Comments on: Tips on Garmin Custom Maps – Using GPS Visualizer

By: Matt S

Matt S — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:54:18 +0000

Scott, thanks for contributing! This string helped me get my new Oregon nicely set up.

By: John L

John L — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:57:55 +0000

Got it. Thanks, Scott.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:07:48 +0000

Create a waypoint in the area of the map (TX), enable the map and then WhereTo? the waypoint. You should be able to zoom in on the map page around the waypiont and see the map.

-Scott

By: John L

John L — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:45:50 +0000

Sorry for a new post to this old note. I am a new owner of a Garmin Oregon. My problem is probably related to how the Oregon works with multiple maps on it. I used Scott’s directions to use GPS Visualizer to directly create a KMZ file without going through GE. I downloaded it to the CustomMaps directory. Per Settings -> Maps, it is enabled. If I open the KMZ file with WinZip, I can see the JPG file and open it and see the overlay map. However, when I go to Map from the main menu, all I can see is the pre-installed navigator map. I am in Massachusetts and the custom map is for a location in Texas. How can I view the Texas map on the Garmin Oregon to make sure that it is working?

By: Gian Paolo Saliola

Gian Paolo Saliola — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:37:22 +0000

Recently OkMap freeware software (www.okmap.org) include a feature to generate automatically compatible Garmin custom maps (kmz format).
The map calibration is sophisticated because OkMap uses different type of projection and several datums.
This new feature includes map tiling from and to different image file formats (including from ECW map files).
It’s possible select KML extensions 2.2 (if GPS supports them), the JPEG quality, KML transparency, draw order, ecc..
You can select the tiles to generate in output.
This feature support also not north oriented maps.
OkMap include a Google maps server to download maps from Google, OpenStreetMap, MyTopo, DOCQ, ecc..
These two features combined together may be very useful.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:25:37 +0000

Kurt,

Try this instead, may sure you have the overlay type set to static so the image is included in the file:

http://www.gpsfix.net/garmin-custom-maps-gps-viz-kmz-support/

-Scott

By: Kurt

Kurt — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:16:28 +0000

Oh, and when I open the file from my hard disk by double clicking, it opens up properlyin GE. It must just be storing the link.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:14:35 +0000

Thanks, Scott, for the prompt feedback. I was thinking those files sizes were off as well. I just checked, and there is only a doc file within the kmz file. I have saved several other kmz files (manually created) from google earth with no problem, but these aren’t including the image file(s). I am doing the same thing I have done with other maps: right click on the overlay link, choose “save place as…”, but nada. The overlay looks fine in GE–I can show and remove it with the checkbox, etc. I would sute appreciate help figuring out what I’m doing wrong.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:26:46 +0000

Kurt,

You’ll need to check this list:

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Custom+Maps#toc9

to see if you are violating any of these things that might cause the custom map to not show up. 1kb sounds to me like you don’t have a map image in the kmz file. You are probably not including the map in the kmz (just the link).

-Scott

By: Kurt

Kurt — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:03:10 +0000

Sorry for the post to such an old thread, but I’m new to the Garmin scene. I have followed the steps exactly, get a small kmz file (1kb) onto my Dakota, but when I fire it up it gives me the message that there are custom maps that won’t show up because they are too big. Other custom maps do show up, just none I’ve created with GPSvisualizer (I’ve tried several clips of differing types of map data).

Incidentally, related or not I have no idea, but the draw order is not on the location tab for me, but rather on the altitude tab (see Mike T’s post above).