[Xastir] Quick Ques.: OSM Maps from cache?

[Kurt Savegnago]

Hi,

  Been using Xastir a long time and getting ready to go into the field without internet to track R/C models and amateur rockets. I took the easy
way with the canned maps from ftp://aprs.tamu.edu/pub/.  Just unzip and go.
  Yeah I know, from 2006 but for tracking models or as a base map for watching what's going on in the area are not too bad. I had a tough time with the readmes and whathaveyous to put other maps in, other than the online stuff generally worked well going out of the gate.
  Am used to Slackware and compiled Xastir from scratch so everything generally works.  I learned from rote and don't actually know what I'm doing.  It's just that I've worked with Slack since '94 and learned what I needed to learn to get it to do what I wanted it to do.
 
 Here's the scenario:

  Run Xastir from home connected to the Internet.  Since tracking a model is usually in a confined area, I thought I could cache online maps like terraserver, Tiger and now OSM.  Yeah, I know Tiger is dead.  There is a big cache file where it seems these maps are stored after using Xastir online.  I thought once disconnected from the internet, I could use these maps for local tracking?

In the toolbar under Map, I have, Enable Levels, Labels, Area color fills and weather alerts all checked and Enable Auto maps.  With this mode, 
the stored 2006 Tiger maps from TAMU are used.  When connected to the internet, if I uncheck Enable Auto Maps Xastir will download the maps I have selected in Map Chooser and display them right then and there.
I currently have chosen OSM and it works.

If I download say an OSM map like I just mentioned above, I thought there might be a way to directly use it without being connected to the Internet?  If I close Xastir and restart it after shutting off the wireless internet, the "cached map" can't be reloaded in my system.  Is there some switch I need to change or is that just the idiosyncrasy of the software?  ie. If one wants to use online maps, they have to be connected to the internet no matter what?

The Windows program,  USA PhotoMaps downloaded aerial photos from terraserver and once downloaded the program would use them without a connection to the internet.  Even ran it emulated in WINE with success
with a TNC-X.  It is mainly a GPS program but can do APRS.

I actually like Xastir better and if cached maps could be directly accessed without internet connection, it would be great.

                                        Kurt