[resolved] Convert .AQM to other format

[DolphinsPC]

Hello,

This question has been asked before a couple of times but no answer was certain.

Is possible to convert .AQM to .KMZ or Garmin or any common format?

More so, is possible to convert AQM to extracted tiles? Reason this is necessary is that .AQMs can be very large and costly to download from MOBAC. Users want security of being able to convert downloaded tiles to any format in future. This allows maps to be perpetual over time. Once .AQM is created, there is no way of converting back to another type?

AQM is to be opensource format. Much appreciated. But do you know simpler way using Mobac or other tool?


Thanks

[Psyberia-Support]

Hi,
If you have created you maps wit MOBAC then it also keep all the data internally so you can export your map again in another format.
There is also an app called MAPC2MAPC that can (as far as I remember) input a AQM map and export any other format.

From the app it's not possible, the application only read maps, it does not export them.

[DolphinPCs]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply. I have seen MAPC2MAPC. But it does not read .AQM.

My problem is my tile cache has been wiped from MOBAC since building the .AQMs. Re-downloading is costly.

I was hoping you could provide some insight on how one can de-compile the .AQM and produce a .zip of tiles to later convert .GPX
Thank you

[Psyberia-Support]

So if mapc2mapc can't read them, unfortunately I don't think you'll find any pre-made tool to extract images.
If you have some technical knowledge, you'll find the AQM file creator source code in the MOBAC sourceforge.

[DolphinPC1]

Hi,

I reached out to MAPC2MAPC development (John) and he was gracious enough to add support for .AQM in latest version (596).
https://www.the-thorns.org.uk/mapping/down.html

AQM can now be exported as tiles in a SQLite DB, which can be imported as a source to MOBAC, as well as other GPS applications.

This is valuable, as re-downloading maps where the cache has been lost is costly to some people.

Note - John also advised:

The default is to write map tiles as PNG but photographic images are better written as JPEGs. Use Settings>Output tab to check 'Write JPG where possible'

[Psyberia-Support]

Thanks for the update, it's a good news!