[Xastir] maps

[Matt Werner]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tbaggett at jump.net>
To: <xastir at xastir.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 11:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Xastir] maps


> Matt Werner:
> > Why not download the shapefiles already made?
> > esri.com has them in layers by state or county.
>
> Because I can only download them one county at a time, or one layer per
state at a time, and there is a daily download limit. I prefer to automate
and batch things when possible.

Didn't know they had a limit.  I guess that's what dial-up does for you.  :)

> Matt Werner:
> > I have shapefiles from Tiger data (obtained from ESRI).  I have about
7-10
> > layers (not sure - I'd have to check) for all of MN, WI, and the UP of
MI.
> > I have map layers set up so that when I'm in closer, I'll get roads,
urban
> > areas, lakes and rivers, railroads, and maybe one or two other things.
> ...
> > The biggest hassle
> > for me was to get them all on the hard drive, in some sort of order, and
> > then to set up the map chooser.
>
> Yes, I would like to find a way to distribute maps with corresponding
dbfawk files, and layer settings, rather than having it in a global map.sys
file (I think that's the name).
>
> I have done similar to what you have done, but I would like to be able to
turn off local roads at greater zoom levels, but still having major roads
displayed.
>
> My current idea for doing this is to seperate the major roads from the
local roads in the Tiger file, then create two seperate shapefiles for
roads.

That would be very handy.  I'm keeping my eye open for a file that has major
roads (Interstates, US highways, and maybe state highways) for the maps that
are zoomed way out, but haven't seen something yet.

One thing that would be nice for xastir would be to be able to turn on
certain map "groups" with a click or two.  For example, if I don't normally
run with the topo maps on, but want to turn them on for a little bit, I
don't have to go into map chooser and turn them all on - I can go to a
window and click a check box that will turn on "Group 2 - Topo maps" - or
something like that.  I don't know that it can be done easily in the
existing software.

> Tom Russo:
> > I rarely have the program
> > zoomed out to cover the whole state, and I use agressive map levels to
keep
> > render time short.  Even so, it is slow to display the entire state.
>
> Yes, this is my experience as well. Plus, there will be times I want to
display multiple states. Granted, I may only want to show urban areas, major
roads, and major hydrology, but the loading time is what I think I may be
facing.

One thing that will probably help loading time is to make the map files
smaller (I would think).  That way if you are looking at the border of two
states you aren't loading two entire states, but rather a couple of portions
of two states.  Either breaking them up by county or some other system (just
a grid maybe).

Looking at a 5 mile square of MN and WI where I live and having to load the
entire MN and WI maps would get old.

73 - Matt