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The precise brand and model of GPS receiver must conform to the requirements of the GPS Utility program.
Mapping of a trail that is covered by a heavy forest canopy should be deferred until late fall or early spring.
The GPS should be hand-held or mounted during usage so that its antenna has maximum exposure to the sky.
The GPS receiver can use any convenient Datum, the native WGS84 could easily be the best choice
The 'tracklog' feature of a Garmin GPS automatically records the users position at specified intervals while feature is 'on'.
Switching the 'tracklog' function 'on' indicates the start of a new trail segment.
Switching the 'tracklog' function 'off' prevents the recording of unwanted points.
Mapping software assumes that the trail segment is a series of straight lines between points recorded while the function is 'on'.
Quickly switching the 'tracklog' function 'off' then 'on' can be used to indicate an adjacent trail segment.
Clearing the 'tracklog' function erases all of previous points from the limited 'tracklog' memory.
Experimentation may be necessary to determine the optimum setup and use of this feature.
The free download version of the Landview III program can view the data for just one county at a time. Data collection efforts should be planned to avoid crossing any State or County Lines as a means of avoiding potential problems in the operation of the Landview III program. Note that the Landview III MIE file can be manually edited to resolve this issue.
The Utility program can use any convenient Datum, the native WGS84 could easily be the best choice.
Native binary format on hard disk might be best for quick and strictly temporary storage purposes.
Comma delimited Waypoint+ format on diskette might be best for archival purposes.
Uploading the entire data content of the GPS receiver in combined format could easily be the best choice.
Redundant data uploads must be considered before the GPS receiver 'tracklog' memory is cleared for new data.
Datum should be set to NAD83 to match the Census TIGER data (not enforced by conversion program)
The output file must be written in comma-delimited text format (enforced by conversion program)
The output file must be strictly limited to 'tracklog' data (enforced by conversion program)
Output coordinates must be written in signed decimal degree format (enforced by conversion program)
Use of the '.txt' extension for the 'tracklog' file is suggested (not enforced by conversion program).
A finished 'tracklog' file can be edited by hand with the Notepad program if necessary. Note that every file must contain just one 'Datum' line as its first line, while every other line in the file must be confined to 'tracklog' data.
The program has been tested using a Garmin II+ GPS receiver and the Waypoint+ for Garmin GPS program.
The Waypoint+ text output feature of GPS Trackmaker has not been tested with this conversion program.
The Waypoint+ text output feature of GPS Utility has not been tested with this conversion program.
The Waypoint+ text output feature of GARtrip has not been tested with this conversion program.
The following data fields must be entered (in any order) before pushing the 'Start File Conversion program' button:
Three boxes under Waypoint+ Trklog allow the selection of Drive, Directory, and Filename of the input file in that order. Note that the file should have the '.txt' extension (not enforced).
Four boxes under 'Landview III MIE' allow the selection of Drive & Directory, the easy review of existing file names, and final specification of new filename in that order. Clicking an existing filename in the third box copies it to the fourth box so that the file can be re-used, or the filename modified as desired. Absence of a file extension results in the automatic assignment of '.mie', otherwise use of that extension is strongly suggested but not enforced by the conversion program.
Entering a 'Tracklog name' results in the assignment of that same name to every one of the line segments in the tracklog file. Note that an unsatisfactory name for any given segment can be easily changed after the tracklog has been imported into the Landview III program. Note that the presence of a tracklog name is not enforced by the format conversion program.
Entering a 'Landview Map Layer' specifies the layer to which this file is assigned as it is imported into the Landview III program. Assignment of this tracklog to an appropriate map layer is strongly suggested but not enforced by the format conversion program.
Entering a 'State - County' code specifies the 5 digit FIPS code that will be stamped in the appropriate field of the Landview III MIE record heading. Users should become aware of the correct code for each State-County as data files are downloaded during setup of the Landview III program. Use of the correct code is strongly recommended but not enforced by the Conversion program.
The conversion program will automatically enter a '0' for the FIPS place code in the current version as users are unlikely to have access to a complete set of place codes.
The conversion program will automatically enter a '0' for the scale code in the current version.
The 'CFCC' field specifies the three character Census Feature Class Code that will be assigned to every segment in the 'trackfile' file. The default code 'A71' is appropriate for a 'walkway or trail for pedestrians, usually unnamed'. Other codes can be found in Section 3 of the Technical Documentation for TIGER/Line Files, 1997. Use of the correct code may be helpful but is not enforced by the Conversion program.
Choosing an appropriate 'Line Color' specifies the line color in the Landview III MIE record heading. A default color has been chosen for its ability to stand out on the finished map. However that color is easily changed at this point, and again within the Landview III program.
Choosing an appropriate 'Line Pattern' specifies the line color in the Landview III MIE record heading. A default line pattern has been chosen for its similarity to the commonly accepted map symbol for trails. However that line pattern is easily changed at this point, and again within the Landview III program.
Choosing an appropriate 'Line Width' specifies the line width in the Landview III MIE record heading. A default line width has been chosen for its similarity to the commonly accepted map symbol for trails. However that line width is easily changed at this point, however the effect of changing the line width at this point and the ability to change it again within the Landview III program is not known at this time.
Pushing the 'Start File Conversion program' button initiates the file conversion as specified above.
The 'Records Processed' window reveals the number of records successfully converted.
The 'Done' message indicates that the program terminated successfully.
The 'InFile ERROR 1' message indicates the existence of a serious file format error in the first two lines of the Waypoint+ file:
The first field of the first line must equal 'Datum' to indicate a Waypoint+ Text File
The first field of the second line must equal 'TP' to indicate a 'Tracklog' record.
The second field of the second line must equal 'D' to indicate that coordinates are expressed in Decimal Degrees.
The 'InFile ERROR 2' message indicates the existence of a serious file format error in the remaining lines of the Waypoint+ file:
The first field of every line except the first must equal 'TP' to insure that the file is limited to 'Tracklog' records.
Pushing the 'Clear Results' button clears the record count window and restores the word 'Ready' to the results window. This window does not clear or restore default values to any other field so that the program can be easily rerun to convert a series of closely related files with similiar data!
Supporting Organizations & Resources
