AlpineQuest & OfflineMaps

I have AQ full (paid) version. I created 2 saved offline maps of 2 different spots in France. These are based both on Google bike maps. The process worked fine and I used one of these maps with success (I saw its limits when I leave the saved area). But all is hidden for me, a hidden process. I don't know where are these maps saved and how to display one or the other (or to delete one, by example). Nothing transparent.

I go to the file explorer of my tablet (samsung tab2), and in cache/builtin-maps I see two files gmbike.dat and gmbike.idx. I suppose this is the saved map (gmbike meaning google map bike). I experiment and I see that every saved map I create overwrite the previous (I see that the time/hour of the file is changing and the size also), but there are always these two files and nothing else. How can I save several maps of different areas? How can I see a list of these maps in AQ and select one or the other? How can I manage these maps from AQ?

Hi again,
It seems you've mis-understood the store area tool. It doesn't "create" a map. AlpineQuest is not a map creator, it's a map displayer. This feature just stores an area for offline use. If you want to create maps, you'll have to use another software (like MOBAC, free), and open the maps with the app.

AlpineQuest works with two different kinds of maps: online maps and on-board maps.
- Online maps can be stored on the memory card to be availble offline (i.e. the store area tool).
- On-board maps are file based. You create them with your computer (MOBAC, MAPC2MAPC), or get them from DVD, internet (like .QCT maps), etc...

Here is the online help on maps: http://www.alpinequest.net/en/help/1.4/maps

Best regards

Wow! It's a very subtle distinction and I would like more information to understand. You say that it "stores an area for offline use". But this area, for me, when displayed offline, looks remarkably like a map! I don't see the difference, even you say it is an "area" not a map.

If it is not a map, what is exactly an "area"? What is stored in the .dat and .idx files to produce a map-like-area without any online data?

I remark that if I save an area with another map in background two other dat/idx files are created in cache. But this is not yet a solution to my questions, because these new files can be overwrite with a new "saved area".

I always wonder why it is not possible to individalize, give a name, save and relaod when needed that kind of offline areas. Surely something I don't yet understand. Thank you for more light.

Hi again,
Here is how I understand the difference between area and map (but this is a completely personal point of view):
- A map stands alone. It can be a paper map, or a digital map contained in a file. Maps are called "on-board maps" in AlpineQuest.
- An area, is a part of a map. You can store an area of the online map "Google Maps" for example, but it won't create a standalone map.

So in AlpineQuest, all stored areas of online maps are merged together in the data storage. When you store a new area, this one is added, and overlapping parts if any are not downloaded twice.

It's true that you can't delete a particular area yet, you can only clear the whole storage.

This behavior has been introduced following lots of complains about the on-board map handling: the need to select the good map for the displayed area, the need to switch to another one when moving too far, etc. People with smartphones don't want to bother with many maps...
Now, it's like all your maps are into a single one, no need to switch between them, etc.

I believe this is a more modern vision that the old file based maps, copied from the PC to the GPS etc.

The good news is that the ability to store an area in an external file has been requested and panned, but right now I can't give you a release date.

I can understand Dorjee's point of view. I have stored maps or "areas" for my local area (UK Topo Explorer). When I go to another part of the UK I store the map for that area in advance (for use offline). When I get back home it would be useful to get rid of the map for the "foreign" region to free up storage, while keeping the local stuff intact.

One solution I can think of is every time you create a stored area it could be given a name and stored as a separate .dat/.idx combination. Then it would be possible to use a file manager to zap the unwanted regions. Presumably AQ would need to store each type of map (UK Topo / Google Bike) in a separate subfolder and read in all the files in that folder - I don't know how this would work?

regards

But I do understand Dorjee's point of view too, and I'll try to add this capability in the future.
The thing is, in the past (or on gps handsets with limited memory), you had to deal with all your maps, to choose which one to add instead of which one, etc. Now, devices have more and more storage space (you can find 128GB sdcard for $60!) that there is (or there will soon be) no more need to bother will all that, you can just store everything you want (and maybe have an automated background task that removes map tiles older than a year or something like that). I mean you don't need to copy the Wales map or the Cornwall one depending on where you go if you can have the whole UK stored.
But this is a very interesting discussion.
Anyway, right now you can use MOBAC to create file based maps, using custom map sources.

How do you clear the storage area?

Hi,
To clear stored data, open the "Maps Explorer", long press the map you want to clear the data, and select "Clear data". This will clear all the data stored for this map.
Best regards