How to... Install a new map within DMAP
The information on this page is for users of DMAP who wish to obtain additional Boundary (.BDY) files for setting up File Groups for new map areas.
Outline Procedure
- Decide whether you need a map based on metric (grid reference) or latitude/longitude co-ordinates.
- Acquire a digitized Boundary (BDY) file or Map Image (BMP) file for your map area by one of the methods given under the headings Grid Reference BDY files or Latitude+Longitude BDY files below.
- Copy the BDY or BMP file (and PAR file if supplied) into your C:\DMAPW folder.
- Set up a new File Group which incorporates the new BDY or BMP file. Refer to the DMAP Help topic Setting up a new File Group for information about how to do this.
- Complete the installation of the new map by setting the Map Parameters as described in the DMAP Help topic Setting up a new File Group.
Latitude+Longitude BDY files:
Several options exist, including the ability to download some maps free of charge from this website. Options include:
- Download a latitude/longitude boundary file from this website. A small library of ready-to-use BDY files is available.
Click here for further details about downloading.
- Obtain a lat+long BDY file from Alan Morton, extracted from
a world dataset at an appropriate resolution for the size of area
required. You will need to state your exact requirements in terms
of the latitude and longitude extremeties of the area which you
require. These BDY files are usually supplied containing the following
features: Coastlines & Lakes, Rivers & Canals, and International
Boundaries. The files are annotated and can be edited
to remove unwanted features. The first map that you order will be provided free of charge, subsequent maps will involve a 10 GBP extraction and handling charge.
Click here for an order form.
- Digitize a scanned hard-copy map using the DMAP Digitizer software.
- Obtain a latitude/longitude file from another source, e.g. from a GIS installation or the Internet, as an AutoCAD Interchange (DXF), ARC/INFO export (E00), ESRI Shape (SHP), or MapInfo Interchange (MIF) file, and convert it to BDY format. A utility program (DAT2BDY) for doing this conversion can be downloaded free of charge from the Add-on Utilities page of this website, or contact Alan Morton for advice about this conversion.
- For site mapping, it is possible to employ a specialist company to digitize site features in the field using GPS technology.
- An alternative to all of the above suggestions is to obtain an image file (Windows BMP format) of your mapping area and use that as a background map instead of a digitized map (BDY) file. Please refer to the DMAP Help topic Background Image File for instructions about this option.
Grid Reference BDY files:
Several options exist:
- A limited number of files can be downloaded from this Web site.
Click here for further details about downloading.
- Request an existing BDY file. A library of BDY files
exists for some areas, mostly vice-counties, within the British
Isles.
Click here for an order form or
contact Alan Morton, clearly stating the area(s) which
you require.
- Digitize a scanned hard-copy map using the DMAP Digitizer software.
- Convert a latitude/longitude boundary file to a grid reference boundary file using a utility program (LL2TM) available for download from this Web site. This is currently possible for the British Isles, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Italy and for any area which lies within a single UTM Grid Zone.
- Obtain a grid reference file from another source, e.g. from a GIS installation or the Internet, as an AutoCAD Interchange (DXF), ARC/INFO export (E00), ESRI Shape (SHP), or MapInfo Interchange (MIF) file, and convert it to BDY format. A utility program (DAT2BDY) for doing this conversion can be downloaded free of charge from the Add-on Utilities page of this website, or contact Alan Morton for advice about this conversion.
- For site mapping, it is possible to employ a specialist company to digitize site features in the field using GPS technology.
- An alternative to all of the above suggestions is to obtain an image file (Windows BMP format) of your mapping area and use that as a background map instead of a digitized map (BDY) file. Please refer to the DMAP Help topic Background Image File for instructions about this option.
If you have any comments, suggestions or queries about these procedures, Contact Alan Morton
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