File Formats & Functions
Well, now you know what makes MapCreate tick. You may be ready to skip forward to where we explain how our text formatting makes the manual easy to skim. If that's the case, move on to "How to Use This Manual" on page 10. But, if you want to pick up an extra tip or two, look over this segment describing the file formats MapCreate works with.
Map Border File
This file defines the boundary of the raw cartography data that is extracted and converted to a GPS custom map. The file information is displayed on the computer's Master Map screen as either a green rectangle (rectangle map border) or a magenta polygon shape (corridor map border.) The file extension is *.lmp, and the file is saved on your computer hard drive. A Map Border File can contain one or more different map border sets, and these border sets don't need to be next to each other on the map.
For example, you can draw a rectangle border around one lake and then draw a second corridor border around another lake several miles away, and include both of those border sets into one Map Border File. There is no limit (other than space on your hard disk, MMC or SDC) on how many different border sets you can include in a Map Border File. You can open and edit a Map Border File and then save the file with the changes you made.
Custom Map File
This is the actual custom map format used by your GPS unit. MapCreate takes the borders you drew and saved as a Map Border File, extracts that area's information from the raw atlas data on the CD, then converts it to a Custom Map File. We call this conversion process "building the map." The file extension is *.lcm, and the file is saved either to your hard drive or directly to your MMC or SDC. (Remember, MMC or SDC cards are what your GPS uses to store information.) If you save to your hard drive, you can drag and drop the file to your MMC or SDC at your convenience, just as you handle other Windows- based computer files. (This assumes you are using a
You cannot open and make changes to a Custom Map File once it has been created. If you want to make changes to a custom map, return to its original companion Map Border File, make changes there, then
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