LIDAR in the Pines SD Windows Version Boyd Ostroff 12/22/2018

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1 LIDAR in the Pines SD Windows Version Boyd Ostroff 12/22/2018 LIDAR in the Pines SD is a lower resolution version of LIDAR in the Pines HD converted to Garmin s traditional.img file format. Although the level of detail is much lower, it has the advantage of working with newer Garmin automotive devices (see the Compatibility section below). It also offers some special features in Basecamp, such as elevation display and Birdseye compatibility. It even works with Garmin s older Mapsouce software. This map should be of interest to Garmin users who are reluctant to adopt the Mobile Atlas Creator software used for other maps at boydsmaps.com. The download is also much smaller and it installs with just one click. The source data for the map is 1/9 arc-second LIDAR imagery from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) is a system for laser-scanning the surface of the earth from airplanes to produce a very accurate Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the terrain. This map uses bare-earth LIDAR data in other words, it shows the surface of the earth and not objects such as trees. The raw data can be processed in different ways to create maps of 3d terrain.

2 The custom shading used for this map is tuned to the flat South Jersey terrain, revealing subtle details that are normally lost in other maps of the region. Technical Notes This is the first map based the author s new digital model of Southern New Jersey that covers the region with over 60 million grid cells, each representing 48 ft x 48 ft (15m x 15m) on the ground. This model can depict any type of imagery by simply changing the colors of the grid cells, and each cell can also contain additional data (such as the spot elevations on this map). The custom-shaded LIDAR DEM was converted to a palette of 81 colors for compatibility with the 81 available Garmin polygon types. The imagery was then sampled at 48 feet per pixel and applied to the digital model. Road, city and water features were overlaid and the map was compiled as a standard Garmin.img file. Compatibility Maps created with this technique contain far more polygons than typical Garmin maps and require more resources to render on the screen. Computer programs such as Basecamp and Mapsource have no problem with this and zooming/dragging the map is very smooth. But GPS devices have much less powerful processors, and although the map is technically compatible with all Garmin devices, it is not likely to work acceptably on older models such as the Nuvi series. This map has been extensively road-tested on a DriveSmart 61 (the current top of the line automotive device). Performance on this device is acceptable, although less responsive than simpler Garmin maps. One limitation is that the terrain only appears at zoom levels of 0.2 miles or less.

3 A test on a Dezl 760 (a 2012 model) resulted in immediate crashes after rendering the map. It has not been tested on older devices or handheld units I will leave this and an exercise for the user, but suspect it will work best on premium automotive devices released since You should do your own testing to verify that this map works reliably on your device before using it for any applications where an unexpected shutdown/restart could be a problem. Even if you don t have a compatible GPS device, you may find the map useful on your computer. See the Using the map in Basecamp section below for some ideas of how it can be used. It might be of special interest to users of Garmin s legacy Mapsource software, since that program cannot normally display raster imagery. This document covers the Windows version of the map. A separate Macintosh version is also available, but the only difference is the installer and documentation. The maps are the same. Getting started By proceeding with map installation, you agree to assume all risks associated with the process. The author will not be responsible for any computer or GPS problems resulting from following the instructions below. It should be simple and safe, but do not proceed if you aren't comfortable with assuming all responsibility. Before installing any software, it's always wise to have a full backup of your computer and GPS. Please read the License Agreement at the end of this document before installing the map. You must have Garmin Basecamp installed on your computer before installing the map, it is free If your computer does not meet the requirements of the current version, a legacy version is also available It also works with Garmin's older Mapsource software (which was discontined several years ago) Installation Before installing, close Basecamp, MapInstall and Mapsource if they are open. Then just double-click the installer.exe file. Following installation, the map will be available for use in Basecamp and Mapsource.

4 The map can be uninstalled from the Windows Programs and Features control panel. Using the map in Basecamp Open Basecamp and select the map from the dropdown menu. If you don't see a dropdown menu, you can enable it with View > Toolbars > Map Products. It may take a few seconds for the map to appear.

5 Set map detail to the highest level. If you don t see the detail menu, enable it with View > Toolbars > Detail Level As you move the mouse around the map, spot elevations are shown on the screen. You can control the speed at which the elevations appear with Edit > Options > Display > Tooltips. A shorter delay will make the elevations update faster as you move the mouse. With a long delay value, the elevations will not appear unless you hold the mouse still. Note: although elevations are displayed on the screen, Basecamp does not really consider them elevations, they are treated as names.

6 When you create a waypoint while using the map, the elevation will be its name. If you want Basecamp to treat this as a real elevation, enter the same value in the Elevation box. If you use Garmin BirdsEye with the map, the roads will appear and you will also see elevations as you move the mouse pointer. Just choose a Birdseye file and make sure that Show Overlays is enabled. You can also use custom maps (.kmz files) as overlays in the same fashion.

7 Installing the map to your GPS Due to the extreme amount of data, this map is only recommended for use on the newest Garmin automotive devices - please see the Compatibility section above. In May 2018, Garmin released an update to their Basecamp and MapInstall software. Unfortunately, this update broke the ability to send third party maps from your computer to your GPS. While this is probably just a bug, Garmin has not provided a fix as of this writing. For more information and possible solutions, see the following discussion. Experienced users can install the map with MapInstall or Mapsource, but I recommend downloading the precompiled map file from the link below. You can then just drag the map to your GPS without using Garmin s software. Full instructions are included with the download. Install the map theme Map themes allow road widths to be customized for use on different resolution screens. The LIDAR theme is provided for the DriveSmart 61 and other recent models with 7-inch 1024x600 screens. Copy this small file from the theme folder in the map distribution to the \Themes\Map folder on the GPS. The next section will explain its use.

8 Using the map on your GPS To enable the map, press Settings > Maps & Vehicle and choose mymaps. If you also enable CN North America NT, you can use all the standard features of your GPS while viewing the LIDAR map on the screen. Press Settings > Map & Vehicle > Map Detail and choose More. Now go to Settings > Map & Vehicle > Map Theme. The default theme is called Garmin. If you like the appearance of the map, there is no need to change. However, I think the included LIDAR theme provides better line widths for the newest 7-inch automotive devices with 1024x600 screens. Note that themes are global, so changing this setting may also affect the appearance of other maps on your device.

9 I suggest un-checking Auto Zoom in the Map & Vehicle menu. Zooming out too far can cause the device to slow down or even crash. The map will only appear at zoom levels of 0.2 miles or closer. If City Navigator is also enabled you can use all the normal routing functions of your device and built-in features such as junction view, speed limits and driver alerts.

10 Resources Online linkage for this map: Download the original LIDAR in the Pines HD to see 8 times more detail! Post comments or questions in the following forums, I monitor them regularly Data Sources Roads from the NJ Dept of Transportation, OpenStreetMap and US Census Bureau TIGER data 1,500 miles of HD unpaved South Jersey roads from the author's personal dataset Trails from a variety of sources including legacy NJ State Forest maps, park websites and GPS tracks Railroads from US Census Bureau TIGER data City and town names from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and OpenStreetMap Water features from NJDEP 2012 LU/LC data and the USGS National Hydrography Dataset Terrain created from 1/9 arc second bare-earth LIDAR DEM data from the USGS 3d Elevation Program

11 License Agreement LIDAR in the Pines SD ("the map") is copyright 2018 Boyd Ostroff. It is provided free of charge but is not open source software. Please read this license carefully. By installing the map on your computer and/or GPS device, you agree to all of its terms. You may install the map on all of your computers and GPS devices for personal, non-commercial use. You may redistribute the map for non-commercial purposes provided that all files contained in the distribution folder (including this one) are included in their original format. It must be provided free of charge. You may include screenshots of the map on social media and other sites if they are not used for commercial purposes. Credit would be appreciated. Any use of the map for purposes other than those described above requires the written consent of the author. You may not include the map or any part of it in a commercial product for sale. You may not include screenshots of the map to promote commercial products or services. You may not create derivative works from the data in the map. Map software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. In no event will the author be held liable for any damages arising from the installation or use of this software. The map does not contain survey grade data and no representations are made as to its accuracy. The user assumes all risks associated with installation and use of this software. The map is intended for reference, educational and recreational purposes only. The author will not be held responsible for any inaccuracies and no responsibility is assumed for damages or other liabilities due to errors, installation, accuracy, availability, use or misuse of the data presented. The map was created with techniques that are not generally used in Garmin format maps. This could result in unexpected shutdowns and restarts on some GPS devices. It is the sole responsibility of the user to perform their own testing to determine if the map is suitable for their use.