it as a gpx file with in the save as or save function under file too, but haven't messed with that. I make routes all the time and once you know the process it takes about 30 seconds to do up a route and save it to your GPS or computer. Hope this helps.

[Slugman]

2.76 won't do it, but at least I see how it is done (it will convert to other things, but not gpx). Look for the data box at the bottom of the screen when you create a gps route from your drawn route (a .tpg file). Or drag open the box at the bottom of the screen if you are opening an existing gps route (the series of waypoints you generate along a route you drew). Right click on the route folder, and the export wizard option appears. But it won't convert to GPX, just to the formats of a few prominent GPS makers. In topo 4.5, when you open a route, a data box opens, and you right click on the route folder, and the export wizard option is there. It gives the option of conversion to GPX files and saving them. So no gpsbabel is needed by those with newer versions of NG topo. Cool. Thanks, Geo. It was a little more complicated than just right clicking on the route, but you got me there eventually. I use the older topo version for Washington, and the newer versions for Oregon and Wyoming, so I guess I'll be using gpsbabel for my conversions most of the time. PS: It doesn't work in version 3.43. Same thing as 2.76, no GPX option in the wizard. So it's gpsbabel except for version 4.x users.

[Joey]

This map making process will soon be able to read TOPO tpo files directly with no conversion needed. What I need is a rainy day (tomorrow) when I'm stuck inside so I can (hopefully) finish the coding/testing.

[rhughes]

Neat to see so many folks getting into this. I agree with Slugman that it isn't that hard to do once you get the concept. I like Slugman's comments about the detour to see special things on this trail. The next thing he needs to learn to do is to put comment icons on his map so that when someone clicks on one it tells them about that neat place. And photos. In the high quality maps thread I posted an example of photo and text icons on the Yellow Aster Butte map that I did with the help of Joey and Schroder and Tom. For those of you who didn't see it, here's the link: Yellow Aster Butte map I'm not much of a techie but I'm willing to help get folks started on the photo and info popups if you want to send me a PM. If there's a lot of interest I could try to do a writeup on it like Tom and Slugman did on this thread.

[Magellan]

Wow, thanks. I will try it at some point. The two times I tried updating my NG TOPO it locked up. I had to uninstall and reinstall.

[Backpacker Joe]

Thank you Thomas Jefferson Davenport ESQ! No all I need is a bloody GPS.... LOL

[Obi Tony Kenobi]

[Slugman]

I feel very proud of my contribution to this educational thread. If I hadn't been so totally clueless, Tom wouldn't have had to give instructions that were so clear and so simple that even a dummy could follow them.

[Z]

What happened to the " Techno-babblers, please KEEP OUT! " admonition?

[Tom]

OK, I've pruned the techno babble and updated the instructions now that .tpo files can be uploaded. I've left some of the discussion about converting .tpo files to .gpx in case anyone wants to use google maps since it offers more bells and whistles.

[SteveC]

> in case anyone wants to use google maps since it offers more bells and whistles. But with Google maps, they don't offer access to the topographic maps like MyTopo. ...or am I missing something? Their Terrain view is quite worthwhile, but topo maps show trails that Google doesn't.

[Tom]